richardc1983
Well-known member
Hello, it's been a long time since I did a post on here. Here's my review of the Fisher & Paykel DH9060FS1 9Kg Heat Pump Tumble Dryer: A truly remarkable dryer and should be the standard for all manufacturers.
https://ao.com/product/dh9060fs1-fisher-paykel-heat-pump-tumble-dryer-white-87290-126.aspx
I am going to focus my review on the important points that stand out with this dryer for me, and I feel it appropriate to mention the issues that led me to get the F&P DH9060FS1. Having come from a Bosch Heat Pump dryer which was top of the range and had the auto rinse condenser and self-cleaning filter still had to empty a container in the bottom which was sopping wet with fluff like a giant cat furball which dropped water all over the floor as you had to drain it before binning it. The Bosch was quite frankly the worst appliance I have ever owned, it balled up constantly not just bedding but loads with say PJ bottoms or trousers, it had started to tear sheets and pull buttons off things due to their being no reverse function. The manufacturer says they don’t reverse due to energy efficiency. It took you 6 hours to do a bedding load as had to keep opening the door letting out the heat that took ages to build up then start again using timed dry as the sensors would then think the load was dry, it would then ball up over and over again. You had to dry items separately as even a single sheet or duvet would roll up into a big ball. Enough was enough. I have gone for F&P machine as I thought to give a different brand a try.
Firstly, I had to justify the price, but it was the only dryer like it with all the features I wanted. I was insistent on one feature I needed it to have, a reverse function and ideally it having an Inverter Compressor (more on this in my review). This F&P machine has both.
Many of the dryers on the market that have a reverse feature reverse for say 20 seconds or so before going the other way again, this is due to a very basic design issue. The other machines on the market have one motor that drives both the drum and the fan that circulates the air at the same time. The fan will only allow be able to circulate air in one direction and not the reverse direction, this means you only get short reverses and during these reverses the fan does not move any air but is still rotating so air circulation stops momentarily. Cue the DH9060FS1 from F&P, this dryer is the first of its kind I believe to feature 2 separate motors. One brushless motor that drives the drum in either direction EQUALLY and a separate brushless motor to drive the fan continuously and at variable speed (for the night-time Quiet mode to reduce noise or when using the Speed mode, it boosts the fan speed). This design allows the dryer to rotate in equal direction without impacting on airflows. On the majority of cycles, it reverses the drum direction every 5 minutes and performs the new direction for another 5 minutes before reversing the other way. This is the first of its kind out there and is truly innovative that it is available on this domestic dryer. In my opinion, this is the only way to stop tangling, just like your washing machine rotates both ways. Some other manufacturers that don’t reverse claim to reduce it by having a protruding piece of plastic on the back of the drum (like a nipple) or “specially” designed paddles to help. In my experience, they do not work. Having a separate fan and drum motor also means that there is less noise when using the drying rack as only the fan runs. The drum does not rotate so you have just warm air being blown over the flat rack so you will only hear airflow and the compressor.
The next feature which I think is awesome is the Inverter Compressor but let me explain what I am comparing to. The majority of your leading heat pump dryers from the lower end to the top end in cost have a fixed speed compressor, this means the compressor is either turned on or turned off. It’s true that heat pumps by their very nature do not get as hot as the electrical heating element dryers so are gentle on laundry however, they still can approach 50c by the end of the cycle. These fixed speed compressors cannot vary their output, they are literally providing 100% output (ON) or 0% output (OFF). This means you do not get variable temperature cycle options for delicate or wool items. The issue with fixed speed compressors is if you turn them off to try to control the temperature, the cold part of the system that removes the moisture from the airflow (and thus the clothes) would then stop dehumidifying the air, so manufacturers keep the compressor running throughout the cycle. The manufacturer of my previous dryer had a “low heat” option in the menu, however, all it did was bring a cooling fan on in an attempt to circulate ambient room air around the outside of the drum in the cabinet in the hope of trying to keep the temperature down, it didn’t work and depending on the load at the end clothes would be quite hot.
This F&P machine however has solved the above by fitting an Inverter Compressor, an Inverter allows the compressor (which generates the heat) to vary its speed and thus heat output. This means, if the compressor is running at 100% output, then full heat capacity is being generated (the same as a fixed speed model) but the compressor being inverter-driven can also slow down, so it can slow down to say 50%, which in turn lowers the temperature of the air inside, particularly useful for delicate/wool items or anything else that requires a lower temperature to dry. The compressor also is able to go above 100% for short periods to get the temperature up as quick as possible (Speed Mode) before reverting back to 100% output. The beauty of this control method is that when the compressor slows down it is still running, dehumidifying the air but it means the temperature of the laundry and airflow can be controlled very accurately. During say the Eco mode, the dryer will take longer to dry, as it runs the compressor at 80% output which means a slightly lower drying temperature which saves energy over the cycle. On quiet mode, it slows it down even further along with the circulation fan for times when the rest of the house might be sleeping etc. This F&P machine has pre-set temperature cycles that range from Ultra Low, Low, Medium, Medium High, High, Ultra High. Each of these cycles relies on the compressor speeding up or slowing down once the temperature is achieved. Throughout the cycle it is normal to hear the compressor speeding up and down and being an Inverter, it is quieter than the standard fixed speed.
The machine is very accurate at drying, I find the best setting for me is with the Dry & Extra Dry lights illuminated. The next step up would be Extra Dry. Having just dry selected can result in some things being ever so slightly damp if you don’t remove them straight away after the cycle. The idea of “Dry” is that you remove the items after the laundry and any residual moisture (whilst they will feel dry when warm) would evaporate and this helps with creases to fall out. However, as the machine reverses in both directions and has really high airflow they are not very creased anyway. The dryness setting does take getting used to as it is pressing a button to light up the Damp/Dry/Extra Dry indicators. The interior light can be switched on mid-cycle by pressing any button and it stays on for 1 minute. The only thing I wish was different was a clear door but the light enables you to see inside easily enough.
O.K. so that’s the positives, onto the negatives because there are a few annoyances on a machine in this price range. The machine has a steam function. There is no steam generator inside the machine though, the machine instead is connected to the water supply, and it uses a very fine micronozzle to spray an ultrafine mist onto the items you are steaming. It is then reliant on the heat evaporating this spray mist to freshen items or to pre iron shirts. There are two hoses supplied to connect to your water supply, they are both about 50cm long and not long enough unless your water is directly behind the dryer. Secondly, the supplied Y piece adapter to split your washing machine water supply pipe so that the dryer can be connected does not fit. I had to buy a U.K adapter from Screwfix which only cost me about £1.50, still a machine-produced for the U.K market this is not very good, and the manufacturer should have provided 1 long water feed hose rather than 2 short ones as you can only use 1. I have chosen to fit the drain pipe connection, so I don’t have to empty the drawer, this was able to reach the drain standpipe which is fitted next to the washer which is at the side of the dryer. Another thing that some may not realise, the dryer door is not reversible, meaning if your washer is next to your dryer, you will not be able to reverse the door to make loading your dryer straight after your washer has finished easier. I have chosen
The minor things now and I am comparing to my previous Bosch dryer, there are a lot more things made of plastic, for example, the door hinge is made of chrome coloured plastic and the inner part of the door (that faces the laundry inside) is made of plastic also whereas on my other appliance they were metal and glass. Longevity wise I'm not sure how they will hold up as the plastic inner of the door may scratch over time. That aside the dryer is built well, there are no rattles, the door closes firmly and there is weight to the machine.
One final point, there is no Wi-Fi – the Australian/New Zealand Model comes with built-in Wi-Fi as standard and is advertised in this way. The U.K model despite being exactly the same model does not have Wi-Fi available. The U.K website states that the machine has regular software updates, although without Wi-Fi or Bluetooth this will not be possible. A machine of this value really should have Wi-Fi and if regular software updates are advertised then how does the manufacture propose getting these onto customers machines if there is no connectivity. Personally, I am not bothered about controlling the dryer via an app however to be able to update software and download new programmes is attractive and the Australian model facilitates this via Wi-Fi although from reading reviews it is a feature that is not working too well currently.
Do I think you should buy this dryer? Absolutely, it’s costly but it WORKS, it doesn’t ball up, it has lots of different heat settings, easy to use menus and VERY energy efficient.
https://ao.com/product/dh9060fs1-fisher-paykel-heat-pump-tumble-dryer-white-87290-126.aspx
I am going to focus my review on the important points that stand out with this dryer for me, and I feel it appropriate to mention the issues that led me to get the F&P DH9060FS1. Having come from a Bosch Heat Pump dryer which was top of the range and had the auto rinse condenser and self-cleaning filter still had to empty a container in the bottom which was sopping wet with fluff like a giant cat furball which dropped water all over the floor as you had to drain it before binning it. The Bosch was quite frankly the worst appliance I have ever owned, it balled up constantly not just bedding but loads with say PJ bottoms or trousers, it had started to tear sheets and pull buttons off things due to their being no reverse function. The manufacturer says they don’t reverse due to energy efficiency. It took you 6 hours to do a bedding load as had to keep opening the door letting out the heat that took ages to build up then start again using timed dry as the sensors would then think the load was dry, it would then ball up over and over again. You had to dry items separately as even a single sheet or duvet would roll up into a big ball. Enough was enough. I have gone for F&P machine as I thought to give a different brand a try.
Firstly, I had to justify the price, but it was the only dryer like it with all the features I wanted. I was insistent on one feature I needed it to have, a reverse function and ideally it having an Inverter Compressor (more on this in my review). This F&P machine has both.
Many of the dryers on the market that have a reverse feature reverse for say 20 seconds or so before going the other way again, this is due to a very basic design issue. The other machines on the market have one motor that drives both the drum and the fan that circulates the air at the same time. The fan will only allow be able to circulate air in one direction and not the reverse direction, this means you only get short reverses and during these reverses the fan does not move any air but is still rotating so air circulation stops momentarily. Cue the DH9060FS1 from F&P, this dryer is the first of its kind I believe to feature 2 separate motors. One brushless motor that drives the drum in either direction EQUALLY and a separate brushless motor to drive the fan continuously and at variable speed (for the night-time Quiet mode to reduce noise or when using the Speed mode, it boosts the fan speed). This design allows the dryer to rotate in equal direction without impacting on airflows. On the majority of cycles, it reverses the drum direction every 5 minutes and performs the new direction for another 5 minutes before reversing the other way. This is the first of its kind out there and is truly innovative that it is available on this domestic dryer. In my opinion, this is the only way to stop tangling, just like your washing machine rotates both ways. Some other manufacturers that don’t reverse claim to reduce it by having a protruding piece of plastic on the back of the drum (like a nipple) or “specially” designed paddles to help. In my experience, they do not work. Having a separate fan and drum motor also means that there is less noise when using the drying rack as only the fan runs. The drum does not rotate so you have just warm air being blown over the flat rack so you will only hear airflow and the compressor.
The next feature which I think is awesome is the Inverter Compressor but let me explain what I am comparing to. The majority of your leading heat pump dryers from the lower end to the top end in cost have a fixed speed compressor, this means the compressor is either turned on or turned off. It’s true that heat pumps by their very nature do not get as hot as the electrical heating element dryers so are gentle on laundry however, they still can approach 50c by the end of the cycle. These fixed speed compressors cannot vary their output, they are literally providing 100% output (ON) or 0% output (OFF). This means you do not get variable temperature cycle options for delicate or wool items. The issue with fixed speed compressors is if you turn them off to try to control the temperature, the cold part of the system that removes the moisture from the airflow (and thus the clothes) would then stop dehumidifying the air, so manufacturers keep the compressor running throughout the cycle. The manufacturer of my previous dryer had a “low heat” option in the menu, however, all it did was bring a cooling fan on in an attempt to circulate ambient room air around the outside of the drum in the cabinet in the hope of trying to keep the temperature down, it didn’t work and depending on the load at the end clothes would be quite hot.
This F&P machine however has solved the above by fitting an Inverter Compressor, an Inverter allows the compressor (which generates the heat) to vary its speed and thus heat output. This means, if the compressor is running at 100% output, then full heat capacity is being generated (the same as a fixed speed model) but the compressor being inverter-driven can also slow down, so it can slow down to say 50%, which in turn lowers the temperature of the air inside, particularly useful for delicate/wool items or anything else that requires a lower temperature to dry. The compressor also is able to go above 100% for short periods to get the temperature up as quick as possible (Speed Mode) before reverting back to 100% output. The beauty of this control method is that when the compressor slows down it is still running, dehumidifying the air but it means the temperature of the laundry and airflow can be controlled very accurately. During say the Eco mode, the dryer will take longer to dry, as it runs the compressor at 80% output which means a slightly lower drying temperature which saves energy over the cycle. On quiet mode, it slows it down even further along with the circulation fan for times when the rest of the house might be sleeping etc. This F&P machine has pre-set temperature cycles that range from Ultra Low, Low, Medium, Medium High, High, Ultra High. Each of these cycles relies on the compressor speeding up or slowing down once the temperature is achieved. Throughout the cycle it is normal to hear the compressor speeding up and down and being an Inverter, it is quieter than the standard fixed speed.
The machine is very accurate at drying, I find the best setting for me is with the Dry & Extra Dry lights illuminated. The next step up would be Extra Dry. Having just dry selected can result in some things being ever so slightly damp if you don’t remove them straight away after the cycle. The idea of “Dry” is that you remove the items after the laundry and any residual moisture (whilst they will feel dry when warm) would evaporate and this helps with creases to fall out. However, as the machine reverses in both directions and has really high airflow they are not very creased anyway. The dryness setting does take getting used to as it is pressing a button to light up the Damp/Dry/Extra Dry indicators. The interior light can be switched on mid-cycle by pressing any button and it stays on for 1 minute. The only thing I wish was different was a clear door but the light enables you to see inside easily enough.
O.K. so that’s the positives, onto the negatives because there are a few annoyances on a machine in this price range. The machine has a steam function. There is no steam generator inside the machine though, the machine instead is connected to the water supply, and it uses a very fine micronozzle to spray an ultrafine mist onto the items you are steaming. It is then reliant on the heat evaporating this spray mist to freshen items or to pre iron shirts. There are two hoses supplied to connect to your water supply, they are both about 50cm long and not long enough unless your water is directly behind the dryer. Secondly, the supplied Y piece adapter to split your washing machine water supply pipe so that the dryer can be connected does not fit. I had to buy a U.K adapter from Screwfix which only cost me about £1.50, still a machine-produced for the U.K market this is not very good, and the manufacturer should have provided 1 long water feed hose rather than 2 short ones as you can only use 1. I have chosen to fit the drain pipe connection, so I don’t have to empty the drawer, this was able to reach the drain standpipe which is fitted next to the washer which is at the side of the dryer. Another thing that some may not realise, the dryer door is not reversible, meaning if your washer is next to your dryer, you will not be able to reverse the door to make loading your dryer straight after your washer has finished easier. I have chosen
The minor things now and I am comparing to my previous Bosch dryer, there are a lot more things made of plastic, for example, the door hinge is made of chrome coloured plastic and the inner part of the door (that faces the laundry inside) is made of plastic also whereas on my other appliance they were metal and glass. Longevity wise I'm not sure how they will hold up as the plastic inner of the door may scratch over time. That aside the dryer is built well, there are no rattles, the door closes firmly and there is weight to the machine.
One final point, there is no Wi-Fi – the Australian/New Zealand Model comes with built-in Wi-Fi as standard and is advertised in this way. The U.K model despite being exactly the same model does not have Wi-Fi available. The U.K website states that the machine has regular software updates, although without Wi-Fi or Bluetooth this will not be possible. A machine of this value really should have Wi-Fi and if regular software updates are advertised then how does the manufacture propose getting these onto customers machines if there is no connectivity. Personally, I am not bothered about controlling the dryer via an app however to be able to update software and download new programmes is attractive and the Australian model facilitates this via Wi-Fi although from reading reviews it is a feature that is not working too well currently.
Do I think you should buy this dryer? Absolutely, it’s costly but it WORKS, it doesn’t ball up, it has lots of different heat settings, easy to use menus and VERY energy efficient.
