What Is a Ventless Dryer?

A ventless dryer is similar to a conventional dryer, except that it does not require connecting it to a tube and venting the air outdoors. Rather, this type of appliance is able to dry your clothes using advanced condensation technologies. By heating the water remaining in the clothes, it turns into steam. The steam is released from the drum into a condenser. Within the condenser, the air is cooled so the steam turns back into water. The water is then pumped out of the dryer, much like the used wash water from your wash machine, and down the same discharge drain. Stand-alone or stacked models require the special larger 220 volt dryer cord and outlet. If you select a combination washer dryer model, then it uses a standard 3-prong household outlet and no special dryer cord or outlet is needed.

The type of condensation technology used within the ventless dryer is based upon whether it is an individual appliance or a combination appliance. Individual appliances typically use air-to-air condensation to dry your clothes, while combo models use cold water condensation. Air-to-air drying use two different air masses that are kept from mixing. One air mass is used to remove the moisture from the clothes, and the other cools the air to release the water inside the condenser. With a combination model, the air is cooled with cold water, rather than a second air mass. Both methods fully dry your clothes by extracting moisture during the drying cycle. It should be mentioned, this kind of drying does require slightly more time per cycle. But, thanks to energy-efficient designs, your dryer uses less electricity than a conventional vented dryer, even though it runs longer.