Altimo 8kg Condenser Tumble Dryer - White vs 9kg Heat Pump Tumble Dryer - White — Comparison

The Altimo ACD812W is an 8kg condenser tumble dryer at £249, while the Altimo AHPD912W is a 9kg heat pump model at £329. Both are white, both have sensor drying, 15 programmes and a noise level of 65dB, so the choice is mostly about how each one dries and what it costs to run.

The gap is in running costs. The condenser is rated B at 561kWh a year, against 259kWh and an A++ rating for the heat pump. The full-load figures are 4.68kWh per cycle against 2.12kWh. The heat pump's full-load cycle is longer at 208 minutes, against 134 for the condenser, but it has a half-load option with a 116-minute cycle, which the condenser lacks, and it offers three dryer temperatures against one. The heat pump is also slightly wider and deeper, so check the space.

Daily use is also shaped by the programmes. The condenser offers a 29-minute express dry and a 12-minute shirts setting, with a four-digit LED display and an anti-crease option, while the heat pump's equivalents run for 34 and 20 minutes. Neither includes a vent hose, so budget for one if you need venting. Owners say both do what they are meant to do, and one heat pump buyer chose it on the recommendation of a daughter who owns the same model. The main complaint is a lack of instructions and a machine that sat on a tilt when installed, so level it carefully.

Bottom line: choose the Altimo ACD812W if the lower price matters more than running costs, and choose the Altimo AHPD912W if you want a larger 9kg drum, half-load drying and much lower energy use for £80 more.