Miele heat-pump dryer save more than € 1,200* in energy costs over ten years

Hanging laundry out to dry in a heated room is not a good idea in winter – and not sustainable, either. After all, evaporating the moisture in laundry results not only in mould indoors but also in increased heating costs. Removing moisture from laundry followed by the need for airing rooms requires additional energy input. A proven and, on balance, more climate-friendly alternative during the cold season is an energy-efficient heat-pump dryer which not only uses energy sparingly but is also fast and convenient and leaves laundry soft and bouncy.

Drying laundry involves evaporating moisture, a process which requires a lot of energy. A heat-pump tumble dryer therefore represents a milestone in the quest for sustainability in laundry care as this approach recuperates the energy from the moist, warm drying air of the laundry in the drum and reintroduces it to the process via a heat pump. This, in turn, significantly reduces the energy needed to heat up more air. As a result, top Miele models equipped with a heat pump today overshoot the A+++ rating for energy efficiency by a margin of 10%, whilst conventional condenser and vented dryers only achieve, at best, a B rating. Consequently, a highly efficient heat-pump dryer from Miele cuts energy costs over a 10-year period by more than € 1,200* – compared with Miele condenser dryers without a heat pump. For this reason, these less efficient versions were entirely removed from the programme range last year.

And, what’s more, Germany’s consumer watchdog Stiftung Warentest has confirmed once again that Miele dryers are particularly energy-efficient. The Miele TEF 775 WP was the sole winner in the September 2022 issue of their ‘test’ magazine, saving up to € 174** in electricity costs over ten years. The other Miele models in the test were also the only ones to be awarded a ‘Very good’ (1.5) for their environmental properties. Moreover, the Miele dryers were the only models tested to achieve an A rating for condensation efficiency, with more than 90% of the water evaporated being recaptured. This means that heat-pump dryers from Miele are particularly tightly sealed and therefore release only extremely small amounts of moisture into the room and hence very effectively avoid problems with mould over their long life cycle.

But it is not only energy efficiency which ensures sustainability: the use of materials which go easy on resources and a long life cycle are also important contributing factors. A significant contribution to this is made by the floor module, which was developed from scratch and whose plastic is enriched with nitrogen in an innovative manufacturing process. This saves 30 percent of material – while at the same time improving stability. In addition, the climate-friendly refrigerant R290 is used. Both the new base module and R290 are also used in almost all Miele dryer models.

As the only manufacturer in its line of business, Miele tests its dryers for a life cycle of 20 years. To test this life expectancy under representative, real-life conditions, Miele performs a battery of challenging and strenuous endurance tests to simulate 5 cycles per week or a total of 5000 programme cycles.

‘DryCare 40’ gently dries even delicate fabrics

The DryCare 40 option ensures that all items of clothing washable at 40°C can be tumble-dried without the least worry – even if textiles are not approved for machine drying according to the wash-care label. This is facilitated by reducing the air temperature during the drying process to ensure that delicate fabrics are dried so gently that damage can reliably be ruled out. DryCare 40 can be selected in a whole series of programmes such as Cottons, Minimum Iron and Shirts. This subjects fibres to no more strain than necessary and guarantees that garments keep their shape and remain soft to the touch.

Further convenience is offered by the SilenceDrum, which is only available from Miele: Buttons and zips are known to be a source of annoying noises. Thanks to a special design in which the drum is partially lined on the outside with insulating felt strips, such noises are noticeably reduced by the SilenceDrum.

Unnecessary washing can be avoided by the PowerFresh feature. Garments which, for example, have been sitting around in a cupboard for a long time can be freshened up to remove any odours they may have absorbed. This approach involves the inclusion of a moisturising phase before drying commences. Steam makes for better heat transfer to the load, thereby releasing and removing odour molecules more efficiently. The PowerFresh extra unfolds its full potential in combination with the DryFresh flacon, which additionally neutralises odours and leaves behind an unobtrusive, fresh fragrance.

*Consumption according to energy label: TDA150 C: 494 kWh/year, TWF760 WP: 161 kWh/year, TCA230 WP: 208 kWh/year. / Energy costs for the next 10 years calculated with an average price of 43 cent per kWh: TDA150 C: 2.124,20 €, TWF760 WP: 1.431,90 €, TCA230 WP: 1.229,80 €.