If you have read our guide on the best washing machines, you've got half of the laundry puzzle solved. The other half is the dryer that removes the water from your clothes.
Based on dozens of hours of research, we've picked the best clothes dryers for homes small and large, and the best units that go with our top washer picks. Our top pick is the LG DLEX3570W ($989), the companion dryer to the WM3770HWA washer. This offers a great combination of drying performance with features like steam and sterilize that are genuinely useful. The best clothes dryer for those on a budget is the Whirlpool WED4815EW, which costs less than $500, but has decent performance for the price.
LG recently announced a new ThinQ clothes dryer that has a number of sensors on the inside, and uses AI to determine the type of clothes in the dryer, and adjust its cycle accordingly. The dryer will be available in the first half of this year, though pricing has not been announced.
One thing to note: We didn't recommend any combination models, which combine a washer and dryer into a single device. That's because, while these save space, they tend to be much less reliable and much less efficient than individual devices. Reliability is critical for laundry: not only do you rely on them every day, but a failure often means a flood or other home disaster.
The LG DLEX3700W is the best clothes dryer overall, as its 12 drying cycles can handle everything from a single shirt to a comforter the size of New Hampshire. It can also steam clothes to reduce wrinkles and sterilize them, which is useful for those with allergies or chemical sensitivities.
The steam feature doesn't require a permanent connection to water to work, as you just fill a pull-out container on the front of the dryer with water when you need it. You can also monitor and control this dryer remotely using the LG ThinQ app, as well as Alexa and Google Assistant. This dryer is available as a gas- or electric-powered model.
The Maytag MEDC465HW is the best clothes dryer for those on a budget. If you shop around, you can pick up this no-frills model for less than $500, about half the price of some of our other picks.
Only available in white with dial controls and without a window in the door, this basic dryer offers good performance but won’t dress up your laundry room. However, it does have a sensor to monitor air and moisture temperatures for thorough drying and a Wrinkle Control option to keep clothes tumbling after they’ve dried so that wrinkles don’t set in. Plus, it has 12 cycles and a choice of four heat levels. But at this price there’s no steam, no sterilize, no apps, and no little tunes to let you know when things are done. Reviewers did find that it ran a little hot, though, which might be an issue with delicate fabrics.
The Electrolux EFME627UTT is the companion dryer to the Electrolux EFLS627UTT, our top pick for washing machines. The EFME627UTT is the best clothes dryer for those looking for an effective steam cycle that can remove wrinkles.
Most reviewers praised the dryer's performance, saying that it efficiently dried even large loads. However, others found that it took longer to dry than other similarly priced models, and criticized the lack of any smart-home features. We think, however, that most users are more concerned about performance than speed, and this model has performance to spare.
If you are in need of speed, there is a 15-minute quick-dry cycle that can quickly tumble-dry a small load. Reviewers also praised the double-lint filter that is less likely to get blocked, which can affect performance and pose a fire risk.
The controls of this dryer are simple: select the cycle, push in the control dial and it counts down the minutes until your clothes are ready in the small display. One thing that is missing, though: a laundry rack for drying pillows or other bulky items. This costs an additional $200, which is rather steep. It also lacks smart home controls of any kind.
The Kenmore 69133 is one of the best clothes dryers for those who have to deal with huge loads. It has a huge 8.8 cu. ft. drum that can hold large items like comforters or blankets comfortably. And it has simple, clear controls that make it easy to use.
There are a few gotchas here, though. The controls are on the back of the top of the machine, so you can't stack it above a washing machine. It’s also big: at 43 inches high and just over 32 inches deep, it takes up a lot of space and might not fit into a smaller laundry room. It is also a slightly older model that has been around since 2015, so it doesn't have smart-home features: there are no apps to monitor the load and tell you when it is done. But the upside of this is that it is a pretty cheap dryer that offers a lot of performance for the price.
The Maytag MEDB835DW makes our list of the best clothes dryers as it has a large 8.8-cubic foot drum, and includes a number of features for less than $900. Drying cycles include a sterilize cycle and a 15-minute cycle for drying a very small load. The sterilize cycle doesn't use steam, though: instead it ups the temperature to zap any bugs in the wash.
Reviewers found that the MEDB835DW performed well, managing to dry small and large loads with equal skill in its large drum. Many cheap dryers can't manage larger loads like this, as they involve a lot of tumbling to allow the warm air to circulate, but this one wasn't fazed. That's a critical plus for those with small children or elderly relatives.
The GE GTD65EBSJWS is another one of the best clothes dryers you can get for less than $600. It doesn't offer the steam features of more expensive models, but it does include a high-temperature-sterilize-drying cycle.
One thing that reviewers did note is that this model has a tendency to leave clothes slightly damp. This seems to be a deliberate decision, with the designers preferring to underdry rather than damage clothes by drying for too long.
The LG DLEX9000V is the best clothes dryer for large families, due mainly to its cavernous 9 cu. ft. drum that can comfortably fit the largest comforters and several sheets.
This huge drum combined with 14 dryer cycles makes it an incredibly flexible dryer that can handle small or very large loads with equal ability. These include two steam cycles: a 10-minute wrinkle remover, and a steam sterilizer cycle.
The DLEX900V is the companion clothes dryer for the LG WM9000HVA, the best washer for large families.
This is also one of the few dryers out there that includes smart-home features: download the LG SmartThinQ app and you can monitor and control both this and the WM9000HVA washer from your smartphone. You can even create your own custom cycles and download them to the washer and dryer. This isn't hassle free, though: some reviewers found that the app was a little frustrating to use.
Looking for a clothes dryer that is smarter than average? The Samsung DVE54M8750V is the best clothes dryer with smart home controls. Like most of Samsung's appliances, is as much at home being controlled by the SmartThings app as by its large, easy-to-use control panel. This app lets you monitor the drying process, seeing how long the cycle has to run and pinging you when the clothes are dry. The same app can also control and monitor the Samsung WA8750, the companion washer, so you can keep an eye on the whole washing process. Unfortunately, there isn't an app to move the clothes from the washer to the dryer for you: perhaps the next generation.
