What Are The Different Types Of Tumble Dryer?
Vented machines are the cheapest to buy while heat pump dryers cost the least to run and condensers sit in between.
Written by Richard Morgan
Updated
The short answer
The three types of tumble dryer are vented, condenser and heat pump. A vented dryer is the cheapest to buy but needs a hose to the outside, a condenser dryer collects the water in a tank so it can go almost anywhere, and a heat pump dryer costs the most upfront but uses the least electricity per load. Your budget and where the dryer will live decide which suits.
For a long time the vented dryer was the standard machine in British utility rooms and kitchens. Condenser and heat pump dryers have since taken over most of the shop floor, and the choice between the three now comes down to how much you want to spend upfront, how much you'll pay to run it and whether you can get a hose to an outside wall.
We've owned all three types between our homes and the Airbnbs we look after, and the photos in this guide are of our own machines. Below we explain how each one works, then compare them on the points that matter when you're buying.
What Is A Heat Pump Tumble Dryer?
A heat pump dryer is the newest and most energy-efficient of the three. Instead of heating fresh air with an element and throwing the warmth away, it uses a refrigerant circuit, similar to the system in a fridge, to heat the air, pull the moisture out of it and then reuse that same warmth on the next pass through the drum. That's why it uses far less electricity per load.
Heat pump machines are freestanding and collect the water from your clothes in a reservoir tank that needs emptying when the machine tells you. Because they're the newer design, they come with digital displays, sensor drying and plenty of programmes. The Samsung heat pump dryer in the photo is one we bought recently, and its LCD display shows the time left on the cycle at a glance.
The drawbacks are the purchase price, which is the highest of the three types, and longer cycle times, as the heat pump dries at a lower temperature. How quickly the energy savings pay back the extra cost depends on how many loads you dry each week.
What Is A Vented Tumble Dryer?
A vented dryer is the simplest and cheapest type. It heats air with an element, tumbles your clothes through it and then pushes the warm, damp air out of the machine through a flexible hose. There's no tank to empty because the moisture leaves the house altogether.
That hose is the catch. You can hang it out of an open window, but it's far better to fit the dryer where the hose can run to a fixed vent through an outside wall, so the damp air goes straight outside and doesn't end up back in the room. Our guide to installing a vented tumble dryer walks through that job.
Vented machines use the most electricity of the three and have fairly basic controls, which suits anyone who just wants a dial and a start button. We fitted the Indesit in the photo in one of our Airbnbs, where it doesn't get used every day, so the higher running cost matters less than the low price.
What Is A Condenser Tumble Dryer?
A condenser dryer sits between the other two on price. Like a vented dryer it heats the air with an element, but instead of blowing the damp air outside, it passes it through a condenser that cools it, turns the moisture into water and sends that water to a removable tank. The dried air then goes back round to be heated again.
With no hose to route, a condenser can go in a kitchen, utility room or cupboard without an outside wall nearby. The tank needs emptying after each cycle, and on our old condenser machine in the photo it slides out from the top of the front panel and pours straight down the sink. It uses less electricity than a vented dryer but more than a heat pump, because the heat in the air is lost each time it's cooled in the condenser.
Which Type Of Tumble Dryer Is Best?
No single type wins on every point, so we've compared them on the five things that make the biggest difference once the machine is in your home.
1. Running Costs And Energy Efficiency
Running cost is where the three types differ most. The energy label on any dryer gives you a clear idea of how much electricity it uses. Buy the most efficient rating your budget allows, because a dryer that runs several times a week soon shows up on the bill.
To see the difference for ourselves, we ran three loads of roughly 5kg through each of the dryers shown above and reset our smart energy monitor before every cycle. At the electricity price we were paying at the time, a cycle cost between £0.45 and £0.65. The heat pump dryer was the cheapest to run at £0.45 to £0.50 a cycle, the condenser came second and the vented machine cost the most. Your figures will follow your own tariff, but the order of the three won't change.
2. Drying Performance And Capacity
All three types dry clothes well. Condenser and heat pump machines are available in larger drum sizes than vented models, which lets you dry bigger loads in one go and switch the machine on fewer times.
For speed, a condenser dryer comes out on top. It has the drum capacity of a heat pump model but runs hotter, so it gets through a load faster, whereas a heat pump dryer trades longer cycles for its lower running costs.
3. Where The Dryer Can Go
A vented dryer has to sit near a window or an outside wall where the hose can get the damp air out. Condenser and heat pump models collect the water in a tank, so they can go almost anywhere with a socket and some ventilation, which makes them the easier choice for flats, internal utility rooms and under-stairs cupboards.
Venting a dryer into the room isn't a good idea. All that moisture ends up on cold walls and windows, and that's how mould gets started. Our guide on getting rid of mould from walls and ceilings covers the clean-up if it's already happened, and a dehumidifier for drying washing indoors helps in rooms where condensation is a problem.
4. Ease Of Use
If you'd rather not wade through a dozen drying programmes, a vented dryer is the easiest of the three to get on with. Most have a single dial and a couple of buttons that anyone can work out quickly.
Heat pump and condenser dryers add features such as sensor drying, anti-crease and delayed start. Sensor drying is genuinely useful because it stops the machine once the clothes are dry, but some of the other programmes will never get used in a busy household.
5. Purchase Price
On a tight budget, a vented dryer is the clear winner, as it's the cheapest type to buy by some distance. Condenser models cost more, and heat pump dryers are the most expensive because of the heat pump system and the extra technology that comes with them.
Weigh that against the running costs above. A heat pump dryer that's used most days will claw back some of its higher price on your electricity bill, while one that only comes out for the odd load of towels never will.
Which Tumble Dryer We'd Choose
Each type of dryer suits a different home, and this is how they match up:
| Type | Best For | Main Drawback |
|---|---|---|
| Vented | Tight budgets, light use and spots near an outside wall | Highest running costs and needs a hose to the outside |
| Condenser | Rooms with no outside wall and households that want quick cycles | Tank to empty after each cycle |
| Heat pump | Families drying several loads a week who want lower bills | Highest purchase price and longer cycle times |
Whichever type you buy, keeping the filters clean is the best way to keep it working well. If your dryer starts blowing cold air, our guide on why a tumble dryer stops heating up runs through the checks to make first.
Your Questions Answered
Which type of tumble dryer is cheapest to run?
A heat pump tumble dryer is the cheapest type to run because it reuses the warmth in the drum instead of venting it away. When we measured each machine with our smart energy monitor, the heat pump machine cost £0.45 to £0.50 a cycle at the tariff we were on, against up to £0.65 for the vented dryer. The condenser model sat between the two.
Can you use a vented tumble dryer without a vent?
You can run a vented tumble dryer with the hose hung out of an open window, but it should never vent into the room. The damp air it pushes out will settle on walls and windows as condensation and lead to mould. A fixed wall vent is the better long-term setup, or choose a condenser or heat pump dryer if there's no outside wall nearby.
Do heat pump tumble dryers take longer to dry clothes?
Yes, heat pump tumble dryers take longer to dry a load than condenser or vented machines. They dry at a lower temperature to save energy, so cycles run longer. The upside is lower electricity use per load and a gentler drying temperature for your clothes, which makes the longer cycle a fair trade for most households drying several loads a week.
Can a condenser dryer go in a cupboard?
A condenser dryer can go in a cupboard as long as there's enough airflow around it, because it gives off warmth while it runs. Check the manufacturer's guidance for the gaps needed and leave the cupboard door open or fit a vented door if the space is tight. Empty the water tank after every cycle, or plumb it into a drain if the model allows.
Which type of dryer did you choose for your Airbnb?
A vented one, an Indesit. Guests don't use it every day, so the low price mattered more to us than the higher running cost. The single programme dial suits a holiday let too, as guests can work it out without instructions. Just make sure there's an outside wall nearby for the hose before you go down the same route.
Is a heat pump dryer worth the extra money?
It is if the dryer runs most days. Heat pump models cost the most to buy and the least to run, so the saving per load slowly chips away at that higher price, and how fast depends on how many loads you dry each week. For a dryer that only sees the occasional load of towels, a cheaper vented or condenser machine makes more sense.
Do I need to empty the water tank after every cycle?
On a condenser dryer, yes, the tank needs emptying after each cycle. On our old condenser machine it slides out from the top of the front panel and pours straight down the sink. A heat pump dryer collects water in a reservoir tank too, and you empty it when the machine tells you. A vented dryer has no tank.
Which type of dryer is easiest to use if I don't want lots of programmes?
Go for a vented dryer. A dial and a couple of buttons is about as simple as tumble dryers get. If you do step up to a condenser or heat pump model, the one extra worth having is sensor drying, which switches the machine off as soon as the clothes are dry. Anti-crease and delayed start are nice to have rather than essential.
Richard has spent years renovating properties and turning them into rentals and Airbnbs. Like a lot of people he started out as a beginner, and these days there isn't much DIY he won't take on.