Need to dry clothes fast in wet weather? Check out SHARP’s energy-efficient Heat Pump Dryer

It’s been raining so much recently that it actually makes sense to invest in a tumble dryer; but which one to choose? A traditional vented tumble dryer requires the machine to be installed in a location where an external vent can be fitted into an external wall, so the hot, damp air can escape outside. Then there’s a condenser tumble dryer, which doesn’t require a vented hose, but instead uses a heating element to condense the steam inside the machine, and turn it into water (that is thrown out). A condenser dryer can reach really high temperatures (as high as 70-75 °C) and so the appliance should be placed in a well-ventilated room where the warm air can dissipate easily.

And then there’s a Heat Pump Dryer — this one is similar to a condenser dryer where hot air absorbs moisture from clothes and converts it to water, which needs to be thrown out after the cycle. But instead of a heating element, it uses a closed loop heating system where hot air in the machine is reused, so it’s far more energy-efficient than a condenser dryer, and even a vented tumble dryer.

Above: Sharp Heat Pump Dryer KD-HD9S7GW stacked on the sharp FRONt LOAD WASHER ES-FW105SG.

SHARP’s latest dryer — the KD-HD9S7GW Heat Pump Dryer — operates on a new type of heat pump, and has a 5-tick energy efficiency rating. What’s special is the Express 34-Minute Dry Mode that can dry up to 1kg of cotton shirts in just 34 minutes with a high-speed spin cycle. And to accommodate this higher spin power, the dryer’s cabinet has a special wave design that offers better stability, lower vibrations, and also lower noise levels.

Above: inside the sharp heat pump dryer. It handles loads up to 9kg.

The dryer has 15 programs with specific modes for synthetics, duvets, sports apparel and wool, and every cycle dries the items effectively, yet puts less stress on the fabric than traditional tumble dryers that utilise much higher heat.

Above: The Sharp Heat Pump Dryer has 15 easy-to-select programs.

If you’re stacking your SHARP dryer on top of a front load washing machine, a free stacking kit and installation is provided with the purchase of the dryer. This model is also available in two colours, black and white so you can match what you have at home.

Above: The dryer converts the hot air into water and stores it in the water tank, which is easy to remove and empty out.

Is this dryer for you?

If you’ve been thinking about getting a tumble dryer for your household, this one from Sharp is a great option considering it is energy efficient (it has a 5-tick energy efficiency rating) and doesn’t rattle; it’ll also be gentler on your clothes because it uses lower heat than condenser dryers. Best of all, it has an express function (it can dry up to 1kg of cotton shirts in just 34 minutes) that you can’t deny is extremely useful. I’d recommend this for households that don’t get much sun, don’t own other laundry drying systems, and have had trouble drying clothes in this wet weather.

Here are the product specifications:

The SHARP KD-HD9S7GW Heat Pump Dryer is priced at $1,719 for the black and $1,664 for the white version. available on Sharp’s COCORO LIFE STORE and selected authorised retailers.