Guest blog by Levi.
If pushed to identify a downside to using a tumble dryer, I suppose I would say the energy efficiency could be better. Typically, a regular vented or condenser tumble dryer has rarely, if ever, achieved higher than a ‘B’ rating for energy consumption. In this day and age, with people growing more and more concerned with carbon footprints and increasing energy bills, owning a tumble dryer can often be seen as evil necessity should people find themselves unable to hang clothes outside, or do not have the time to wait for their uniform/football kit/favourite onesie to dry naturally.
There is, however, an alternative… Introducing heat pump tumble dryers. Heat pump tumble dryers have been popping up in recent years from various manufacturers and have become much more affordable of late. One such machine is Smeg’s new A+ energy rated DHT71EUK-1 heat pump tumble dryer.
The machine itself can potentially revolutionise the way you do laundry, but first, let’s look at how a heat pump dryer actually works to maintain that all-important energy efficiency.
Regular condenser tumble dryers typically have a very basic system to dry your clothes. Put simply, air is circulated around the tumble dryer; it is first heated and sent through the drum, picking up the moisture from the fabrics. This air circulates into the condenser where it meets cooled air fanned in from the room, causing the moisture to condense into water, which is then fed into the water tank that we empty afterwards. Overall, the process lends itself to a lot of heat loss, hence the need to drain electricity to keep the heater running.
Heat pump condenser dryers, on the other hand, have a more controlled take on this process. Firstly, the initial heat generated by the dryer is a much more sensible temperature, suitable for not only drying, but taking care of your clothes by reducing shrinkage and abrasion caused by high heat. The temperature does not need to reach that of a regular condenser dryer to achieve great drying results because, secondly and most importantly, once the moisture has been condensed, the heat pump feeds any remaining dry hot air back round through the drum, lessening the need for the dryer to generate a constant high heat. So in essence, the technology gives you better care for your clothes – and less of a dent in your wallet! The Smeg DHT71EUK-1 heat pump dryer is an excellent choice if you’re looking to replace your old energy sapping dryer, as well as giving people who perhaps never liked the idea of using a dryer a more viable option.
In terms of energy use, Smeg estimate this heat pump dryer will use an average of 276kwh/annum (kilowatts per year). A standard non heat pump tumble dryer can typically use around 617kwh/annum. So, what does that mean for your wallet? If for example, your electricity costs you 14p per kilowatt, a standard condenser dryer will cost on average £86.38. Smeg’s heat pump dryer, on average, will cost you £38.64 per year to run. At nearly £50 less per year this cracking piece of equipment starts to represent a wise financial choice!
So, other than superior energy consumption, what else does the Smeg DHT71EUK-1 offer you?
Well, the dryer uses sensor technology which allows you to dial in a desired drying level for all your fabrics. For example, set the programme wheel to “Cottons Iron Dry”, and the dryer will stop drying your clothes when they are at a prime dryness for ironing, and sound a buzzer to let you know that your dryer is ready to be emptied. There are multiple dryness levels you can set depending on your own individual need. The machine also has a 30 and 45 minute timed drying programmes should you wish to use them, and a generous 7kg drum. Inside the drum you’ll find a handy interior light which comes on when you open the door, perfect for finding those lost socks!
A delay timer allows you to time your drying cycle to finish just as you get home to minimise creasing from clothing being sat in the drum. Remembering everything, the clever folk at Smeg have also thought of those of you with children and have incorporated a child lock to stop any little hands interfering.
All in all the Smeg DHT71EUK-1 represents exceptional value for money and, as with all Smeg products, gives you a stylish and functional solution to your need. This dryer is your washing machines new best friend! Buy online – and start saving time and money, knowing that your clothes and the environment are being looked after a little more kindly.
