Consider a washer and heat pump dryer combo in your home

If you’re thinking about upgrading your laundry setup, you know that it’s hard to match the convenience of a washer/dryer combo. But what if you could get the space-saving benefits of a laundry tower or 2-in-1 with the energy-efficiency and customization of an electric-powered heat pump? 

Let’s talk about what makes the washer/heat pump dryer all-in-one different — and see if it’s worth considering for your home.

Washer/heat pump dryer combo: what is it?

A washer/heat pump dryer is a single machine that washes your clothes and dries them using ultra-efficient heat pump technology.

There are two types of clothes dryers: vented and ventless. Vented dryers require a vent to the outside to release super moist air — these include gas dryers and electric dryers that use a heating element to warm the air. Ventless dryers do not need a vent to the outside and these come in two types: electric condenser dryers and electric heat pump dryers.

An electric condenser dryer uses an electric heating element to create hot air, which picks up moisture from your clean clothes then passes it through a heat exchanger where cold air causes the moisture to condense: think of how an ice cold glass of lemonade “sweats” on a hot day.

A heat pump dryer is different: it works like an air conditioner in reverse to dry your clothing.

A heat pump dryer uses refrigerant to capture heat from the surrounding room's air and uses this recycled heat to dry clothes. The moisture from your wet clothes gets condensed into water and drained.

Bottom line: Like a condenser dryer, a heat pump dryer uses electricity and does not need a vent (only an electrical outlet) to work — but heat pump dryers use 40-50 percent less energy.

So, why buy?

Unless you do much more laundry than the average household, your savings with a washer/heat pump dryer combo will likely max out at $45 per year. But your savings — EnergyStar reports you can expect to see a 28 percent bump in energy savings compared to standard dryers — aren't the entire story. Washer/heat pump dryer combos don't need exterior venting, so you’ll never need to clean a vent again (or worry about dangerous dryer vent fires), and you’ll have more placement flexibility. And since they don’t get scalding hot like vented dryers, heat pump dryers are gentler on your clothes. Many models come with smart features that take the guesswork out of drying and maximize the energy efficiency of every load of laundry.

Washer/heat pump dryer combos require ample space (if you’re using a tower or two machines right now you’ll likely save space by upgrading), a standard water connection, drainage, and an electrical outlet. They come in 120 Volt and 240 Volt models.

Before you make the switch

Upgrading to a washer/heat pump dryer combo will help you use less energy and modernize your laundry routine. But it will take some getting used to at first. Here are two things to remember before installing your new all-in-one:

• You’ll save energy, but you may not save time. If you’re switching from an electric condenser dryer to a heat pump dryer, you’ll save energy and drying time. But if you’re switching from a vented dryer — electric or gas — drying your clothes will take longer because the max temperature of your dryer is lower than before. A good estimate is 30 minutes longer than it takes you now, but this will depend on the specifics of your current dryer and your new one. If you want more efficient drying but need to save time — or do multiple large loads a week — consider sticking with an electric condenser dryer.

• Placement impacts performance. Since your washer/heat pump dryer uses the air around it to dry your clothing, if your laundry area isn’t climate-controlled (like a garage without heating), the dryer may struggle to operate efficiently or take longer to dry clothes. Heat pump dryers perform best at room temperature. Heat pump dryer combos will need a few inches of space clearance, but this won’t prevent you from placing it in a laundry closet.