Steps:
- Standard electric dryers use electricity to power an element that heats the dryer to dry the clothes inside. The water, lint, and excess heat is then vented outside.
- A heat pump dryer, on the other hand, uses refrigerant to catch the hot air from the dryer and that element is then pushed through a compressor to make it even hotter. That new hot air is then pushed back into the dryer and the cycle repeats itself.
- Heat pump dryers don’t require vents, but they do need to drain. There’s a hose that can be run to a drain or there’s a built-in catch that collects water for up to two cycles before it needs to be dumped.
- Heat pump dryers need 40-50% less energy than a standard electric dryer, though the operating time required for the heat pump dryer is slightly longer.
Resources:
Richard tested out the Stackable Electric Ventless Heat Pump Dryer by Samsung.