Dryer Operation :
How can you make sure that all of your clothes, from your Saturday party outfits to your Sunday best, look great? The right settings will help all kinds of garments keep the just-from-the-store appearance and give you the right amounts of power and finesse. Moisture sensors prove invaluable at alerting the dryer that the load is thoroughly dried, thus preventing damage and shrinking. Wrinkle Guard technology gives you a cleaned and pressed look without requiring a great deal of fuss.
Automatic Moisture Sensing (AMS)
Dryers equipped with moisture sensing strips can sense the dryness level of the clothing from wet to damp to bone dry. Most models will also allow you to select which dryness level you would like each load to be. If you need to pull out a piece of clothing you do not want to be overdried, set the dryness level to its "damp" setting. Once you have pulled out that one garment, set the dryness level to "normal" to finish the rest of the load. Using cycles equipped with AMS takes the guesswork out of drying clothes and protects your fabrics for longer wear.
Door Type / Swing
Dryers come in many sizes and have different types of doors and openings in which you load the dryer. Each door type comes in different sizes, and again, bigger is always better when it comes to loading and unloading your clothes.
Side swing doors swing out of the way, so you can get close to the dryer opening while being right in front of the washer. Some models allow you to reverse the door to swing to the opposite side, but not all do, so consider which side your washer is on and if the door will be a problem.
Drop down or hamper door styles drop down and act as a shelf for clothing to be caught if dropped when being transferred from the dryer. The door can also be used for folding clothing while the dryer is being unloaded.
Drum Material
The drum material on a dryer is typically a special painting or powder paint process. Because there is no water in a dryer, the material does not need to be as rust resistant as the washer. Some dryers do offer stainless steel, but it is normally surrounded by other painted parts.
Dry Damp Signal
If getting your jeans or other garments out early is important to you, consider a model that has a Damp Dry signal. This signal alerts you when the contents of the dryer have reached a "damp" level of dryness, freeing you up for more important things.
Lighted Drums
For dryers in a dimly lit area or a dark basement, go with a model that features an interior light. Interior drum lighting illuminates the entire drum, supplies you with easier loading and unloading, and helps you see small pieces of clothing, such as socks, anywhere inside the dryer.
Lint Trap
Lint traps filter lint and debris to keep it from sticking to your clothing. Some models feature sensors that alert you when the filter is blocked. Filters should be checked regularly to prevent the risk of fire. The lint screen will either be located on top of the dryer or inside the door of the dryer. This is again one of the choices that is strictly up to you, and will not impact drying. If the screen is located in the door, it is right in front of you as a reminder when loading or unloading clothing and frees up the top of your dryer for other items. The lint screen on the top allows cleaning without bending.
Settings / Systems
When you select the right setting for your clothes, you've given them the best chance for an increased lifespan. Why, you just might prolong their use so much that they go out of style and then back in before you have to replace them! Let the detailed settings help you find the heat level that is right for any piece in your collection.
- The Normal cycle is designed for everyday items that can stand the rigors of standard drying without showing any harm or damage
- Permanent Press / Casual is designed for permanent press and wrinkle-free garments by helping reduce wrinkles with a cool down cycle
- Delicates / Knits supplies a mild heat that lets you confidently care for items with specific needs
- SmartHeat monitors the temperature of the dryer based on the type of clothing being dried
- EvenHeat features automatic temperature control that eliminates hot spots and cool patches
- SoftHeat reduces heat at the end of a cycle, so clothing gets dry but not dried out
- Damp Dry is a shortened cycle that leaves items slightly damp for immediate ironing
Top Material
A feature that may be of interest to you if you like to use your dryer as a worksurface for other tasks is a porcelain top. Porcelain is a coating that is put on the top, similar to some wash baskets, that is as strong as steel but as smooth as glass. This protection keeps your dryer looking as good as new for a lifetime of use, without scratches.
Tumble-Free Drying Racks
Some dryers come with tumble-free dryer racks which can be used for those items that you might normally have to hang dry. If you like to wash your tennis shoes, hats, sweaters and other items which require non-tumble drying, you will want to have a dryer rack to save you the time it takes to have these special items dry by being left out all around your house.
Some brands of dryers come with a special type of non-tumble dryer rack called a heated dryer rack. The heated dryer rack directs the airflow toward and through the item. By pulling the air through the item, the heated dryer rack can dry an item three times as fast as the normal dryer racks.
Wrinkle Guard
If you do not like ironing your clothes to get the wrinkles out, consider the Wrinkle Guard feature. It periodically or continuously (depending on model) works at the end of the cycle while alerting you that the cycle is done. This will continue for up to two and half hours on certain models, giving you the freedom to come back when it is convenient for you.
Dryer Type :
What do you need to know about selecting the best dryer? Gas models will have a premium in cost over their electric equivalent, but in some cases will repay this cost in lower utility bills. Full-size and space-saving models are both available, allowing consumers of all needs to arrive at clothing that is warm, fresh, bright and comfortable. Let your clothes feel the heat while you stay calm, cool, collected and clean.
Capacity
Capacity is very important when considering a dryer -- the more you are able to dry in a single load, the less time and money you will spend doing your laundry. Larger capacity provides more room for clothes to open up and move around inside the drum and often results in less wrinkling. Typical dryer capacity ranges from approximately 3.4 cubic feet (for a compact model) to up to 7.5 cubic feet (for a king size capacity model). Try to plan around the needs and size of your family before you purchase, to ensure that you will have the proper size for years to come. Larger capacity models allow you to conveniently dry large amounts of clothing without having to shuttle specific items in and out, as well as generally providing faster drying times. As a rule of thumb, more capacity is always better.
- Shop for a dryer with roughly twice the cubic foot capacity of your washer
- Larger capacity provides more room for clothes to move around inside the drum and often results in less wrinkling
Electric
Electric dryers can be a good choice for consumers who have a smaller budget to spend on a dryer purchase. Electric dryers require a dedicated 240-volt power source. These models will also provide steady drying performance that can be counted on for many years.
- Less expensive on initial purchase
- Compact dryer models come exclusively electric
- Requires a dedicated 240-volt power hookup
Gas
Gas dryers use natural gas to power the drying action. Gas dryers require a gas hookup and can lead to increased savings in terms of fuel bills and energy consumption. They offer reliable, long-lasting drying that will make it easy to get the best from your fabrics.
- Provides long-term saving in fuel costs
- Features a quicker drying time on average
- Requires a gas hookup
Space-Saving Modes
Compact models take up less space while still providing effective drying power. These models are best suited for households with a smaller number of people and for places where space is a concern.
