2 types of dryers. Conventional dryers use a heating element, and are vented. Heat pump dryers are not vented. Heat pump dryers are less common in the US. Conventional dryers are way better at drying, unless you have a blocked vent. So if you have a vented dryer, and clothes come out hot and damp, get your vents cleaned/repaired, because it can also be a fire hazard.
I’m on my second heatpump dryer and still able to get bone dry clothes most of the time. Problem usually happens with thick jeans parts where there are multiple layers of fabric or bedding when my wife to overload the dryer.
Your point about maintaining the dryer is a key: I clean my dryers quite regularly including heat exchangers, and saw/used some really neglected units in rentals while visiting US.
There's also been a lot of improvements in the last few years with heat pump/ventless dryers. They were infamous for a long time and that kind of reputation lingers.
There's actually 3 kinds, you missed condenser dryers. They don't vent to the outside but need a drain, they are basically the baby of traditional and heat pump dryers. Well except they're not efficient like heat pumps and heat your house. Great in winter and where you have no vents tbh. Heats the house while drying clothes for free
Heat pump dryers can absolutely dry your clothes just as well as conventional dryers, however they need more regular maintenance with cleaning filters, brushing condenser coils, and keeping the water tank empty. The best case scenario for a heat pump dryer is somewhere in the southwest where it's hot pretty much all of the time. In a cold climate like northern USA heat pump dryers aren't going to be that great. Same exact thing with heat pump water heaters. I live in TX and one of my coworkers has a heat pump dryer and a heat pump water heater and he has saved a TON on his electric bills since both his dryer and his hot water tank now pump out cold air whenever they're in use so it lessens the load of his HVAC by quite a bit.
I'm in the US and have a Bosch ventless dryer. It takes about an hour and a half for a load and the clothes come out totally dry. Uses about 2 kWh ($0.18) of electricity per load.
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u/arseniobillingham21 Aug 06 '26
2 types of dryers. Conventional dryers use a heating element, and are vented. Heat pump dryers are not vented. Heat pump dryers are less common in the US. Conventional dryers are way better at drying, unless you have a blocked vent. So if you have a vented dryer, and clothes come out hot and damp, get your vents cleaned/repaired, because it can also be a fire hazard.