How long it takes for laundry to dry, regardless of tumble dryer type, is determined by factors such as the initial moisture content of the load, the kind of fabrics, condition of filters, and the temperature of the room in which the dryer is being used.
With that said, you can expect a typical full load, in an 8 – 9kg vented tumble dryer set on a standard cotton programme to take around 120 minutes to fully dry. Now, depending on the variables described above – how wet the clothes are, the fabrics involved, and condition of vents – this laundry load can be dried faster or slower.
For a smaller load of clothes (half drum full), your vented tumble dryer can complete a drying cycle within 30 – 40 minutes, but 60 minutes is about average for a full load of wet laundry.
Do Vented Tumble Dryers Dry Faster?
When determining factors are equal – laundry load size, witness, and conditions – vented and condenser tumble dryers will complete a cycle in around the same time.
There is no significant difference in drying time between a vented tumble dryer and a condenser. Both of these tumble dryers will take around an hour to dry a full load of washing in a 9kg capacity dryer.
Both vented and condenser tumble dryers use similar components and the same system to dry clothes. Both vented and condenser dryers work by spinning a belt-driven drum that also spins a fan, blowing outside air through a heating element that has a thermostat to regulate temperature.
This hot air is then blown into the drum where water evaporates from the wet laundry. The only difference is that a vented dryer – you guessed it – vents the moist are away through a hose, and a condenser, condenses and collects this moisture in a tank.
Heat pump tumble dryers on the other hand use an entirely different drying technique. Compared to a vented tumble dryer, heat pump dryers can take up to 30% longer to dry as they do not use as much heat. Vented tumble dryers use a lot of heat and wattage, whereas heat pump dryers use low wattage – around half as much – so take much longer to dry.
This difference in heat means vented tumble dryers are able to dry much faster than heat pumps, but the downside is that vented dryers use a lot more energy. Typically, heat pump tumble dryers have an energy efficiency rating of A or better, while vented are mostly graded C, but heat pump dryers dry much slower.
If you’re looking for the fastest drying type of tumble dryer, there’s no statistical difference between vented and condenser, but avoid heat pump dryers. If your looking to dry quickly and save on energy, then a condenser tumble dryer is the best option.
Drying Time Commparrions
Let’s compare three different dryers from Beko with an 8kg capacity – heat pump, condenser, and vented – with an identical laundry load and see how each of them compares in terms of cycle duration.
Half drum load with dryers on the cotton program – Average Drying Times Compared:
- Vented – 85 minutes
- Condenser – 80 minutes
- Heat Pump – 110 minutes
