Getting Dry with the Samsung Heat Pump Tumble Dryer

A few weeks ago, the unthinkable happened for a mummy with two toddlers. Our tumble dryer stopped working. Yes, I know. First world problems but the truth is that I rely on our tumble dryer. Now the weather has warmed up a little it’s not so bad but on wet days and in the winter, I use it almost daily. After 3 days of air drying on a clothes horse on wet April days and I was desperate for a new dryer. Luckily AO came to the rescue with the Samsung Heat Pump Tumble Dryer.

SAMSUNG HEAT PUMP TUMBLE DRYER – THE PRODUCT

I initially loved the look of the Samsung Heat Pump Tumble Dryer because it was more than ‘just’ a traditional condenser dryer. I am very aware that using a dryer is not a good option – for our clothes, for the environment or for our energy bills. The fact of the matter is though on days when the sun isn’t shining it’s a necessity for us.

With an 8kg drum, the Samsung Heat Pump Tumble Dryer is big enough for our needs. More importantly though, with an A++ energy rating, we are hoping it will also be gentler on both the environment and our bills. This is because of the heat pump technology which extracts water from the clothes and recycles the hot air back into the drum. Gentle on bills, the environment and our clothes – it sounds almost too good to be true doesn’t it? We were keen to give it a go!

THE REVIEW

Immediately on arrival I was very impressed with the Samsung Heat Pump Tumble Dryer as it looked very smart. Unfortunately, the door opened in the wrong direction for us so hubby had the task of rehanging it the other way. He managed it with the minimum of fuss and before we knew it we had a new dryer wired into the wall (thank goodness).

Typically, we had to wait a few days before we could try out the dryer. As luck would have it we’ve had a glorious week here in North Wales but as predicted the need very quickly arose. I have to say I was very impressed as the dryer was so quiet. In fact, I forgot it was on until the end of cycle alert went off.

During the cycle, a little water was extracted from the clothes but not a huge amount which was interesting, and I loved that the front of the water collection drawer has a little gauge on which to be able to monitor the levels and know when it needs to be emptied. Also, while we’re on the topic of monitoring things I liked the addition of a lamp that you can use to check your clothes partway through a cycle. Why I would need to do that I’m not too sure – perhaps to check that sheets are not getting tangled – but I liked the feature anyway.

Interestingly there was no damp smell which sometimes comes with using a dryer in a contained area, and I think that was from the noticeable absence of heat. I didn’t realise just how many wasted energy leaked from our old machine in heat and humidity until we tested the Samsung Heat Pump Tumble Dryer, and I have to say there is a significant difference. You can already see where that A++ energy score comes from and I’m looking forward to seeing if there is an impact on our energy bills.

There is a downside though and that’s the cost. At £549 this is by no means the cheapest option on the market and sets you back a substantial amount. However, I am hoping that some of that cost will be reclaimed in energy savings over the next 12 months. Also, although it looks very sleek, modern and stylish, it also looks a little complicated. Therefore, I needed to familiarise myself with the machine before being let loose on it. The manual is clear though and once you get over the sheer number of drying option available to you (my previous machine had 2 – hot and cold) it’s actually very easy and initiative to use.

THE VERDICT

So, there we have it! The Samsung Heat Pump Tumble Dryer is a great option for people like me that wants to be more economical but are unable to go the whole hog and be dryer free. Quiet and easy to use, this is a fantastic option which is gentler on the environment, on your clothes and (I hope) gentler on your bills too due to that fabulous energy rating.

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DISCLOSURE: I was provided with this item in return for my honest review. As always though, all opinions expressed in this post are my own.