Whirlpool HybridCare Dryer Review

[jkbff]

If I am understanding how this works, wouldn't using it in the full power mode be the same as using a vented dryer? I mean if it is heating the air that is circulating and a heat pump is running like a dehumidifier to take the moisture out how could it not work?

If it works half as good as my dehumidifier does in the summer I'd be sold on one. My 70 pint tank gets emptied once a day set at 45% rh.

I have a rack I set the dehumidifier under and hang wet clothes over when it runs sometimes. Especially in the winter when I want the heat.

 

[a440]

Clean the cooling fan....

They should have installed a slide in filter that you can slide off and just wash. Imagine how much dust and stuff will be sucked into the dryer before the outside will be dirty? 

I also do this with my refrigerators.  I also "construct" a filter that I can take off and either clean or replace twice a year.  It is placed over the main "entrance airflow" of the fridge.  You would be amazed at how dirty these filters are every 6 months! 

I think this dryer is going to be a "hassle" for most users.  General people just want dry clothes.  These general people are the same people that forget to clean the lint filter!  I bet there will be many service calls on these units due to user error.

B

 

[henene4]

@jkbff

The heater should only be engaged until a certain temperature is reached. Keep in mind that not only pretty much all energy is recycled, but because of loss of mass in the closed system and the energy added by the compressor, temperatures rise even without the additional heater.
One thing to mention as well: HP dryers are HORRIBLE at cooling down. They are designed to keep the heat in, and that basicly makes cooling down in a reasinable time impossible.

 

[Practigal]

Industrial sabotage?

I have been waiting for this dryer to come out for about a year now.
A quick check of the manual reveals two completely unexpected problems:
(1) it needs a MONTHLY cleaning of the cooling fan which is inconveniently located at the bottom back of the machine. At 182 pounds, the machine far outweighs me and my ability to move it, especially when I was intending to stack it. How in the world am I supposed to move that on a regular basis? Whirlpool did not design anything new to support the weight or increase the mobility of the unit. They could at least have put it on one of those pull out twist and turn around units just like the old televisions in an armoire used to be on.
(2) it needs a biennial cleaning of all accumulated lint by a qualified appliance servicer. These days there are very few qualified appliance servicers. That's probably going to be a minimum service call time of two hours at most of these places at $70 an hour and the tech isn't worth it he/she will probably end up breaking more than the lint they remove and they won't care because it's more business for them.
I really appreciate this review. I really wanted to buy this machine.
If I were a Whirlpool employee I would go on strike until it was redesigned to be practical. if this is representative of things to come Whirlpool will not be around in a couple of years. But maybe that was the whole point of this design, to remove this brand which has had a relatively good reputation over time, from the market. This is right up there with the recent dumbing down of Frigidaire to complete garbage, and let's not forget the loss of Maytag's sterling reputation...how could any executive in their right mind approve this as the final design? Insanity starts at the top.

 

[logixx]

Cooling Fan

Miele, for example, has the cooling fan on the front of the machine. However, that would of course clash with Whirlpool's design philosophy of making seamless laundry machines that, like the front load washer's pump trap, are impossible to clean. :-/

 

 

 

[henene4]

Any Whirlpool dryer manual states the service quote. If you would follow these, you would have to call a service technician every 5 years. And, honestly, who does that? (Except of those who do it themselves, of course.) It's just a phrase put there so WP could say, if a dryer starts a fire, "Did you have it cleaned? No? USER ERROR! Your problem."
As the dryer is ventless, and you stack it, as long as it is free standing, you can just install them with a 1-2 inches more space to the wall. Then, every now and then, just take the brush attachment of your vacuum, put it at the end of an solid extension piece and you should be abled to clean it fairly easy without moving the dryer.

 

[henene4]

Oh, and...

Who would think that one of the biggest, leading applainces brands in the world REMOVES IT SELF FROM THE MARKET just because, once again, design comes over usability? I mean, they did the same with the pumps on their washers, and are still there.

 

[mrb627]

Sadly...

This monthly cleaning ritual will probably not be discussed at the time of purchase. Resulting in unhappy owners after the fact.

Malcolm

 

[tolivac]

With all of the care and pampering this dryer needs-doubt there is going to be many takers-and when the owner has to do all of this--the machines will FLOOD the want ad magazines,Craiglist,EBay!I'll stick with my 'ole Hotpoint that has a heat coil.And if the owner has the appliance folks clean it--that will be a perfect come-on to talk the owner into buying a new one!Back to the drawing board for this dryer!!!

 

[Practigal]

Love the irony

So if the cooler fan isn't cleaned regularly....there is a potential for fire? Isn't one of the purposes behind the new regs (a vent that can contain a fire for 7 hours, essentially requiring ventless) to prevent fire...?

 

[henene4]

I guess any dryer that is not well maintained is a certain fire hazzard. And usually, such units detect overheating of components like the heatpump. A fire seems an extreme case.
However: I more like the overall irony about heatpump systems: You use a refrigerant to heat something. Kind of a contrast there...

 

[henene4]

German counterpart

I did a load of twoels yesterday and made a short video.

A load of 4 big towels, one bathrobe, 1 med-big towel, 3 medium towels, a washcloth and the bathrobe belt.
Residual humidity: ~50%
Cycle:
- Cottons
- Energy preffered
- extended dry (adds 8 minutes on this cycle)
- low temp
Initial sensing estimated 2:41 hours. Heatpump starts towards the end of the video (barley recognizable).
The cycle took about 2h and 20 min +/- 5 min in the end, including a short pause as the belt wrapped arround a few items which I detangled at the 2h mark.
It removed 2,55l of water, which equals 10,5 cups.

 

[mrb627]

Fire Hazard?

I really don't think the pump side of the heat pump will be the source of a fire. More than likely, you'll burn out the compressor before it gets hot enough to burn.

Now, the heat strip in this particular model could be suspect to a fire, but not sure what the cooling fan in the back would have to do with that.

On a side note, my cousin had an LG full sized dryer with one of them flow sensing do-hickees on the control panel. That dryer nearly burned her house down so a lot of good that did her...

Malcolm

 

[iej]

Miele do a commercial heat pump dryer but the heat pump module is about 1/3 the size of the dryer and sits behind it. They're huge heat pumps.

 

[henene4]

Those Miele units are impressive. Though I saw them online north of 10k€. Maybe you get them cheaper now. But they offer Little Giant dryers with heatpump as well. They are around 3k€, but take a bit longer to dry then the 50 minutes the big one takes.
Electrolux offers a heatpump dryer for the commercial market as well. A bit slower than the Miele, I think. But they are just as expensive.

 

[joeypete]

This is a really cool dryer…I was looking at the Kenmore version and it says it has a vent? That can't be right…why would the Whirlpool be ventless and the Kenmore vented? Does anyone know?

 

[joeypete]

Ooops

Just realized the Kenmore hybrid is made by LG! LOL.

 

[mrb627]

Research

I stopped by my local Fry's this morning. Thought I would see if they had one of these on the floor. After walking the floor and not seeing much, an employee asked me what I was looking for. I told him I was wondering if they had the new Whirlpool heat pump dryer in stock. His response? "What is a heat pump dryer?" After pointing him to the website, he replied, "Oh, we no longer carry any Whirlpool product." I told him that LG also had a heat pump dryer coming out. But it hadn't been added to their inventory.

So, is Whirlpool losing market share now?

Malcolm

 

[appnut]

Malcolmn, I don't think WP is losing market share.  Frys does carry WP TLers.  I've never looked at their web page before.  I'm not impressed with their product mix.  Seems to be largely MOL at best.  Heavy on Samsung & LG throughout their appliance line.

 

[mrb627]

Online Review

I saw an online review that complained this dryer heats up the room. Have you had the same experience?

Malcolm