Ask an Expert: Energy-Efficient Clothes Dryers

High-performance clothes dryers save energy by only supplying the necessary amount of heat required by the load.

Help save energy while ensuring performance with an energy-efficient clothes dryer.

What makes energy-efficient clothes dryers more efficient?

High-performance clothes dryers save energy by only supplying the necessary amount of heat required by the load. Advanced features, such as moisture sensors and filter cleaning indicators, help save energy while ensuring performance.

Moisture sensors determine what's required for each load then adapt the temperature and drying cycle duration to save energy. They also detect when clothes are dry and automatically shut the dryer off, as opposed to timed drying.

A dirty air filter reduces energy efficiency. Filter cleaning indicators serve as a reminder to clean the filter before each load to maximize performance.

Heat pump dryers are the most efficient type available. However, the surrounding air is cooled by the heat pump, potentially increasing energy use for space heating. Heat pumps also cost more to install than standard units and have longer cycle times.

As a result of improvements such as these, energy-efficient dryers use about 20% less energy than standard models. Look for ENERGY STAR®-certified clothes dryers. ENERGY STAR models are independently tested to meet minimum efficiency and cycle time requirements.