When it finally came time to replace our old clothes washer and dryer in December 2019, I wanted to test out a heat pump dryer technology that is relatively new to the United States. I’ve been interested in them for several years but had been waiting for the right time to make the leap. I went to the local appliance store and asked the salesman about heat pump clothes dryers. They didn’t stock any regularly in the store but were able to order one which took about 3 weeks to arrive here in central Illinois.
While I didn’t plan it this way, Ask This Old House has a nice overview video of the same model of dryer that I’m reviewing.
What is a heat pump clothes dryer?
First let’s talk about how a traditional clothes dryer works. Whether fueled by gas or electricity, it heats air hot enough to evaporate the moisture in the clothes. A fan inside the dryer pulls air from the laundry room, through the dryer, and vents the moist air to the outside. In a sense, it works like a bath exhaust fan or kitchen exhaust fan to remove moisture to the outdoors. In doing so, it is also removing the home’s conditioned air you are paying to heat in the winter and cool in the summer. As this air escapes to the outside, replacement air infiltrates through gaps and cracks around the building. So, there a few energy penalties to consider – the electricity or gas used to power the dryer while it operates, and the conditioning of the infiltrating air coming from the outdoors. A heat pump clothes dryer is an improvement in both categories.
Instead of generating heat and exhausting it outside, the heat pump will move heat in a cycle that is completely self contained within the dryer. There are 2 sets of coils containing refrigerant. One set of coils inside the machine (under the dryer cylinder where the clothes are located) gets cold enough that moisture condenses out of the air so that the water can be collected and drained away. The refrigerant inside the coils is compressed by the compressor which turns the second set of coils very hot. Air moves through the hot coils before going back into the dryer’s cylinder. And the cycle repeats. This is essentially the process used by refrigerators, freezers, dehumidifiers, central air conditioners, air source heat pumps, and ground source heat pumps.
The Samsung DV22N6800HW dryer that I purchased offers two methods of removing the moisture. There is a drain hose that can be attached to the back of the dryer and run to a floor drain or even into the clothes washer drain pipe. If you don’t have a drain nearby, you have the option to collect the water in a tray at the top of the dryer. The tray easily pulls out like a drawer and needs emptied with each load. Currently, I’m collecting the water using the tray method. There isn’t enough space in my clothes washer drain pipe because I have too many other appliances piping into it at the same time. I will eventually use the drain hose method so that I don’t have to take that extra step of emptying the tray into a sink with each load. However, I really don’t have any complaints about emptying the tray because I have a wash tub nearby and it’s easy to do.
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- The level of water in the tray can be viewed without pulling the drawer out.
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- Here is a view of the water tray sitting on top of the dryer.
Where’s the exhaust pipe? It’s ventless!
The heat pump dryer removes the water from the clothes and sends it to a drain. So, it is no longer necessary to blow the moist air to the outdoors! This is a great energy-savings benefit as you don’t lose all of the conditioned air of the home that is lost to the outdoors. The other major advantage for this style of dryer is that it can solve logistical challenges in finding a suitable termination for the exhaust. You don’t want to locate an exhaust near a patio where people would spend time, nor do you want to vent it into a crawlspace or an attic unless you are asking for future moisture and durability issues! You also don’t want the termination to be near a fresh air intake for a ventilation system, a high efficiency gas furnace, or a high efficiency gas water heater. Without the need for a termination, you have a lot more flexibility in where it gets located.
Plus the HUGE benefit here is that I no longer have to worry about cleaning out the exhaust pipe and dryer termination every 6 months! This is necessary to minimize the drying time of the dryer and to prevent dryer fires.
Monthly maintenance
Because it is very important to keep the heat pump equipment free of debris, there is a secondary area that needs cleaned of dust and debris at the bottom of the dryer. When you open a panel door, you will see metal fins that are a secondary layer of protection for the equipment. Samsung supplies a brush that can be used to dislodge the debris so that a vacuum hose to suck them out. The owner’s manual suggests cleaning the fins every 30 days. It took me roughly 5 minutes to clean it out which was longer than I expected. The lint and dust was packed into the fins, and it took some time to loosen then up enough so that the vacuum could do it’s job. You also need to be careful not the bend the metal fins as they are thin and somewhat pliable. The main criticism I have of this dryer is the effort it took to perform this maintenance. I would prefer to see a secondary filter that can be removed, rinsed, dried, and put back in place such as the ones you find on most new dehumidifiers.
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- Open the bottom panel door, pull out the gray cover, and clean out debris that is collecting in the fins. Use a brush and a vacuum.
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- This is what the fins look like while I was cleaning the area for the first time.
Does the heat pump clothes dryer operate any differently than a traditional dryer?
Here are the drying settings you have to choose from.
Not really. You empty the contents of the washer into the dryer. Make sure the lint screens are cleaned out and the water tray (if using that method) is empty. Power it up, choose your setting, and press start. It’s pretty simple. I’ve read some reviews that claimed heat pump clothes dryers are noisier than their counterparts. I do not agree. In my opinion, it isn’t any louder or quieter than a standard dryer. The only noticeable difference is that it does appear the drying time is a bit longer. I wish I had tracked the dryer time from the old dryer before I replaced it, so I don’t have any concrete data to compare to here. However, I estimate it takes anywhere from 15% to 40% longer to dry a load. This will also depend on the volume of clothes in the dryer and how well the washer removed water during the spin cycle. Since I have been emptying the water tray, I have a pretty good idea s to how much water I’m emptying per load. I’ve found the loads with the most water are delicates because the washer (by design) doesn’t have an intensive spin cycle with that setting. So, there is more water to remove by the dryer.
Why I’m returning the dryer to the store
Unfortunately, I have to exchange this heat pump dryer for another model of heat pump dryer. When the delivery crew arrived and opened up the back of the truck, I immediately knew something was wrong. The new dryer was considerably smaller than the new washer. It turns out I had purchased a 4.0 cubic foot dryer with a 4.5 cubic foot clothes washer. I quickly learned that the capacity of the dryer should be roughly 2 times larger than the capacity of the clothes washer to ensure there is plenty of air space to move through the clothes. This dryer would work well for an apartment or for a home with just 1 or 2 people. If you have a larger family like mine, this won’t do you justice. While I wait for the replacement dryer to arrive, I’ve had to purposely wash smaller loads, so it takes longer for me to get through the week’s laundry. I would also add that there is no way a comforter would fit into the 4.0 cubic foot dryer, so I’m looking forward to the larger one.
Before operating it for the first time, I returned to the store to speak with the sales manager. They graciously offered to exchange the dryer for a larger one and are allowing me to use the current one while we wait for the new one to arrive. I had to pay the difference of course. So, my $1079 regular price Samsung dryer turned into a $1609 Whirlpool unit. In my zealousness and excitement when making the initial purchase, I think the original salesman assumed I knew what I was talking about when it came to sizing. While he was researching what was available to order, I was distracting him with my chatter about how they worked.
So, now you will understand while I have “Part 1” in the title of this post. Stay tuned for a follow up review after I have a chance to use the Whirlpool model for a few weeks.
Beyond choosing the appropriate size appliance, here are the key considerations for heat pump clothes dryers:
Pros:
- It’s energy efficient
- It’s ventless. No dryer exhaust pipe and termination to maintain, and removes the risk of dryer fires.
- More flexibility as to location in the home to install the dryer
- Ease of operation
Cons:
- They upfront cost is high
- Slightly longer drying times
- The secondary lint area needs cleaned about every 30 days, and this unit takes a bit of work to clean it out.
- If you buy one, be prepared to wait a few weeks to get it. Stores may not keep them in stock and need to order.
- There can be a learning curve for guests using the laundry or family members who rarely use the laundry.
Very good review. I will be waiting for the larger unit review. You know me, I would like to know the amp draw and length of time to compare it to NG or even LO and/or electric drying.
Thanks! I do hope to have some more technical data for the next review.
Excellent post!
We plan in getting in for our high performance factory built home in a few months.
I’m looking forward to part 2!
Excellent. The new dryer is scheduled to arrive Tuesday 01/14. I plan on using if for a few weeks before making a new assessment. Stay tuned.
I just bought a LG ventless dryer. Love everything about it. The one concern I have is it heats up the bathroom. The air is warm to the touch. Does this seem normal
This is really helpful. Have you recieved the new one from Whirlpool?
I have been using the Whirlpool dryer for several months now. Getting access to the energy consumption data I want to provide hasn’t been as easy as I’d hoped, so I haven’t posted the follow up review. However, I can say I’m happy with the dryer. There was a bit of a learning curve in determine what settings were going to dry different types of loads like delicates, darks, towels, etc.
Does the heat pump dryer require 220 or 120 volt system?
Thanks for your question! Both the Samsung and Whirlpool dryers I’ve tested needed 220.
220 or 120?? Normally, the big electric machines use two live 120 wires, a black and a red one. 120 x 2 = 240 volts, not 220.
You are right, you have bought an efficient machine, there are claims of 15 to 40% savings, I’m buying one soon, is there a reason why you are buying Samsung? I’m looking at Miele at moment mainly because of claims of longevity.
Hello! The first dryer purchased was indeed a Samsung unit, but the salesman did not match this dryer up to the washer we were purchasing. It’s capacity was too small compared to the washer. I’m now using a Whirlpool washer that is doing the trick, and I hope to have a “part 2” post on that in the near future. I want to provide actual energy consumption, but my initial plan of using the Sense monitor hasn’t worked out. Time for plan B.
Thanks
Nice review. Drying time is an important aspect when considering this dryer for an apartment building with a lot of consumers with different requirements for satisfaction.
The required power is also important.
This Samsung dryer (DV90M50001W 9KG load) worked great for just over 2 years until just after the warranty expired July 2020 and then the dryer stopped removing the water. We paid £599.99 in June 2018.
Samsung engineers came out and were unable to diagnose a fault but charged us £35 for the call-out. They then provided a quotation for £240+ £25 fitting for a new condenser unit with no guarantee the replacement part would fix the issue. They also suggested calling a refrigeration engineer. I did call a refrigeration engineer who propose re-gassing the system but again with no guarantee it would properly fix the issue (re-gas cost cira. £210).
I’ve now seen numerous complaints on the Samsung website about exactly the same issue. There is a major design fault with the machine.
What’s most disappointing is the customer service regarding this issue. After 50 minutes and being passed around 5 different representatives I was cut off and I’m still waiting on a call-back after calling them again.
Utterly pathetic service from Samsung and having been a very loyal Samsung brand buyer I won’t be spending any more money on their products.
Beware – do not buy one of these Samsung dryers and if you have be sure to get the extended warranty because you will definitely need it!!
I too had same experience. It lasted 7 years then developed HE fault. No local engineers would repair Heat Pump dryers. Very disappointed. Back to buy a condensing dryer.
The find aren’t “secondary protection” they’re cooling fins.
This review was super helpful to read. Did you ever have a chance to write a review of the Whirlpool unit?
I have not yet written up my review of the Whirlpool unit. The main delay is that I wanted to provide some energy consumption, and I just now have a device hooked up to that circuit that can do that. Meanwhile, I love the Whirlpool dryer. I’ve been using it for about 10 months and have no complaints. It did take a bit to determine what settings would properly dry the types of laundry we do. Some would argue that the longer drying times are a deterrent, but I can still do 5 to 6 loads in a single day. So, no complaints from me!
Which Whirlpool model did you purchase? What is the cubic capacity of the dryer tub?
The Whirlpool model number is WHD862CHC1 with a 7.4 cubic feet capacity.
We have been using a Whirlpool heat pump dryer for maybe 4 years now. It has a primary and a secondary filter. The secondary filter is supposed to be emptied every 4-5 washes but now I empty every load. The foam filter inside the secondary filter is a good idea but is hard to clean, can’t find a replacement. The secondary filter *still* doesn’t remove all the lint so it builds up over time on the front of the heat exchanger.
After about 2 years and then maybe once a year thereafter, you have to disassemble the unit (take off cover and remove drum, remove heat exchanger cover) and vacuum out all the blankets of lint from the heat exchanger and cabinet. We have set it up with the drain and pump that we drain the heat pump water heater with. I would recommend Whirlpool seal up the unit a bit better so lint can’t get into the cabinet as easily, offer easy replacement for the secondary filter, and maybe learn a lesson from aquarium filtration in improving the secondary filter.
That is super helpful. I’ve been agonizing over getting that size from Whirlpool, since it’s the only heat pump dryer that size. Thank you!
I just bought a LG ventless dryer. Love everything about it. The one concern I have is it heats up the bathroom. The air is warm to the touch. Does this seem normal
There are ventless dryers that are not heat pump dryers. Which one do you have? I could see a heat pump dryer located in a confined space making it a bit warm. When my dryer is running, I notice a small temperature change in the space. Are you getting moisture on mirrors or windows when yours is running?
Any luck with part 2?
Not yet. Starting having problems with long dryer times and haven’t taken the time to troubleshoot.
I’m on my second whirlpool heat pump dryer and the experience has been a disaster. The first unit required at least 7 service visits within the first 2 years. It was eventually “totaled” and I received a full refund thanks to my extended warranty coverage. I then purchased the new version and it also is not working properly. The problem is with the buildup on the evaporator. There is no way to properly clean it without taking the entire machine apart. I have become quite good at it, but it still takes about 3 hrs. to clean it. . In order for the dryer to work properly, this needs to be done every 6 months approx. If you don’t, I believe that all the cost savings are negated and likely the machine costs more to run than a normal venting dryer. It is a faulty design and whirlpool should be held responsible. If there were more units out there I believe there would have been a class action lawsuit by now. I am going back to a traditional venting dryer.
I am starting to have problems with long dryer times and having to dry the same load 2 to 3 times before the clothes are dry. I noticed in the manual there is a line that mentions a service maintenance would be needed every 2 years – or sooner depending on how much it’s used. I haven’t heard of this problem with other models.