| Pros of Condenser Dryers | Cons of Condenser Dryers |
| Condenser dryers don’t need a vent, which reduces their risk of becoming clogged or damaged. | Condenser dryers are not as efficient as other kinds of dryers. |
| A lack of ducting means these machines can be placed anywhere, giving the buyer the ultimate freedom of choice. | These types of dryers can be quite expensive—not only in purchase price but also in running costs. |
| Condenser dryers tend to come with a variety of useful features. | Unfortunately, with such a dryer, the water container will need to be emptied regularly. |
| These types of dryers are widely available, so you should have no trouble getting your hands on one. | Condenser dryers are known for being able to damage your clothes in the long run. |
| If you don’t want to empty the water container continuously after each use, they come with attachable drain pipes. | Since there are no vents, these dryers can cause condensation to form in the room. |
| Condenser dryer water can be recycled around the home and in the garden. |
Condenser dryers can be placed anywhere due to the lack of vent. They are widely available and come with many features. Condensers are not very efficient. They are expensive to buy and run. They can cause condensation or eventually damage clothes. Their water container needs to be emptied regularly.
Pros of Condenser Dryers
Condenser Dryers Don’t Need a Vent
A great benefit of condenser dryers is that they do not require a vent, as they use a different method to get rid of the moisture removed from the clothes.
Without a vent, there is a smaller chance that the dryer will leak and cause a mess in your laundry room or on the ceiling boards under the ductwork. This is because the condenser dryer doesn’t have ducting that could get damaged through wear and tear or a vent that could get clogged and cause leaks.
Dryer ductwork and vents also have to be regularly cleared of lint. Build up of these particles can reduce the efficiency of the dryer and increase the risk of fire.
So, if you think about it, no vent means less maintenance. You won’t have to spend your time cleaning vents or patching up holes in ducting.
Furthermore, without a vent leading to the outside of the house, cold air can’t get into the room this way. The lack of openings in the wall also reduces the opportunity for pests attracted to the vents’ warmth and humidity to infest the house.
Can Be Placed Anywhere
Since condenser dryers do not need to be vented, you have unlimited possibilities of where you can place them. This is perfect for people who physically cannot create outside access for the vent (like when the dryer is in a room in the middle of the house) or those who just could not be bothered to do so.
This makes condenser dryers ideal for rentals, as you are not allowed to make holes in the walls unless you want to lose a hefty deposit or spend time and money patching up holes when your lease is up.
It is also appropriate for smaller apartments. When the space is limited, you need a dryer that can be installed in any spot it can fit in. A really good option in these cases is actually a washer dryer combo (with the dryer being a condenser model, of course).
Even though the actual appliance does not need a vent, it should still at least be placed in a somewhat ventilated room.
Condensers Come With Many Features
It is no surprise that condenser dryers’ popularity is on the rise in households around America. These appliances are more complex than your average dryer but in a really good way.
Manufacturers spend countless time and put in tons of effort working on the design of the appliance to make it stand out and provide the user with unique features.
A really great feature is known as “sensor drying.” Once this feature has been selected, it allows the appliance to measure the amount of humidity inside the drum (i.e., how wet the washing is) and adjust the drying time accordingly.
Another useful feature is the “delay times.” This handy feature allows you to enable the dryer to begin the cycle at a certain time.
For instance, you place your clothes in the dryer and are about to start a load when you get unexpected guests. You don’t want your guests to be annoyed by the loud spinning of the machine, but you also don’t want to forget that your clothes are in the drum.
The solution is to set the delay times for a few hours ahead. That way, the dryer can start once your guests leave, and you won’t have to lift a finger.
Some other features include an auto-sensor, which enables the appliance to detect when the clothes are dry (similar to sense drying) and then cease the cycle without interference from a user, and an anti-crease function that reduces the wrinkling of your clothes.
Widely Available
The great thing about condenser dryers is that so many brands manufacture them that you will really be spoilt for choice.
Some of the big manufacturers are Bosch, Beko, Candy, and Hoover. Although, it is true that many brands are starting to focus more on the production of heat pump dryers as they are very energy efficient.
You can easily find condensers of different sizes with varying capacities, which you can choose from based on your needs and the space available.
There are also a lot of options to pick from depending on which features you prefer, all at prices that will suit any budget. This Miele Condenser (amazon link) is a good budget buy.
Can Be Drained Through Drain Pipes
Since these dryers do not have vents, they have a water container that you have to empty once they become full.
Although this can be a hassle, it doesn’t have to be. A lot of models of condensers have the option to be connected to drain pipes. This makes emptying the appliance a lot easier as you won’t have to remember to empty the water container after each use.
Recycle the Dryer Water
If you are like me, water wastage makes you cringe. Fortunately, with a condenser dryer, all that water removed from clothing can be reused around the house and in the garden.
You need to be careful about using it in your iron, only some plants can be watered with the collected water, and you should never drink it. However, there are still so many ways that you can use this water.
Cons of Condenser Dryers
Not as Efficient
One of the downsides of a condenser dryer is that it is not as efficient as other dryers. Since the condenser does not have a heat pump, it tends to lose a lot of heat quickly.
Its process also involves hot air traveling to a chamber where it condenses into water, which is then stored in a container. This process uses a lot more energy and takes a longer amount of time.
Accordingly, these dryers are known for taking a lot longer to dry a load of clothes than other types of ventless dryers as well as vented dryers, therefore consuming even more energy.
The larger amount of energy required means that it can be more costly to run, about 15% more expensive than your average vented dryer.
Condenser Dryers Can Be Pricy
A reason that someone might steer clear of a condenser dryer is its price. Not only is the condenser dryer more expensive to purchase than your regular vented dryer (although still more affordable than a heat pump dryer), it will end up costing you more to run because it takes longer to dry clothes.
Another aspect you will need to consider is that if the machine malfunctions or breaks, the repairs won’t come cheap because its mechanisms are very complex.
The Water Container Needs to Be Emptied Regularly
Condenser dryers can cost you a lot in time and effort as well. Since there is no vent leading directly outside, you will have to manually empty the water container, which will need to be done quite regularly, especially if you do larger loads.
This will really become an issue if you buy a model that cannot be connected to a drain or if you have placed the dryer in a location where there is simply no option to connect to a drain.
If you forget to empty the container regularly enough, the dryer could leak and leave you with a nasty mess.
Can Gradually Damage Clothes
Although it is common for any type of dryer to have the potential to damage your garments, condenser dryers are actually known for being a little extra harsh on clothes.
Condenser dryers tend to dry clothes at high temperatures to remove as much water as possible, which can damage laundry that is sensitive to temperature. For instance, your clothes can shrink or become extremely brittle and worn out.
Heat pump dryers (another type of ventless dryer) tend to be a lot more gentle on clothes due to their lower operating temperature. Vented dryers can also damage your clothes by over-drying them and, therefore, causing them to shrink.
Could Cause Condensation in a Room
As the condenser does not have a vent that would allow for any moisture that’s inside to be removed, there is the possibility of condensation forming in the room. Especially if the room is cold or not sufficiently ventilated.
You can avoid this by ensuring you place your dryer in a room with open windows and avoid placing it near a refrigerator or freezer, which could reduce the room’s temperature and increase the rate of condensation.
Sources
https://www.canstarblue.com.au/appliances/condenser-dryers/