Heat Pump Tumble dryer. Initial findings and thoughts.

ButtersUK

Bought a new Bosch WQG233D8GB 8kg Series 6 Heat Pump Condenser Tumble Dryer a week or so ago. Bought for £675 from a big company who deliver nationwide (excellent service incidentally). It replaced an 18 year old Siemens 5 kilogram capacity vented dryer (which was still working when I sold it for £20). £20 wasn't much and it was in 'as new' physical condition but did squeak occasionally ... perhaps a bearing that was starting to wear?). By selling it though I did save the £25 recycling charge and the new owner collected it and was happy with it. I have no statistics, graphs or technical insight ... I simply bought it because the old one probably wouldn't last for another 18 years and the new one might cost less to run. 

I plumbed the drain hose into the adjacent sink waste. It required purchase of a replacement waste trap with two spigots mounted on it to accept both tumble dryer and washing machine hoses. It functions perfectly. 

My wife was slightly concerned that the new machine might take ages to dry items or might create condensattion in the room (internal utility room with no window) or might be complicated to operate. 

I was slightly concerned about ongoing repairs but it has a Bosch 5 year warranty so it's a matter of luck what happens after the first 5 years. I'll take the chance. The bottom line, to date, is ... she's perfectly happy with it, it seems to dry perfectly well in a reasonable time and isn't the nightmare that we was a bit afraid it could have have been, and which some others, here and elsewher, report finding. It warms the room slightly as it does blow slightly warm air into the room but no condensation. It might not be a good idea to have it in a cold garage though .... a vented dryer in a garage is fine for obvious reasons. In a few years time we, apparently, won't be able to buy a vented one (there are very few in the shops now) so it seems it'll be a condenser or condenser/heatpump ... or nothing and apparently the plain condenser costs almost as much to run as a vented one so it would seem sensible to get the heatpump version. 

As regards what make - I considered Bosch/Siemens plus Beko plus (briefly) Miele. I wanted a 5 year warranty so that filtered some makes and models out and Miele was too expensive for a machine with a limited warranty (now that they've reduced it for many of their models). The Beko warranty is short but says it covers the motor for 10 years BUT it only covers the materials for the motor therefore you're at the mercy of Beko's service department and I gather it's not cheap even if the motor is free of cost. You can't use your own repair agent to instal the "free" motor.

One thing .. one of the reasons for choosing the model was it said it has a 'reverse tumble' feature.

It definitely doesn't do that for 99.9% of the programmes - only, apparently, the 'bed linen' programme.  Very few other models claim to do it.but it definitely does reverse tumble on that programme.

After a couple of weeks she's now very pleased and stuff is coming out dry and isn't taking as long as she was afraid.  A good buy (except it's come done in price since we bought it. You can't win 'em all.