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For most of us, laundry day means putting your clothes through the washing machine and then the dryer. Fold or hang your garments and you’re done. It’s a far cry from the days of washing clothes in a bucket and clipping them to a line to dry in the sun. One of the essential appliances that make the job so much easier is an electric dryer.
Whether you’re buying your first dryer or looking to replace one that has seen better days, you might be wondering about the latest and greatest features or whether to just choose the cheapest model on the showroom floor.
The two basic types of clothes dryers are those powered entirely by electricity and those partially powered by natural gas. All dryers use electricity to turn the drum that keeps your laundry tumbling through the heated air.
Most homeowners choose electric dryers despite the fact that they represent one of the biggest chunks of your monthly energy usage. Although there are excellent energy-efficient electric dryers, many tend to take a lot longer to dry your clothes than their less-efficient counterparts. Your overall cost savings may not be significant when compared to the much higher purchase price of an Energy Star-certified dryer.
Electricity warms the heating element and blows heated air into the drum.
Installation is easy: just plug the dryer into a 240-volt outlet and connect the duct piping.
These dryers usually cost less upfront but use more electricity over the long term.
Gas dryers warm the air with natural gas.
Installation is more complicated: gas dryers require a natural gas line and a standard 120-volt outlet.
These dryers usually cost more upfront but use less electricity over the long term.
There are two size considerations when choosing a dryer: the appliance’s inside capacity and its outside dimensions.
Your dryer’s basic purpose is to generate hot air and tumble the laundry until it’s dry. Beyond that, there are a few other features to consider before you buy.
Most inexpensive dryers have a large dial that you turn to the desired heat setting, along with an on/off button. You’ll find digital displays on most higher-end dryers, but neither option is necessarily better.
You’ll usually find timed high-heat settings of 10, 20, 30, or 40 minutes, along with a no-heat “fluff” setting for when you need a little extra time before removing the load from the dryer.
Nearly all dryers now have moisture sensors that automatically determine the wetness of the laundry and adjust the drying time accordingly. This saves energy and reduces the wear and tear to your clothes.
The “delicate” or “permanent press” cycle is a low-heat setting for delicate fabrics.
Almost all dryers let you hinge the door to open from either the left or right side, depending on the configuration of your laundry room. There are also models hinged to open top down. While these give you a handy spot for folding clothes, they also make it a little harder to reach into the machine.
Once you move beyond the basics, you’ll find a wide range of upscale features to factor into your decision.
Clip the rack into the center of the dryer drum, and you can use it to dry tennis shoes, delicate sweaters, or any other item you don’t want tumbling around.
This handy feature releases a small burst of steam while the clothes tumble, helping to remove wrinkles and odors.
This super-high-heat setting kills bacteria in your laundry, helping to reduce the risk of illness or allergies. It’s a great feature if you wash reusable diapers, pet bedding, or a lot of clothes that have been worn for outdoor activities.
At the end of the drying cycle, the dryer slowly reverses direction, helping to unwind sheets, towels, and other large, long items that tend to twist during the drying process.
As with most other appliances, “smart” features are entering the laundry room. You can monitor and control your smart dryer from your phone, as well as monitor its energy usage. You’ll even get an alert when your clothes are dry and ready to be folded.
This cycle uses larger fans to speed up the drying process.
If you can’t remove your laundry right away, this feature periodically gives the load a tumble, helping to reduce wrinkling.
Shopping around can definitely uncover bargains, but, in general, you can expect to spend between $300 and $1,100 for an electric dryer.
At the low end of the range, from $300 to $500 you can find a bare-bones, basic dryer.
For most people, the sweet spot is in the $500 to $700 range, where you can find quality brands with dependable performance and plenty of nice features.
The most expensive models cost $700 to $1,100 or more, are energy efficient, and include all the bells and whistles.
It isn’t rocket science, true, but the following tips will help you make the most of your electric dryer.
Don’t overload the dryer. Clothing packed too tightly is going to take longer to dry and come out wrinkled.
The drum should be one-half to three-quarters full. It isn’t efficient to run your dryer for just one or two items.
Shake out your clothing before putting it in the dryer. This cuts down on wrinkles and helps clothing dry faster.
Use high heat for towels, sheets, and heavy clothing like jeans. Use the lower heat setting for your dress clothes, synthetic fabrics, and anything delicate.
Don’t add a wet item to a partially dried load. This throws off the moisture sensor.
Don’t open the dryer door until the cycle is complete. Doing so releases the hot air inside and forces your dryer to use more energy.
Remove your clothes as soon as the cycle is complete. The clothes will have fewer wrinkles.
Clean the lint trap after every use. Also, clean out the hoses and the back of the machine at least once each year, more often if you use your dryer very frequently.
A. While it looks nice and is very convenient to buy a matched washer/dryer set, it’s not absolutely necessary. Go ahead and mix and match if you like. You might have to if your old washer is still in good condition but you need a new dryer.
A. Yes, there have been dryers with Energy Star ratings since 2015. It means the dryer uses at least 20% less electricity than the energy-efficient setting in a standard dryer. You’ll pay a hefty price for these dryers, however, which may offset the energy savings.
A. Absolutely! You’ll find dryers in black, red, cream, blue, and many other trendy colors, as well as stainless steel or matte finishes. You’ll pay more for these dryers, however.
