The invention relates to a heat pump type clothes dryer which comprises a control system, a refrigeration system and an air circulation system, wherein the refrigeration system consists of a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator and a throttle valve, the air circulation system consists of a clothes drying barrel, an evaporator, an evaporator fan, a condenser, a condenser fan, a humid heat air flow passage, a low-temperature dry air flow passage and a dry air flow passage, the humid heat air flow passage is arranged between the clothes drying barrel and the evaporator, the low-temperature dry air flow passage is arranged between the evaporator and the condenser, the dry air flow passage is arranged between the condenser and the clothes drying barrel, the compressor is a variable-frequency compressor and comprise a first condenser and a second condenser group which are connected in series, and the output end of the first condenser is also provided with a by-pass pipeline so that refrigerants can selectively flow to the throttle valve through the by-pass pipeline. The heat pump type clothes dryer can be used for high temperature dehumidification in high moisture content, can be used for medium temperature dehumidification in low moisture content and has obvious energy saving effect.