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This article was kindly supplied by the Australian Consumer Association (ACA). For the full 'pay per view' version of this article which includes a compare-a-dryer engine and full details of tests carried out on over 20 different dryers, go to their website at www.choice.com.au.
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What to look for
Timer: This lets you set the length of time you want the dryer to run. A rotary dial often has more flexibility than push button controls with fixed time increments.
Automatic dryness sensor: On auto-sensing dryers, the dryer automatically switches off when a sensor detects the load has reached a preset dryness level. Some auto-sensing dryers have a manual timer as well.
Wall mountable/stackable: It saves space if a dryer can be mounted on the wall or stacked on top of a frontloading washing machine. Make sure machines come with the necessary mounting brackets.
Reverse tumbling: The drum reverses the direction of rotation at regular intervals to minimise tangling while evenly drying your clothes.
Drying rack: An external rack in front of the dryer lets you dry extra items using the warm exhaust air (this isn't possible with ducted models). An internal rack can be mounted inside some models and is useful for items that are best dried without tumbling.
Selectable temperature settings: These allow you to choose hot, warm or no heat settings when drying your clothes (a cold setting is useful for fluffing towels or drying delicates). Dryers can have all three settings or only one or two. Some auto-sensing dryers don't have manual temperature selection at all.
Ducting: A duct can be connected to the back of some models to take hot, moist air out of your laundry room – this is particularly useful if it's small or poorly ventilated. Generally dryers that vent the exhaust air at the front can't be ducted.
Overheat protection: When the temperature of the dryer goes over the preset limit, this feature cuts off the power supply to the dryer and reduces the risk of fire caused by overheating. It's a good safety feature, but if it's not resettable you'll need a service call if it trips.
Key lock/child lock: This prevents the dryer from being accidentally switched off, or the selections being altered while the dryer is running.
Crease protection: All dryers have a 'cool down' period at the end of the drying cycle, but some also let you choose a special 'no heat' cycle after drying that continues until you're ready to unload the dryer. This reduces wrinkling.
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Energy efficiency tips
A dryer is useful when it's not practical to dry your washing on the line. But if you're not in a hurry and it isn't raining, the sun is the most efficient method economically and environmentally.
If you use a dryer, try the following tips:
- Remove as much moisture as possible from your washing before you put it into the dryer. Spin garments at the highest suitable speed in the washing machine beforehand.
- Don't dry just a tea towel or a few items on their own; put a full load through at a time. But don't overload, either, as it'll take much longer to dry the load and use more energy.
- Separate clothes according to whether they're lightweight or heavy, as they'll need different drying times.
- Shake out clothes first and load them individually to maximise heat circulation.
- Avoid overdrying. Try setting the dryer for less time and check the clothes regularly.
- After each load leave the door of the dryer open to remove residual moisture. Also clean the filter each time, as lint build-up overworks the dryer and can be a fire hazard.
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