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Tumble dryers

With advice on what to look for when buying a tumble dryer and how to choose an energy-efficient tumble dryer, you can use the extensive knowledge of the Which? tumble dryer experts to compare tumble dryers and be sure you get the best tumble dryer for your home and family.

We help you buy the best tumble dryer

Tumble dryers come in many different types and sizes, and have many different features, so it can be difficult to decide which tumble dryer suits your needs best. Watch the Which? tumble dryer buying guide video for tips that will help you choose the right tumble dryer.

Which? video guide to buying the best tumble dryer

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Not sure whether a vented or condenser tumble dryer is best? Confused about whether to go for a sensor or a timer tumble dryer? In this video guide, Which? tumble dryer experts help you make these decisions, and offer more advice on gas tumble dryers, tumble dryer energy efficiency, dryer capacity and more.

Choosing the best tumble dryer for you and your family

Types of tumble dryers

When choosing a tumble dryer, you need to decide what type will best suit your home. Will a condenser dryer be better than a vented tumble dryer? Should you consider a gas tumble dryer? You also need to consider the size of tumble dryer you need – there are some compact models available for those who have only a small amount of space, and regular-sized tumble dryers come in a range of capacities, from 6kg to 10kg.

Our experts have examined the pros and cons of each type of tumble dryer to help make your choice easier.

What to look for when choosing a tumble dryer

Start by deciding whether you want a sensor tumble dryer – which detects how much moisture remains in your washing and stops the drying automatically when it's dry – or a timer tumble dryer, where you decide how long drying will take.

Other key tumble dryer features to consider include delayed start options, time-remaining displays and end-of-program buzzers.

Energy-efficient tumble dryers

Tumble dryers aren't usually associated with energy efficiency, but there are significant differences in energy consumption and running costs between tumble dryer models. An A-rated tumble dryer costs around £67 a year less to run than a C-rated tumble dryer, so this is an important consideration if you want to save money and reduce your environmental impact.

Which? can help you choose an energy efficient tumble dryer model, or get more out of your current dryer by running it more efficiently – watch our video guide to energy-efficient tumble drying and find out how you can save energy and money. You can also look out for tumble dryers with our energy saver logo and choose the most energy efficient new models using our energy costs calculator.

The most reliable tumble dryer brands, and which dryers you should avoid

The Which? tumble dryer reliability survey covers leading brands including Bosch, Creda, Hotpoint, White Knight, AEG, Indesit, Miele, Hoover and Zanussi, and shows that tumble dryers are generally an appliance that you can rely on – but one below average brand doesn't do as well as the rest.

Though most tumble dryers are reliable, the Which? tests have found that some models just don't cut it – these are the tumble dryers we class as Which? Don't Buys.

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Which? tests more thoroughly than any other organisation

Which? puts each tumble dryer through a range of rigorous tests, so you can be sure Which? Best Buys dry swiftly and evenly, and use less energy than the average dryer.

We conduct 215 tumble dryer convenience checks

When Which? tests tumble dryers, we weigh clothes to see how much water they contain before and after the drying program to see how dry they are. Noise is rated, including how much sound the falling clothes make. And to see how convenient the dryers are, we conduct 215 convenience checks.