Clothes Dryers

Consumer Reports' editors say that there are fewer performance differences among dryers than among washers. The editors recommend choosing a dryer with a moisture sensor instead of a thermostat. The editors… also recommend gas dryers. Although gas dryers cost about $50 more than electric models, they tend to cost less to operate in the long run. The site's latest update includes about 40 clothes dryers and though some are discontinued, similar models are suggested.

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Over 3,600 people participated in this survey about major home appliances. Dryer brands are rated in six categories: performance, price, features, ease of use, style/feel and warranty. Samsung is the top… choice in overall satisfaction. Other well-liked brands are LG, in second place, and Kenmore Elite in third place. Roper dryers earn the lowest ratings. This survey is interesting for gauging general brand reliability, but it doesn't cover any specific models.

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The Home Depot is another retailer that allows users to post reviews of clothes dryers. To get the full picture for a particular clothes dryer, you'll need to check both the main HomeDepot.com website and… the review site at Reviews.HomeDepot.com, because sometimes the reviews are different. Most dryers get only one or two reviews, but the GE DHDSR46GGWW gets more than five, with an overall rating of 4.7 out of five stars. Most reviewers are happy with their dryers, although one had trouble with the venting because of the design of the dryer's back cabinet.

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Epinions.com is an independent user-review site that lets owners comment on dryers they own. Though reports here are often more detailed than those at retailer sites, most dryers aren't rated at all.… Discontinued models are also shown here, making it more difficult to browse. Still, Epinions.com is worth a visit once your choices are narrowed down. The LG DLE0442, LG DLE5955 and Whirlpool WED8300SW get better reviews than most clothes dryers here.

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Lowe's lets readers post ratings of products and they have recently added a user-comment section. Unfortunately, there's no way to see if a dryer has been rated without clicking through to the product, and… most had not been at the time of our last visit. Still, lots of dryers (nearly 250) are listed here, so it's worth a visit to see if one you are considering is among the lucky ones with some feedback.

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Mariette Mifflin is the About.com guide to housewares and appliances. She reviews a handful of dryers, though most are now discontinued. Many ratings are based on actual usage, but others seem to be drawn… largely from manufacturer literature. The better reviews do have some credibility and approach things from a typical consumer's point of view, but the site is most valuable as a general resource about dryers and other laundry-room appliances. Note that ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.

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