Overview
- Shopkeepers say demand for vented and condenser units has jumped as the government prepares rules that favor heat‑pump dryers.
- The statutory instrument for Great Britain, SI 2026/318, sets minimum performance so only machines with an Energy Efficiency Index below 85 can be sold.
- The rules also require better moisture capture on condenser models, with condensation efficiency of at least 80 percent, and a default eco program.
- The policy restricts future sales rather than use of existing dryers, and ministers say heat‑pump models can save up to £910 over about 20 years in running costs.
- Critics highlight higher upfront prices and slower drying, with reports of about £40 more on average and some models up to £200 extra, and they note an OPSS fix for roughly 85,000 heat‑pump units after a fire‑risk issue.