High and dry: Clothes dryer considerations

The biggest choice consumers face when choosing a clothes dryer? Gas or electric. While gas clothes dryers retail for $50 to $100 more, experts say these appliances are usually cheaper to run over time. Additionally, unlike washing machines, which have the ability to earn an Energy Star rating if they meet certain energy-saving criteria, current clothes dryers do not have this certification. According to experts, all dryers use roughly the same amount of energy. Since newer appliances are not necessarily more energy efficient than older models, experts recommend keeping the same dryer until the end of its useful life -- about 12 years.

That's not to say that there aren't things you can do to save energy. Experts say you can reduce usage and drying time by drying similar fabrics together and drying multiple loads in quick succession to take advantage of residual heat. They also suggest buying a washer with a high spin speed, which will extract more water out of laundry and lessen drying time. Want to learn more? Check out our freshly-updated report on clothes dryers.