Key Difference – Condenser vs Heat Pump Dryer
Heat pump dryer and condensing dryer are two terms used by manufacturers to describe technologies used with ventless drying technologies. These terms are useful in distinguishing the technologies used in today’s dryers. Whether you are interested in a side by side dryer, new stackable washer and dryer or combination washer and dryer, understanding the difference will help in selecting the model that best works for you. The key difference between condenser and heat pump dryer is the technologies used in both the dryers; heat pump dryers use air to air condensation technology whereas condenser dryers use cool water condensation. Let us take a closer look at both dryers to see what they have to offer.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What are Condenser Dryers
3. What are Heat Pump Dryers
4. Difference Between Ventless Drying Technologies and Vented Drying Technologies
5. Side by Side Comparison – Condenser vs Heat Pump Dryer in Tabular Form
6. Summary
What are Condensation Dryers?
Water condensation dryers also use the heated air, but it uses cool water to remove the moisture from the warm air, rather than cool air. The cold water will be used to cool the heated air and cause the moisture in the heated air to turn into water. The water is sent down the discharge drain of the washer.
The heat pump dryer will also extract the accumulated moisture and convert it into water, which is also sent down the discharge drain. The only difference between the two technologies is how the drying of clothes takes place by either cool water condensation or air to air condensation. Both above dryers are energy efficient when compared with conventional dryers and help in reducing your energy bill.
Condenser Dryer Pros
- Do not require much ventilation as with standard vented dryers.
- Comparatively cheap
- Ideal for those who live in a small space
Condenser Dryer Cons
- Too heavy to be mounted on the wall
- Not energy efficient
- Can become quite hot during operation
What are Heat Pump Dryers?
The heat pump is one of the new terms that are being used to describe ventless dryers. These pumps tend to use air to air condensation technologies. The heat pump is designed in such a way that the air is recycled and reheated within the dryer rather than blowing away the heated air to the outside. By recycling the air within the dryer, the energy used will be cut down, and the dryer will be more energy efficient. A condensing dryer will use water condensation drying technology in order to dry clothes.
Heat Pump Dryer Pros
- Heat pump dryers use far less energy when compared to normal dryers
- Due to heat pump technology, steam and moisture will not be exposed
- Energy efficient
Heat Pump Dryer Cons
- Expensive
- Though energy efficient, consumes more electricity – more work is done with the electricity.
- Takes longer to dry cloths
- Filter and condensers need to be cleaned religiously to maintain performance.
- Are not suitable for low or high-temperature environments
- Need to be completely stripped down to locate fault and repair
- If you do not dry a lot of clothes, it is not the ideal choice.
- Can be louder than other dryers
- Added complexity
What is the Difference Between Ventless Drying Technologies and Vented Drying Technologies?
A vented dryer will heat the air to high temperatures in order to remove the moisture from your clothes rather than extracting the moisture by converting it to water. As the heated air is discarded out of the drying vent, it has to reheat the air to room temperature with each drying cycle. This will cause consumption of more electricity to dry the clothes completely.
When you go shopping some resellers will interchange the terms water condensation and heat pump dryers. The best thing to do is to ask how the drying of clothes actually take place.
What is the Difference Between Condenser and Heat Pump Dryer?
Condenser vs Heat Pump Dryer |
|
| Condenser dryers use cool water condensation technology. | Heat pump dryers use air to air condensation technology. |
| Energy Efficiency | |
| Not energy efficient | Energy efficient |
| Cost | |
| Cheap | Expensive |
| Performance | |
| Can perform well | Needs maintenance for best performance |
| During Operations | |
| Can get hot | Heat and steam not exposed |
| Repairing | |
| Comparatively easy | Hard, needs to be stripped down |
| Loudness | |
| Low | High |
| Design | |
| Simple | Complex |
| Drying Clothes | |
| Faster | Takes time |
Summary – Condenser and Heat Pump Dryer
Condenser and heat pump dryer are two ventless drying technologies available in the market. The key difference between condenser and heat pump dryer is the technologies they use; Heat pump dryers use air to air condensation technology while condenser dryers use cool water condensation technology. The other differences between these two depend on this basic technological difference.
Image Courtesy:
- “1078918” (Public Domain) via Pixabay