Compare the Best Tumble DryersApril 2020

Tumble dryers take damp, clean clothes and rotate them in a heated drum, removing the moisture from the clothes to dry them quickly and effectively. There are two main types of dryers - condenser and vented. Here are the main advantages and differences between them:

Condenser Tumble Dryers

These dryers work by taking the moisture from the damp clothes and storing it in a water trap, which must be emptied after every couple of cycles. These dryers have no need for hoses or vents to remove the moisture, and so are more suitable for smaller apartments, or places where setting up an outside vent would be troublesome. However the tradeoff is a need to empty the water trap frequently, otherwise you may find the dryer not working as effectively.

Vented Tumble Dryers

These tumble dryers work by separating the moisture from the damp clothes, then venting the damp air outside via a hose. The venting means that there is no need to empty water traps after every cycle, making it simpler to use. However the dryer may require specialist installation, especially if the vent needs to be placed through an exterior wall.

Sensor Drying

Some more advanced models of tumble dryer will have a moisture sensor installed. This sensor detects the dampness of the clothes, and automatically adjusts the cycle to give just enough time for the clothes to be completely dried. This saves both time and money, since the dryer will automatically stop once the clothes are dry.

Capacity

The capacity of the drum in your tumble dryer will determine how many clothes you can fit in a single cycle. Drum capacity is measured in Kg, with a single Kg being equivalent to a single outfit. Bigger dryers have bigger capacities, which may be necessary for families - single people and couples may find it far cheaper and more energy efficient to buy a smaller dryer.

Programs

Most models of tumble dryer contain several different programs for clothing of different material, as well as different temperatures and spin levels for more delicate pieces of clothing. While not all of these programs may be necessary, more programs is generally a good sign of a higher-end and more capable tumble dryer.

Many dryers also contain an anti-crease setting - this causes the the drum to rotate unheated at the end of cycles, in order to minimise wrinkling on laundry. This setting is extremely helpful if you plan on leaving laundry tumbling while you go out, or overnight. If left unmoved, your cleaned laundry will develop unsightly creases, as the clothing is all jumbled up and folded at strange angles from the spin drying. However periodically rotating the drum causes the laundry to shift anew, stopping creases developing.

Tumbler Prices

Laundry dryers range in price from $375 to $3,999 and in total we found prices for 16 laundry dryers. On average, a new tumble dryer costs $1,107 and 80% of laundry dryers are priced between $449 and $1,679. The Samsung DV5000 is the cheapest tumbler at only $375, and Bosch WTG86401 is the most expensive at $3,999.

Tumble Dryer Brands - Price Range

The highest average tumbler price out of all brands is Bosch laundry dryers with an average price of $2,874. Bosch laundry dryers range in price from $1,749 to $3,999.

The second highest average tumbler price out of all brands is Asko laundry dryers with an average price of $1,330. Asko laundry dryers start at $1,330 and their most expensive tumbler costs $1,330.

The third highest average tumbler price out of all brands is LG tumble dryers with an average price of $1,157. LG tumble dryers range in price from $867 to $1,679.

Tumbler Brands - Average Ratings

We have checked 31 expert reviews and 18,142 user reviews for tumble dryers and used this information to evaluate the average rating for each brand of tumble dryer. Bosch is the top rated tumble dryer brand with an average rating of 87%. Beko is the second best brand with 86% and AEG is the third best brand with 84%.

Biggest Tumbler Retailers

The biggest tumbler retailer by number of products currently for sale is eBay. We found 3 current tumbler offers from eBay.

When Are Most New Laundry Dryers Released?

Most new laundry dryers tend to be released between November and January. That means that most of the latest tumbler technology was released in within the last 3 months, and now is good time to buy. Six new laundry dryers were released in January 2019 making it the biggest month that year for new tumble dryer releases. In 2018 most new tumble dryers were released in April, with 47 new tumble dryers released that month. The biggest month in 2017 for new tumbler releases was November, with 58 new tumble dryers released that month.

How Fast Do Tumble Dryer Prices Drop After Release?

On average laundry dryers drop in price by 6% in the first 6 months after release.

That means that on a typical tumble dryer costing $1,107 you could save on average $66 by waiting 6 months before buying.

Drum Capacities

The drum volume denotes the capacity of the dryer, measures in kilograms.

Across the range of tumble dryers, the drum capacities range from 2.5kg to 20kg. The drum capacities of the majority of laundry dryers range from 7.5kg to 8.5kg. The Samsung DVE50M7450W, which currently retails for $549.00, has the biggest drum capacity and is a 20kg capacity tumble dryer. The tumbler with the smallest drum capacity is the Bosch WTG86402UC, which is a 7.7kg capacity tumbler and can be purchased for $1,748.75.

Drying Systems

The drying system shows the technology used by the tumbler to dry clothes. Different systems have both positives and negatives.

We found 455 tumble dryers that are heat pump laundry dryers, which makes this the most popular drying system amongst new tumble dryers. We found 411 tumble dryers that are condenser laundry dryers, making condenser the second most frequently found drying system amongst new tumble dryers.

Noise Levels

'Noise Level' denotes how much noise the dryer makes when it's running, measures in decibels (dB).

Across the range of laundry dryers, the noise levels range from 40dB to 75dB. The noise levels of most laundry dryers range from 65dB to 67dB. The tumble dryer with the loudest noise level is the Whirlpool 3LWED4705FW, which is a 70dB noise level tumbler and can be purchased for $899.95. The tumble dryer with the quietest noise level is the Samsung DVE52M7750V, which is a 40dB noise level tumble dryer and is priced at $449.00.

Which Are the Cheapest Retailers for Laundry Dryers?

The chart below helps you decide which retailer is normally cheapest for buying tumble dryers. For each retailer it shows the total number of tumble dryers where they currently have a market leading price. The chart below helps you decide which retailer is normally cheapest for buying tumble dryers. For each retailer we took all of their prices and looked at what proportion of those prices where the cheapest on the market. The cheapest retailer that we found was eBay. 2 of their tumble dryer prices were the cheapest that could be found anywhere.

Proportion of Laundry Dryers for Which Each Retailer is Cheapest?

Assessing how cheap each retailer is for laundry dryers by counting the number of cheapest prices for that retailer, makes the retailers that offer the greatest number of tumbler prices more likely to offer the greatest number of cheapest prices. The chart below considers the proportion of each retailer's tumbler prices that are the cheapest compared to other retailers.