Which tumble dryer brand is the most reliable?

We investigated the performance and reliability of some of the most popular tumble dryer brands including Beko, Bosch, Hotpoint and Miele.  

In our unique large appliance survey, we asked more than 3,000 Which? members and members of the public if they’re happy with their tumble dryer and if they’ve experienced problems, so you can see which brands are worth the money. 

In the market for a new tumble dryer now? Find the right model for you with our guide to the best tumble dryers

Which tumble dryer brands develop the fewest faults?

This table summarises what we discovered about how quickly tumble dryer brands develop faults or break down, based on tumble dryers bought in the past seven years.

Tumble dryer brands differ when it comes to the chances of an appliance developing faults – and you may be surprised to see where popular brands Candy, Hoover and Indesit are placed. 

Which? members can log in to view which tumble dryer brands are the most and least reliable, and which our members are most satisfied with. If you're not yet a member, join Which? to get instant access.

Which tumble dryer brands do owners recommend?

As well as faults, our survey also revealed which tumble dryer brands owners feel happy with, and would recommend to a friend.

These results are shown as a customer score for each brand, and are based on tumble dryers bought in the past seven years.

Which? members can log in to view which tumble dryer brands last the longest before they need to be replaced. If you're not yet a member, join Which? to get instant access.

The three most common tumble dryer faults

Looking after your tumble dryer, keeping it clean and not overfilling it with clothes could help your machine live a fault-free life. However, unforeseen problems can occur. 

Our survey of more than 3,000 tumble dryer owners also revealed the three most common tumble dryer faults.

1. Broke down for no obvious reason (13% of all faults)

If your tumble dryer stops working for no apparent reason, you might assume it needs replacing. But it's worth checking whether it can actually be repaired, either with your manufacturer (if it's still under warranty) or a technician. 

If you do decide to try and assess the issue yourself, make sure it's switched off at the wall first. It could be something as simple as the door isn't closing properly or a problem with the power plug, but it could be something more complicated like an issue with the motor, which isn't something you can repair at home.  

2. Sensor problems or poor clothes drying (8%)

If there's an issue with the humidity sensors inside a tumble dryer not doing their job properly, you might find your clothes are still damp – or overly dry – when the buzzer sounds.

Humidity sensors end the program when they detect the clothes are dry. But with clothes made of different fabrics and weights drying at different speeds, a mixed load of cottons and synthetics can sometimes fool the machine into thinking everything is dry, stopping the program.

You can help resolve this by separating fabric types and not overfilling the drum. Splitting cottons and synthetics will give you the most effective results, but we know this isn't always realistic – the best dryers will be adept at drying mixed loads well.

Try drying big and heavy items such as towels and blankets separately, too. That way, the smaller and lighter items get a better chance of drying properly. And when drying bed linen, try buttoning up the duvet cover to stop other laundry becoming trapped inside.

Also, wipe down the insides of the drum on a monthly basis to keep the sensors clean.

3. Drum problems (8%)

More than one in 10 of the faults experienced by our tumble dryer survey respondents was some kind of problem with the drum. 

One way to help avoid drum problems is to never overfill the machine, as this can affect how the drum rotates and how clothes tumble around. By making sure that there's plenty of room inside for the clothes to tumble, you can protect the drum while also giving your clothes the best chance of drying.

To check if your drum is the problem, spin it slowly by hand to see if it moves freely without any noise. If it makes an unusual sound or feels like it's struggling to turn, it's time to investigate further.

Read our tumble dryer tips and maintenance advice guide to get the best out of your dryer

How easy is it to repair a tumble dryer?

When we surveyed tumble dryer owners about faults, the most commonly reported issues had to do with the humidity sensors (clothes being left damp or overly dry), sensor problems, issues with the drum, the filter or the condenser being blocked, and heater failure.

There are measures you can take to avoid damaging the drum and to keep sensors clean, and doing so should reduce your chances of experiencing problems. But if the drum isn't rotating properly or the sensors simply aren't working, you'll need to call in a professional.

The drum problem could be down to a worn bearing at the back. Many tumble dryers can be quickly disassembled and bearings can be replaced easily by a professional.

When it comes to a blocked filter or a clogged-up condenser, both can also be easily resolved, but they shouldn't be problems in the first place.

It's a good idea to clean a dryer's lint filter after every load, as this helps the dryer move air around more efficiently and should lead to quicker, cheaper and more effective drying. Removing the fluff and hair that builds up in a lint filter is also a useful safety measure to get into the habit of doing and it only takes a few seconds.

Removing fluff from the condenser unit is also an easy job to do and one to carry out monthly to help air flow around the dryer efficiently.

For more showstopping faults, such as a broken heater or a fried circuit board, which aren't easily fixable, you'll need professional help. 

Search Which? Trusted Traders to find a reliable appliance repair service near you:

Which tumble dryer brands offer the best guarantees?

Most tumble dryer brands offer product guarantees of one year as standard, but there are a handful of brands that offer longer cover, including:

• Bosch tumble dryers and all Bosch appliances come with two-year warranties as standard.
• John Lewis tumble dryers come with a three-year warranty. If you buy another brand of dryer from John Lewis, it will come with a two-year warranty.
• Miele tumble dryer come with a two-year warranty, with five and 10-year warranties provided by Miele for other certain products.

Faulty tumble dryer? Find out how to get a refund, repair or a replacement

How we discover the most reliable brands 

Which? has a wealth of information on the UK's favourite appliance brands. Every year we ask Which? members to tell us about the home appliances they own – from how likely they would be to recommend a brand, to how reliable the products are once they get them home.

This year 4,514 Which? Connect Panel members and 5,375 members of the public told us about more than 33,000 individual products, from washing machines to fridge freezers and vacuum cleaners. We calculate each brand's customer score, fault rate and reliability rating using the results of our annual survey. 

Our surveys, combined with our extensive lab tests, mean we can recommend the best home appliances, including tumble dryers, so that you can avoid buying a dud. 

For more on what it takes to earn a Best Buy recommendation, read how we test tumble dryers