Condensation / heat pump dryer: Test the best brand equipment 2016

Around 40% of German households, according to the Federal Statistical Office through a clothes dryer. Besides the classic condenser thereby establish more and more energy-saving heat pump dryer . First we will explain the names from the dryers briefly so you know exactly what it is actually:

• Dryer: Underneath we all understand on the market electrical equipment for drying laundry (of any kind). So a tumble washes no laundry, but he can dry only!
• Washer-dryer: These are a combination of washing machine and dryer, which means they can be used as a washing machine as well (about immediately after a wash cycle) as a dryer.
• Condensation dryer: In this equipment category includes clothes dryer, collect the water from washing over a so-called condenser.. The heat pump dryer fall into this category. Occasionally, the term condenser is used, the content but the same meaning as condensation dryer.
• Heat pump dryer: These are condensing dryers that perform again the heat generated during the condensation of humid air to the drying process.
• Vented dryer: With these devices, the humid air is simply fed via a tube to the outside. Vented dryer are rarely represented in the private sector.

But where it is best to a clothes dryer set ? The answer to this question is simple: heat pump dryer can be virtually anywhere in the house up, as opposed to air-dryers for which you need a space where the exhaust hose can be directed outward. In condensation dryers which operate without the heat pump and use a closed circuit for the process air, although no "warm and humid" air is discharged to the outside, but it has to cool outside air to the condenser to allow the condensation at all. The heat released during condensation process is not discharged into the atmosphere and is not reused (as in the heat pump dryer), but dissipated as heat in the main room. In winter, therefore, you can even save heating energyin the room where. There is nothing wrong, the clothes dryer (with or without heat pump) in the same room set up, which also houses the washing machine. If the two devices side by side, you can transport the newly spun washing even without laundry basket from one device to the next. With a vented dryer this type of installation would, however, only possible if the washing machine would be placed in that room, in which the moist air is fed via a tube to the outside (usually a basement room). All dryer in our comparison tables are front loading , where one from the front through the drum door fills the laundry and can (not always!) look in the interior. Most also have a drum interior lighting that is only turned on during filling and unloading the laundry. And so this process is optimally adapted to the conditions of the site, one can on many models even the doorstopchoose - the left or right. The illustration shows a front loading heat pump dryer from Whirlpool. The desired door hinge - left or right - can the majority of devices are freely chosen.   Panel our dryer has many similarities to that of washing machines on. In both types of appliances, there is a central element arotary switch may: ( "super soft" or "cupboard dry" example) set to the standard program selection, with which one the type of textiles and other parameters. Other features that are not selected with the rotary switch be, but with push buttons below the display, are additional features such as anti-crease, program duration or start / end time preset. In the section Special Functions we look at these features in detail. But first we deal with the programs that can be selected via the rotary switch. A program that can be found on all devices, even has to find, is the so-called. Cotton cupboard dry program , known as "standard program for cotton " drying is provided by normal, wet cotton laundry. That one has to find this program too, is because it to measure the energy efficiency is used for the EU energy label (for more details on this topic, see energy efficiency ). In the manuals of the manufacturer you can always find a reference to this program, which serves as a reference program for the Energy Label. For cotton, there are in addition to this standard program even further subprograms as extra dry , cupboard dry + or Iron dry , even Hand iron or Machine iron can be found here. All these programs have in common that you want to iron the fabrics usually after drying. In contrast, one finds - mostly on the other side of the knob - program points as " easy-care " or " blended fabric ". Again, there are again subdivisions in extra dry , cupboard dry or Iron dry . These are usually but non-iron fabrics or those that need to be ironed only lightly. The drying result may vary depending tissue vary. The control panel of a heat pump dryer enables the choice of drying program and other additional options. In addition, there are some programs that are indeed available on all devices, but often have different names. A program offering all dryer is, for example, the wool program , suitable for woolen garments and textiles from wool blend fabrics, eg pullovers, cardigans and stockings. There are still, "down", programs like "Jeans" "Sportswear" or "silk", which are described in detail in the manuals. The program selection is so the variety of fabrics adapted so that it also does not have the right large total number should be surprised by drying programs. In truth, there are many more programs because yes to most of the adjustable via the knob Default programs nor the so-called. " Additional functions " can be connected as an option. For details, see the section Special Functions .     The heat pump is of course the central part of a heat pump dryer, still some part of the understanding of the art of this dryer more. To better understand the technology, we just follow the path that the warm air inside the dryer takes: What are the advantages over pure condenser dryers without heat pump?

• it will not absorb moisture released into the surrounding space,
• the residual heat from the condenser in which the condensed water is, for the generation of the hot air re-used , so it is no (or very little) cast heat to the outside,
• the compressor needs only a fraction of the energy that would be required for heating by means of an electric heating coil.

  Premium condenser dryer as this Bosch model feature called. Self-cleaning condensers. The device ensures that the condenser cleaned automatically during drying (flushed) is. Not all tumble out our comparison tables have a display in which the current program and other information are displayed digitally. Regardless of the appearance on a display or LED light inside the user a lot of details about the aktellen state of the dryer but do not come:

• Time : does not appear only in very few cases. Since heat pump dryers, the duration of the drying process is often about 2 hours, this display to the user in this case is also an important item of information.
• Water tank empty : the collectors of the condensed water is full and must be emptied.
• Clean the condenser / filter: means that the condenser is clogged with lint. Some manufacturers are also referred to a heat exchanger instead of the capacitor, in each case the corresponding filter must be cleaned. If the devices are equipped with a sebstreinigenden condenser / heat exchanger, appears on the display in the case of cleaning a text (eg "heat exchanger is flushed").
• Lint screen / filter clean: you should do after each drying cycle.
• Parental Control: indicates whether the child safety device is switched on.
• Crease : there is the dryer in the anti-crease phase, so here illuminates a LED light or you see a corresponding display on the display.
• Door filter : The indicator lamp lights up when the door filter must be cleaned.

Most heat pump dryer (and also condensation dryer) have below the display different pushbuttons, with which one additional options can be switched on for the drying programs. We mention here some of the more common of these special features:

• the anti-crease phase at the end of the drying cycle can be extended. This feature protects the garments from wrinkling.
• the Parental Control , you turn on to prevent that children play with the device. If Parental Control is turned on, all buttons and the program selector switches are usually locked. So this is not a switch-on for the entire device, but aprotection against an unwanted program change . The display then you see with activated child safety a hint.
• Selection of the degree of drying : here you can usually select multiple levels for the degree of drying.
• Option Signal : herewith can be achieved that an acoustic signal sounds at the end of the program and at the beginning or end of the anti-crease phase. The acoustic signal for end of program, most devices by default.
• Delay : thus, the start time of the drying cycle can be preset. But note: in some devices is here to the determination of the end date of the selected drying cycle. If you set 24h there, it means that the program has ended after exactly 24 hours.

  Analogous to the washing machines and dishwashers are also found on the clothes dryers known EU energy label .Manufacturers are under a regulation of the European Commission committed for several years to mount this additional information for purchasing decision on the devices (this is, however, so far only for large electrical appliances). A +++ is currently the best energy rating. In our comparison tables, the respective energy efficiency classes are listed , Please note that the condenser without heat pump consistently poorer energy rating ( "B") than those with heat pump. All large electrical appliances are therefore delivered with an EU data sheet, which fully describes the graphic information of the EU energy label with words ,The main parameters of this EU data sheet we explain below:  

• First there is the Energy Label . Here arise due to technological progress constantly changes. Until 29 May 2013, there was the energy efficiency classes A to G, since this date, there is a new EU energy label, which identifies additional energy efficiency classes. The best category is from now A +++, the lowest (worst) corresponds to class D.From November 2013 allowed the producers however already no Class D equipment sell more. Because from that time had all new equipment commercially at least meet the requirements of energy efficiency class C, from November 2015even the energy efficiency class B.
  Note: Dryer Class A +++ consume approximately 70 percent less power than a Class B. The higher price for a more efficient device class so profitable after a certain number of operating hours.
  In most cases, buyers will give the indication of the energy efficiency class only once satisfied. However, it is initially only an abstract identification . The specific energy consumption values are there more interesting.

• All consumption data on the EU-sheet refer to the so-called. " Standard cotton program ". In the data sheets, see this as a definition:

  This program is suitable for drying normal, wet cotton textiles and in terms of energy consumption for cotton most efficiently.

  The weighted annual energy consumption of a heat pump dryer (in kWh) is as measured on the basis of 160 drying cycles of this standard cotton program at full load and partial load and the consumption of the mode with low power consumption.

• For individual drying processes, there are still the energy consumption (always in kWh) for complete filling and at partial load .

• It is also interesting for the user of the dryer program time of the standard cotton program at full load or partial load.Both values are given in minutes. Keeping these values in our comparison chart looks, one sees that the heat pump dryer (at full load) never less than 2 hours are.The reason for this is the special technique of drying, although total considerably less energy than any other, it but need for a drying time (the heating in the heat pump is indeed added yet).

• Another important parameter in the EU data sheet is the condensation efficiency class . These moves on a scale from G(least efficient) to A (most efficient). The condensation efficiency in heat pump dryers generally higher than condenser dryers without heat pump , because in the heat pump dryers condensing on the refrigerant occurs more energy efficient.Therefore, we suggest indeed that condenser, working without heat pump, place them in the coolest possible installation spaces because there function better.

• The maximum load size , measured at the standard cotton program at full load, is given in Kg and is in most dryers around 8 Kg.

• The last important parameter is here the sound power level above, expressed in dB (A) re 1 pW. If you look at our comparison table, it is found that the volume of all our dryers is pleasingly low, certainly lower than a washing machine during the spin cycle.

  Our comparison table for a detailed list and description of the main features of the device. You will also find the calculated final grade , the Amazon valuation and the best deals for each model. Clicking on the final grade will take you for the detailed calculation of the score, the results from the category ratings and the percentage of the category in the overall result. If you agree with a device, so you can purchase it via the specified online ordering. We ourselves do not sell products. Our goal is to provide you useful information to make an informed buying decision available.