Dehumidifier v Tumble Dryer

Spies

I've had a hoodie on my clothes airer for 2 days inside and it's still not dry. I envy you people in the South. 

Exiled_Tyke

As for what's more energy efficient my condensing dehumidifier uses 185W but suspect it would need to be on for many hours to dry clothes - 10 hours would be 1.85kWh. Internet says around 2.16kWh for a load in a heat pump tumble dryer.

I need to look into this but I'm sure it's no where near 2Kwh a load for drying for me.  I'm guessing around half that but would need to do some research.  A very useful starting point though. And I'm guessing from this that the difference between the approaches is not very great.

Spies

Exiled_Tyke said:

As for what's more energy efficient my condensing dehumidifier uses 185W but suspect it would need to be on for many hours to dry clothes - 10 hours would be 1.85kWh. Internet says around 2.16kWh for a load in a heat pump tumble dryer.

I need to look into this but I'm sure it's no where near 2Kwh a load for drying for me.  I'm guessing around half that but would need to do some research.  A very useful starting point though. And I'm guessing from this that the difference between the approaches is not very great.

My last 3 loads this month were 0.5kWh, 0.5kWh and 0.8kWh.

paul991

been great weather to dry everything outside

Spies

paul991 said:

been great weather to dry everything outside

Stuff doesn't dry here at 80%+ humidity.

Mr.Generous

Dehumid on the landing, put clothes on hangers over the open doors. I can wash in the morning and they are dry by mid afternoon. I'm a gym nut, so use a hand towel every day as a sweat towel, they have to be washed and dried and in winter months that means over the dehumidifier.

Still resisting putting the heating on !! Those fat cat ba%%$£"%s are not getting all my money !!

2nd_time_buyer

Spies said:

Exiled_Tyke said:

As for what's more energy efficient my condensing dehumidifier uses 185W but suspect it would need to be on for many hours to dry clothes - 10 hours would be 1.85kWh. Internet says around 2.16kWh for a load in a heat pump tumble dryer.

I need to look into this but I'm sure it's no where near 2Kwh a load for drying for me.  I'm guessing around half that but would need to do some research.  A very useful starting point though. And I'm guessing from this that the difference between the approaches is not very great.

My last 3 loads this month were 0.5kWh, 0.5kWh and 0.8kWh.

I concur with this, we are getting similar energy usage from our Miele heat pump dryer.

We previously had a condenser dehumidifier and energy usage per load was around twice that of the tumble dryer. 

2nd_time_buyer

Exiled_Tyke said:

As for what's more energy efficient my condensing dehumidifier uses 185W but suspect it would need to be on for many hours to dry clothes - 10 hours would be 1.85kWh. Internet says around 2.16kWh for a load in a heat pump tumble dryer.

I need to look into this but I'm sure it's no where near 2Kwh a load for drying for me.  I'm guessing around half that but would need to do some research.  A very useful starting point though. And I'm guessing from this that the difference between the approaches is not very great.

I believe the greater efficiency of heat pump dryers over dehumidifiers comes about as a result of them both being more efficient at removing water when the humidity is higher. The smaller space, higher temperature, and tumbling result in much higher humidity in a tumble dryer compared to a dehumidifier in a sealed room. 

Well that is my thinking anyway.

anon_ymous

biscan25 said:

Accredited_FI said:

Winters coming.

Anyone used a dehumidifier in a practical way to dry clothes?

Was it effective? How did you do it?

Thanks

I do this. I put it in the ensuite ( the smallest room in the house) with clothes on driers and the heating on (dehumidiers are more efficient at higher temperatures). It's dry within 6 hours.

I have the Meaco ABCdry 12l

Six hours. I guess that's fine if you don't have an A++ or higher rated dryer. It isn't then worth it if you've got an A+++ rated dryer 

anon_ymous

Exiled_Tyke said:

It would be great to get a definitive answer on this one as it has come up before.  A tumble drier with a heat pump is working in a very similar way to a dehumidifier but it's all happening in a much smaller space. So in theory it should be cheaper to run? On the other hand it also move the clothes around all the time so that's more energy.   I haven't tried drying with the dehumidifier but I'm very happy with the tumble drier (especially on cold but sunny days!)  I would try a comparison test but it would be a lot of faff to do it and getting accurate electricity consumption estimates over such a long period nigh impossible. 

It certainly is for me tbf. I looked into a dehumidifier and it is marginally cheaper to use the tumble dryer but again I've got an A+++ tumble dryer