Choosing new tumble dryer

[Kommunist]

I need to choose a new tumble dryer as my 14yo Siemens is on its last leg.
The Siemens is a classic condenser (not surprising given its age) and it is located in unheated garage next to boiler. The next dryer will be positioned in the same place.

Questions:
1. Shall I go for a classic condenser again (these seem to be quite rare nowadays if I chose to ignore the Chinese and pseudo-European brands like Candy/Hoover/Indesit/etc) and stick with BSH or Electrolux group) or is it OK to choose a heat pump?
2. The BSH/Electrolux heat pump driers are all using R290 gas, which is propane by other name and is very flammable. The Koreans (Samsung and LG) are mostly using R-134a, which is more stable but less environmentally friendly. In the aspect of safety, shall I go for R-134a based machine or do you think that R-290 is perfectly safe?

Your thoughts on the matter are much appreciated! Thank you!

[kwatt]

Heat pump dryers have very specific operating temperatures, they are not as flexible as others so make sure you look into that as, in an heated garage, in winter, or high summer I doubt one will work or, work well.

There’s not enough gas in them for it to be of much concern.

K.

[Kommunist]

So your recommendation would be to go back to condenser?
What do you think of Hybrid devices? I’ve seen that the top models from LG, Samsung and BSH have both sensor-driven and timed modes.
LG is calling their system EcoHybrid and from what I understood, if I need to dry something relatively quickly, it switches to a standard condenser mode, otherwise it’ll work as a heat pump. I suspect that both Samsung and BSH devices operate in the same manner, just don’t have a cool-sounding name for this?

Thanks for the gas advice as having a propane tank next to a heater is scaring the bejeezus off me.

[kwatt]

I haven’t had enough feedback on the hybrid dryers to comment, what I have heard is they are complex.

But again, in temperature extremes—like those you’ll get in an outbuilding—normal dryers will often struggle, and heat pumps just won’t work.

K.

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