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Powerful drying performance
A good clothes dryer dries a variety of load sizes and fabric mixes very well. We score dryers based on three different types of loads: heavy cottons, including jeans and towels; a mixed load of cotton and polyester blends; and a small load of delicate synthetics.
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Sufficient capacity
Choose a dryer with enough capacity to handle your largest wash load. The more room a dryer has to circulate and heat wet clothes, the more effectively it will dry them.
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Moisture sensor
Dryers with moisture sensors detect when a load is dry so that they can turn off at the appropriate time, saving energy and preventing fabrics from overdrying. Typically, the highest-rated dryers in our ratings have a moisture sensor; the worst-performing dryers don't.
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Quiet operation
A good dryer will tumble steadily without creating a lot of noise. The loudest sound you should hear from it is the bell or buzzer that alerts you that a load is finished.
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Convenience
The best dryers are easy to load and unload, and offer ergonomic controls; an accessible, easy-to-clean lint filter; and cycles that complement those on their matching washer.
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Reliability
We survey CR members annually about the reliability of their dryers, any problems they’ve had with them, and whether they would recommend the brand they own to friends and family. For more, read our guide to the most reliable clothes dryer brands.
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Electric Dryers
Electric Dryers Ratings -
Gas Dryers
Gas Dryers Ratings -
Compact Dryers
Compact Dryers Ratings -
All-in-One Washer-Dryer Combos
All-in-One Washer-Dryer Combos Ratings
Photo: LG
Compatibility can also include the ability to stack the two machines using specialized hardware. You’re likely to save hundreds of dollars buying both machines in a package bundle deal from manufacturers or retailers.
Whether you opt for a manufacturer’s set or create your own pair, we recommend choosing your washer first. Washers offer a wider variety of features, and there are more washer models to choose from than dryer models. In our ratings, you can look at the combined performance of 75 washer-dryer pairs to see which adds up to a match made in heaven.
Energy efficiency
Green Choice dryers use on average 1.9 kilowatt-hours of energy per load (about 31 cents’ worth of electricity).
Interior materials
Clothes dryers manufactured with durable and recyclable materials, like stainless steel drums, have less impact on the environment.
Brand reliability
CR’s annual member survey reveals which brands produce clothes dryers that are most likely to last longer and require less frequent replacement and maintenance.
Shipping footprint
We calculate a clothes dryer's carbon footprint using its weight, dimensions, and country of origin, and factor that into its Green Choice score.
Price and warranty
The cost of a dryer and the length of its warranty—which you can find in our clothes dryer ratings—are also factored into its Green Choice score.
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Moisture sensor
Moisture sensors detect how damp clothes are and shut off the machine when they are dry. This saves energy and keeps clothes from overdrying. They’re more accurate than thermostats, which tend to let the dryer run longer.
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Steam cycle
Some dryers have a steam option that sprays hot, moist air into the drum, penetrating fabrics to refresh, soften, de-wrinkle, deodorize, or de-static clothes. Some steam cycles offer a deep-clean hygiene setting designed to eliminate germs and bacteria.
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Extended tumble
Can’t get to the dryer as soon as your laundry is done? The extended tumble setting reduces wrinkles by intermittently tumbling clothes for several hours.
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End-of-cycle signal
A snappy tune or string of beeps alerts you that it’s time to take your laundry out of the dryer. Leaving it there long after the cycle is over will result in more wrinkles and more time ironing. Some signals can be turned off or the volume can be lowered so that the sound won’t disturb sleepers.
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Drying rack
Some dryers offer an insertable drying rack for items like sweaters, toys, and sneakers that are better not tumbled. The rack snaps into the dryer drum, and items can be dried on top of it using a specific rack-dry cycle.
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Auto-dry cycles
No more guessing how much time is needed to dry your laundry. Instead of timed dry cycles, auto-dry cycles offer settings of “less dry” (for damp ironing) to “more dry,” as well as points in between.
