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Of all household appliances, clothes dryers use the most energy (only air conditioners or electric heating, while your water heater uses more), so it is worth looking for an efficient model and using it wisely. Therefore, even if you have a dryer, it is worth air-drying as much as possible. For 40 to 50 cents each time, depending on your electricity bill, you will save money and your clothes can be worn longer because the dryer is very hard on the fabric. You can use this calculator to accurately calculate the cost of your current model or the model you are interested in buying. 

Of course, nothing is more energy efficient than air drying. Especially if you live in a sunny place with warm temperatures, the economic savings in purchase and use costs are definitely worth it to avoid buying a clothes dryer and drying your clothes on a clothesline or hanger. However, not everyone has the space or weather to dry. 

We surveyed the market to find the most energy-efficient electric clothes dryers:

This dryer has been highly rated for durability, efficiency and quietness-the price is almost half the price of other similar LG dryers, and it has more features. However, it does not seem like a budget option because it has everything a dryer needs, including a humidity sensor to prevent over-drying, and an extended tumble dryer to minimize wrinkles.

It can handle larger loads with special cycle options, so it will provide you with greater flexibility than you would expect from machines with large but not very large rollers. The smaller size means that it can fit into more space (such as an upstairs closet or a smaller utility room). It is ventilated and stackable, but not compatible with WiFi.

Related: The best efficient washing machine

A washer/dryer combination is not for everyone-you have high demands on one piece of equipment. Because washing and drying are carried out in one unit, this is a rather long process (how long depends on the items to be washed and the cycle selected). However, if you decide to have only one machine that can wash and dry clothes from start to finish, this LG model provides the convenience of putting dirty clothes in before going to work and cleaning things home after get off work.

The device has a medium-sized drum, which is equivalent to a non-combined device for washing, and can be set to dry without vents. This means that renters and people in the apartment can use this dryer without changing the walls. Because it is a combined unit, this is not an Energy Star rating, but a CEE Tier 1 rating, which is the same standard as Energy Star.

There are many matching or paired washing machines and dryers available-but be careful, some are designed to match when placed side by side. If you need or want to stack these units, you need to design them to stack vertically. The dryer is Energy Star certified and can be stacked on top of another GE washing machine (check size). You need to order a separate stacking kit.

The clothes dryer here has a humidity sensor and 10 settings (including steam settings to kill bacteria or shrink clothes), and a spacious drum suitable for the contents of the washing machine. The door is reversible (from left to right), has greater flexibility in a small space, and has a variety of ventilation configurations. It is also compatible with smart devices such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

This is a small dryer that can be put away when not in use. It can dry a few pairs of jeans, five T-shirts or a large bed sheet in about an hour. If you have a small portable washing machine, this may be a good partner for it. It weighs just over 40 pounds.

It plugs into an ordinary 110-volt wall socket. If you want to install a vent, or just smell the dried clothes inside, you can ventilate it through the window. It does generate some heat, so this is a consideration. If needed, you can also purchase a separate lint trap. It can be stacked on the Panda portable washing machine or installed on the wall. It works well and is perfect for campers or small apartments.

Due to its ultra-efficient heat pump and air recycling, this dryer was selected as the most efficient energy star in 2020. It is small and has no vents, so it is a great choice for tight spaces such as closets and apartments. The compact size of this machine with a width of only 24 inches means that the drum is only 4.2 cubic meters, about half the size of a large-capacity dryer.

However, it includes all the functions of a large machine, with a humidity sensor and 12 preset cycles. This dryer also has an internal light inside the drum, a reversible door option, and an app to help you troubleshoot any problems. It is not compatible with WiFi, but you can program a custom drying cycle to maximize drying efficiency.

If you live on the road, have an RV, or even a vacation space that can’t even fit in a portable device, a travel wardrobe or hanger is a super energy-efficient way to dry your clothes. If you only have a few pieces of clothing per week, or you can hang them outside but need to be spared, it can also be used instead of a full-size machine to dry lighter items or many delicate items. There are several different sizes and configurations to choose from, but this one can hold regular clothes and dry them in a few hours.

You may be surprised by its effect, and because it does not tumble clothes, it is easy to stain fabrics. This portable clothes dryer can be pulled out of a closet or car trunk, put away again after use, or kept standing. The device did not receive an Energy Star rating because it is not a real electrical appliance, but consumes very little power. You can use it with a foot-operated washing machine and have a very low-impact laundry cleaning system.

This is the most expensive dryer on the list, but it offers something that other dryers don’t: a separate drying tray that speeds up the wearable time of items that lie flat until they are dry. For example, a cotton sweater that may take a day or more to dry in ordinary household air using this function will dry in 1 hour, which is also useful for delicate items, accessories, sports shoes, and even stuffed animals.

The main dryer section of the device has solid markings for drying everything else because it has a humidity sensor and steam options for removing bacteria, wrinkles and static electricity. It even has a sensor, if the vent of the dryer is blocked, it will go out-to keep the equipment working most efficiently. It not only has an Energy Star rating, but also aims to reduce energy consumption. It also runs quietly.

Look for dryers with Energy Star certification and humidity sensors. When drying is turned off, they should automatically turn off the machine to reduce excess drying time. 

Be sure to measure the space where the dryer is placed, including the space where the door of the machine is open. You should also measure any narrow corridors or doorways that might hinder delivery.

If you wash and dry frequently and need to dry larger items, look for a drum with a larger capacity-this size will ensure that even when loading larger laundry items, the clothes will have enough space to roll over, while the smaller ones The clothes will dry quickly. However, if you only do a few smaller loads per week, consider whether compact or even portable machines can meet your needs. 

If your dryer already has a vent and keep it ventilated, you will have more options. If you don't do this, there is no vent dryer option, it will condense moisture, and then need to remove the moisture, this is a simple process, can also be sent to the drain. 

You may need a special plug for an electric clothes dryer, but if you already have a clothes dryer in your laundry room or basement, you will most likely be able to use the same plug that is already there. 

Natural gas is a nice name for methane, which is a powerful greenhouse gas. If we want to prevent catastrophic climate change, we need to get rid of fossil fuels as soon as possible. Therefore, this is an important reason for choosing an electric dryer instead of a gas dryer. 

We only included electric clothes dryers in this list, as these are the majority of clothes dryers that have been sold. No major company manufactures compact gas dryers, they only offer full size. Gas dryers usually dry faster, but with the new features and sensors of the latest generation of electric dryers, this gap is narrowing. A new compact, non-ventilated electric clothes dryer can now dry a stack of towels in about 90 minutes.

You can increase efficiency by choosing the correct settings and heating level for the clothes you are drying. Make sure the spin cycle of the washing machine is also effective-the more water in the clothes, the longer they will dry in the dryer. If you use a fine loop or hand wash, it may be worth doing an extra spinning loop on your clothes (as long as they are not too fragile) to get more water out of them, or for very delicate clothes, roll them into the towel Neutralize and squeeze to remove moisture. You can reduce electricity costs and resource usage by pulling out lightweight cotton cloth, especially polyester clothes (such as leggings or other sportswear) and hanging them on a drying rack or wherever there is space. If you pull out one-third to half of your clothes for air-drying while tumbling the rest of the thicker clothes, it will take less time to dry and consume less energy. In addition, if you take out some items and hang them to dry, you can combine the two washings into one drying. 

Finally, if some items in the dryer are damp when they are taken out of the dryer, hang them in the closet to dry instead of drying the whole item again; those towels or sweatshirts will be coming soon; They do not need a complete dry cycle to complete. If you don't want to spend time hanging them or need them immediately, set the dryer to a short cycle and then take out the rest of the dry clothes. This will also help your clothes to be more durable. Tumble drying is difficult for clothes (all the lint is your clothes and the linen slowly degrades).

If you use a ventilator, remember that everything you use in the dryer (such as scented drying sheets) will affect the quality of outdoor air, whether it is your own backyard or the air in your shared neighborhood.

Drying boards usually contain volatile organic compounds, acetone and artificial fragrances, which are known to cause respiratory problems and exacerbate asthma. The coating left by the dryer paper can clog the dryer, especially the humidity sensor, reducing its efficiency. The polyester paper left over when using dry paper can not be recycled, resulting in waste.

Consider using reusable lavender sachets or a few drops of essential oil on reusable fabrics to reduce waste and pollution-free clothing fragrance.

We researched many dryers to determine the most effective option on the market. All tumble dryers on this list are electric, have humidity sensors to reduce excess drying time, and are Energy Star certified, unless otherwise stated (portable and travel machines).

The author Starre Vartan has been an environmental and science journalist for more than 15 years. She founded an award-winning ecological website and wrote a book on green living.

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