120+ models compared
Dryers Buying Guide
Dryers are one of the most expensive appliances to run. The type of dryer you choose matters far more than the brand - heat pump, condenser, or vented each have dramatically different running costs.
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What to look for in a dryer
These are the specs that actually matter - explained without the jargon.
Types of dryer
Which style is right for your home and household?
Heat pump
Frequent users, apartments, anyone paying the power bill
Uses a refrigerant cycle to recycle hot air - like a reverse air conditioner. The most energy-efficient type we list, and not narrowly: a median 127kWh/year against 302 for vented. No external venting needed. It is also where the market has gone - 105 of the 121 models we list are heat pumps.
Condenser
Apartments without external venting
Extracts moisture from clothes into a removable water tank (or drain). No external vent required. More efficient than vented, well behind heat pump. Requires emptying the tank after each cycle unless plumbed in. A shrinking group - only 2 of the models we list.
Vented
Laundries with external wall access, budget buyers
Hot moist air is expelled via a flexible hose through an external wall or window. Cheapest to buy, highest to run - a median 302kWh/year across the 14 models we list. Needs a dedicated external vent, so it isn't an option in every home.
Related buying guides
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Answer a short set of questions and we'll narrow 120+ models down to your top 5, capped at two per brand.
Get your top 5About a dozen questions, a few minutes to complete.