Our owner satisfaction rating reflects the proportion of CR members who are extremely likely to recommend the dryer they bought to others. CR surveyed 56,562 members over a three-year span from 2022 to 2024, basing results on their experiences with 62,755 dryers purchased new between 2014 and 2024.
If you’re just beginning your search for a new dryer, our clothes dryer buying guide is a great place to start. Then consult our comprehensive dryer ratings, which incorporate our exclusive reliability and owner satisfaction scores. Use the filters to narrow your choices from the more than 150 full-sized electric and gas models and electric compact dryers that we test.
In our survey, we saw significant differences in the popularity of the three main types of dryers. Electric dryers are most common among Consumer Reports members, accounting for 73 percent of the models reported on in our surveys. Standard gas dryers make up 24 percent, and compact electric models represent 3 percent. Compact gas dryers, a tiny segment of the market, account for less than 1 percent.
Over the past five years, CR members paid a median of $736 for a standard-size electric dryer, $791 for a gas dryer, and $986 for a compact electric dryer.
Some dryer brands experienced turbulence, trending up or down for reliability and satisfaction. Most notably, Electrolux and Hotpoint electric dryers and Whirlpool and Frigidaire gas dryers saw a boost in reliability. Meanwhile, reliability ratings for gas dryers made by Kenmore dipped, as well as those for Samsung, Electrolux, and Asko electric compacts.
Quite a few brands dropped in owner satisfaction ratings, including Whirlpool and Kenmore electric dryers (down to unfavorable) and Amana and GE gas dryers (down to our lowest rating). Satisfaction with Miele compacts dipped slightly to the second-highest tier, and Electrolux’s dropped to unfavorable. Only Asko compact dryers saw an increase in satisfaction, from unfavorable to middling.
Readers with a digital access membership to CR can read on for our survey results for brands that include Amana, Asko, Bosch, Electrolux, Frigidaire, Fisher & Paykel, GE, Hotpoint, Kenmore, LG, Maytag, Miele, Samsung, Speed Queen, and Whirlpool.
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