The Best Dryers of 2019
By Cindy Bailen, Jonathan Chan, and Julia MacDougall, November 16, 2018, Updated January 17, 2019Although the vast majority of washers and dryers are sold in pairs, we know that some dryers are better than others. That’s because we’ve tested hundreds of them in our labs in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Our favorite right now is the Electrolux EFME627UTT (available at AppliancesConnection for $993.00).
Dryers must do three things: remove moisture, keep temperatures low, and get your clothes ready to wear in as little time as possible. Many dryers do well in two of those three categories, but a select few excel in all three. Those are the machines that we recommend to our readers.
Sure, you could just pick the dryer that matches the washer you’re buying. But if you want to get your laundry dry without destroying your clothes or waiting hours for them to be ready, these are the best dryers right now.
(If you want to see a list of our favorite washers so that you can mix and match from both lists, check out The Best Washers.)
NOTE: This list is comprised of electric dryers, but you'll find a link to our review of each dryer's gas counterpart (where available) below. Though gas dryers tend to be more efficient, in general gas and electric versions of the same product should function and perform identically.
Updated January 17, 2019
Electrolux EFME627UTT
Electrolux EFME627UTT
The Electrolux EFME627UTT dryer is great looking, has simple controls, and is rich with cycles and options, including "Perfect Steam", which can help to relax wrinkles away. Its Quick Dry cycle completes in a mere 15 minutes. Though the Normal cycle is slow, the Heavy cycle takes only an hour. As the counterpart to the stellar Electrolux EFLS627UTT washing machine that has a spot in the detergent drawer for laundry pods, this dryer is another great addition to the Electrolux laundry family. Read the full review.
What to consider when purchasing a dryer
Whether it’s an emergency replacement, or you’re just looking to class up your laundry room, there are a few things you should consider when you go to purchase a new dryer.
Space
Before you head out to the stores, be sure you know the size constraints needed for your dryer. We’re not just talking about the width of the space you have in your laundry room for the dryer itself (although that’s definitely important); are the doorways in your home wide enough to actually allow the dryer to fit through them during delivery? Will it be able to fit in narrow/tight stair cases? Take a tape measure and check the doorway width against the dryer’s specs, and make sure you have a few inches of clearance.
Capacity
Most dryers have capacities ranging from 7.3-7.5 cu. ft., which is enough to deal with the laundry that can fit in most washing machines. However, if you have a high-capacity washing machine (5.0 cu. ft. capacity or greater), you’ll need a dryer that can keep up with the bigger laundry loads, typically one with a capacity on the order of 8.0 cu. ft. or greater. Otherwise, your dryer may struggle to dry large laundry loads in a single dryer cycle.
Price
Keep your budget constraints in mind. Dryer prices can run the gamut from $500 to $2,000 or more, but most tend to sit in the $800-$1200 range. We have recommendations for some dryers with very low prices, but you can generally find great dryers at any price point; it just takes a little bit of research, and figuring out which features and design aesthetics you can live without.
Also, if you can afford to wait until major holidays, most appliance manufacturers and retailers tend to offer steep discounts around those times of year; vigilantly searching for deals can save you hundreds of dollars.
Customization/Extra Cycles
How picky are you about your dryer cycles? Do you want to be able to set specific cycle temperatures, drying levels, and cycle duration, or would you prefer to just hit two buttons and start drying? Do you want a cycle just for denim jeans? Really consider how you do laundry on a day-to-day basis; if you prefer a straightforward drying process, you’ll probably want to buy a lower-tech dryer. Even if that extra customization seems very appealing, it may not make sense for you to buy that kind of dryer if you’re not going to actually use those extra features regularly.
Steam
Are you considering a dryer with steam? Steam is an easy and effective way to reduce wrinkles, remove stale smells, and refresh clothing. However, if the dryer you’re eyeballing has steam, be sure to find out exactly how the dryer gets the water needed to create that steam. Most dryers will require access to an additional water line, but some dryers have a drawer that you can manually add water to in order to create steam. If you don’t have another water hookup, and your dryer needs that hookup to create steam, you may pay extra for a feature you can’t actually use.
Door
Based on your laundry room configuration, which way should the dryer door open? If the opening direction doesn’t work in your laundry space, don’t worry, almost all dryer doors are reversible; all you’ll need is a screwdriver and some elbow grease. It’s such a minor thing, but if you don’t think about it beforehand, it can be frustrating when you go to use your shiny new dryer for the first time and you can’t open your dryer all the way.
How We Test
Every dryer that comes into Reviewed’s labs gets put through the same testing regime, which addresses both performance and user-friendliness.
Performance tests include:
• Drying performance – How much water does each major dryer cycle actually remove from your clothes, and how quickly can it achieve that level of dryness?
• Maximum temperature – We record the maximum temperature in each dryer cycle. Some like it hot, but if dryer temperatures get too hot, it could damage your clothes.
We wrap a temperature reader in a sock and throw it in with a dryer load to see how hot the dryer actually gets on each cycle.
The best dryers completely dry your clothes at a temperature that is hot (140°F-150°F) but not too hot (lest your clothes be scorched or damaged), and have short cycle times.
Beyond these performance tests, we also assess the usability of each dryer, based on our experience, both during testing and during more casual use (one perk of working at Reviewed is that there is plenty of laundry machines on premises!). Our main goal is to get the answer to one question: how easy is it to actually use this dryer? This involves cumulatively assessing the control panel, the door, the vent, and any smart features that are included.
By combining the performance data with our own observations, we can make the solid recommendations for someone looking for any type of dryer at any price point.
LG DLEX9000V
LG DLEX9000V
The LG DLEX9000V isn't just gorgeous—it works better than most dryers we've tested. It doesn't come cheap, but it rocks best-in-class features, including steam cycles and a massive drum. With a veritable cornucopia of wash cycle options and features, this dryer can easily deal with a variety of fabric types and items sizes—it has no trouble with big items like comforters, and gets shirts wrinkle-free. Even though it's a big investment, we say its performance justifies the cost. Read the full review.
Whirlpool WED7500GC
Where To Buy
$694.30 AppliancesConnection Buy $698.40 Home Depot Buy $699.99 Best Buy BuyWhirlpool WED7500GC
The Whirlpool WED7500GC dryer works speedily and gently to dry clothes. The intuitive touch control panel presents choices on the left for what to dry, and choices on the right for how to dry. We ran a "Normal" and "Cotton" cycle, and it almost completely dried every bit of laundry in that load in an astonishingly short 38 minutes. You can customize the drying for each load, but you don't need to be a laundry expert to get completely dry clothes from this dryer. Even if you are a laundry expert, you will still appreciate the clear, easy-to-use interface. Read the full review.
LG DLEX3570W
LG DLEX3570W
The LG DLEX3570W dryer is great at the basics, and it also has a host of useful extras that work. Yes, it gets a load of laundry 100% dry—but it also has quick cycles, and provides steam if you want it. It's affordable, too, and looks great whether you choose white or graphite. Just a heads up: the water for the steam options comes from a drawer that you manually fill with water instead of a plumbed hookup. That will save you time on dryer installation, but it may prove problematic if you input a steam cycle, and it runs out of water part of the way through the cycle. Read the full review.
Maytag Bravos XL MEDB835DW
Where To Buy
$724.00 AppliancesConnection Buy $728.00 Home Depot Buy $899.99 Best Buy BuyMaytag Bravos XL MEDB835DW
The best word to describe the Maytag Bravos XL MEDB835DW is "reasonable." It's reasonably priced and it dries clothes reasonably well. While the Rapid Dry only worked on a small laundry load, and the Bedding cycle wasn't as effective as we hoped, the Normal cycle was able to completely dry a normal laundry load in about 50 minutes. As long as you stick with the normal cycle, this 8.8-cu.-ft. capacity dryer will help you turn laundry day into laundry hour. Read the full review.
Samsung DVE54M8750V
Where To Buy
$849.20 AppliancesConnection Buy $848.70 Home Depot Buy $849.99 Best Buy BuySamsung DVE54M8750V
If you clean your clothes in a big washer, the Samsung DVE54M8750V has the room to dry it all. Our king size comforter came out 99% dry in only 46 minutes, which is among the fastest and best performing "Bedding" cycles we've seen. This dryer is really customizable—you can build your own "My Cycle", in which you can set cycle times, temperatures, and drying levels. For those of you who want fine control over each cycle, his dryer has a bevy of steam, temperature, and timing options. Read the full review.
Maytag MED5500FC
Maytag MED5500FC
The Maytag 5500 dryers are built to be part of a matched set with the company's front-load washers. It may cost about a lot less than the manufacturer's flagship model, but these dryers offers almost all the same perks. You get a broad range of cycles and features (including "Wrinkle Prevent", which allows you to add two different levels of steam) and great moisture removal—plus Maytag's great Power Dry function, which uses more heat and more time to get truly tough fabrics dry. If you wear a lot of work clothes, Power Dry is a great fit. Read the full review.
Electrolux EFME527UTT
Electrolux EFME527UTT
The Electrolux EFME527UTT dryer is great looking, easy to control, and full of cycles and options. Like the Electrolux EFME627UTT, it has "Perfect Steam", which is powered by its built-in water heater to maximize hot water temperatures for sanitizing, wrinkle removal, and odor removal. Its Quick Dry cycle finishes in a mere 18 minutes, though not every cycle is as speedy. This dryer is a worthy counterpart to the Electrolux EFLS527UTT washing machine, which has a spot in the detergent drawer for laundry pods. Read the full review.
Samsung DV42H5200EW
Samsung DV42H5200EW
The easy-to-use Samsung DV42H5200EW has a 7.5 cu.-ft. drum that can fit a lot of laundry, freeing up your time on laundry day. Plus, this dryer has Wrinkle Reduction on by default, and numerous steam cycles, including Steam Dry. That makes it possible to put your iron up on a high shelf—you won’t need it much. The trade-off is that the cycles take a long time to complete, though you can turn off the wrinkle reduction feature anytime you want. This model’s drying performance is 100% solid, the lint trap is easy to maintain, and you can experiment with 11 cycles and 12 options. Read the full review.
Maytag MEDC465HW
Where To Buy
$563.80 AppliancesConnection Buy $629.10 Home Depot Buy $629.99 Best Buy BuyMaytag MEDC465HW
The Maytag MEDC465HW dryer is a basic dryer with old-school aesthetics that gets the job done right the first time. While you may not get the frills and extra features found on some of the more expensive dryers, this Maytag's Normal cycle can get your laundry 100% dry in a mere 53 minutes. The dryer's interface, comprised of four knobs, is streamlined and easy to operate, even if you're still a laundry novice. If you want top-notch dryer performance on a budget, the Maytag MEDC465HW is for you. Read the full review.
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