Vented vs. condensing tumble dryers

Participant · 10 Mar 2016 at 20:08

Hi

We've got a Zanussi condensing tumble dryer that's on its way out.

The dryer is positioned next to an external wall where it would be very easy to create a vent with a core drill.

What are people's thoughts on vented vs. condensing? I remember back in the day, vented was considered much better, but are modern condensers equally as good as vented now?

I'm thinking that if vented are cheaper than their condensing counter parts, then it's a no brainer right?

Is there any reason at all I'd go for a condensing dryer when they're less efficient, require emptying frequently, and more expensive than the equivalent vented models?

Cheers.

23JMZ07 · 10 Mar 2016 at 20:22

No reason to buy condensing if you are able to plumb up a vented one with not too much hassle.

xrs · 10 Mar 2016 at 23:57

If memory serves me correctly... I think that some of the newer condensing tumble dryers are more energy efficient. They are less convenient however.

Domo · 11 Mar 2016 at 00:18

Condenser always took far longer to dry than vented in my experience. Would never buy another condenser!

robj20 · 11 Mar 2016 at 07:12

Condenser with a heat pump is the best way to go, faster and more efficient but cost more initially.

LiGhTfasT · 11 Mar 2016 at 07:45

I find my condenser great in winter, it warms most of the ground floor so no need for the heating to be on.

Participant · 11 Mar 2016 at 08:43

LiGhTfasT said:
I find my condenser great in winter, it warms most of the ground floor so no need for the heating to be on.

Which immediately tells me it's extraordinarily inefficient

.

Cheers guys. Will look into this heat pump malarkey but sounds like vented is the way to go where practical.

mysticsniper · 11 Mar 2016 at 08:51

robj20 said:
Condenser with a heat pump is the best way to go, faster and more efficient but cost more initially.

This, but the cost is minimal and they are making more efficient ones all the time, mine is an AEG rated A+

Orionaut · 11 Mar 2016 at 09:23

Participant said:
Which immediately tells me it's extraordinarily inefficient .

Cheers guys. Will look into this heat pump malarkey but sounds like vented is the way to go where practical.

I know there is a LOL there,

But consider that whatever you do, a rumble dryer has to vaporise several Kg of water during a drying cycle.

That takes a lot of energy however you do it.

The efficiency thing is what happens to that energy after it has dried the clothes.

Vented just sends it out side, heat pump puts it back into the house so the heat is used twice.

That seems pretty efficient to me!

Participant · 11 Mar 2016 at 09:32

Orionaut said:
I know there is a LOL there,

But consider that whatever you do, a rumble dryer has to vaporise several Kg of water during a drying cycle.

That takes a lot of energy however you do it.

The efficiency thing is what happens to that energy after it has dried the clothes.

Vented just sends it out side, heat pump puts it back into the house so the heat is used twice.

That seems pretty efficient to me!

The heat pump puts it back into the dryer, not the house. LiGhTfasT's is just a condenser as I read it.

The heat pump ones sound good and are obviously very efficient. I can't even find many vented types in the usual places. Looks like heat pumps are taking over the world.

the shadow · 11 Mar 2016 at 09:39

mysticsniper said:
but the cost is minimal and they are making more efficient ones all the time, mine is an AEG rated A+

Orionaut · 11 Mar 2016 at 09:48

Participant said:
The heat pump puts it back into the dryer, not the house. LiGhTfasT's is just a condenser as I read it.

The heat pump ones sound good and are obviously very efficient. I can't even find many vented types in the usual places. Looks like heat pumps are taking over the world.

Unless the dryer has a vent to the outside, the energy will end up in the house eventually.

(unless you have a mini black hole in the dryer to suck it all up

)

a1ex2001 · 11 Mar 2016 at 09:48

mysticsniper said:
This, but the cost is minimal and they are making more efficient ones all the time, mine is an AEG rated A+

They have come down in price really quickly in the last couple of years ago, when we got our condenser the heat pipe options were incredibly limited and very expensive if I was buying again I'd go heat pipe.

Jamesyboyjim · 11 Mar 2016 at 11:07

I have gone from a condensing to a standard vent and found no difference in performance. No idea which will end up more expensive to run though!

I'd say the benefit is there seem to be more vented dryers available and at a cheaper price.

Solus · 12 Mar 2016 at 08:41

You find some people saying they have bad vented dryers.

Usually their filters aren't cleaned regularly and/or they haven't vented properly.

Too many installations where the tube is left slack to the external wall. They then push the dryer towards the wall and kink the tube.

The tube should be cut near enough to length so it's easy enough to get on, but isn't "slack".

Participant · 12 Mar 2016 at 18:12

Jamesyboyjim said:
I have gone from a condensing to a standard vent and found no difference in performance. No idea which will end up more expensive to run though!

I'd say the benefit is there seem to be more vented dryers available and at a cheaper price.

Looking in the usual places, John Lewis, AO, etc., there are far more heat pump options now than there are vented. They are certainly a lot more expensive though, maybe that's why the retailers are loving them so much.

But annoying really, £250 gets you a lot of electricity.