Which tumble dryer brand is the most reliable?

We investigated the performance and reliability of some of the most popular tumble dryer brands including Bosch, Beko, Hotpoint and Miele.  

In our unique large appliance survey, we ask more than 4,500 Which? members and members of the public if they’re happy with their tumble dryer and if they’ve experienced problems, so you can see which brands are worth the money. 

Already decided on a tumble dryer brand? Head to our tumble dryer reviews to find the model that suits your needs and budget

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Which tumble dryer brands develop the fewest faults?

This table summarises what we found about how quickly tumble dryer brands develop faults or break down, based on tumble dryers bought in the past seven years.

As you can see, tumble dryer brands differ regarding chances of developing faults – and it might surprise you to see where popular brands Candy, Hoover and Indesit are placed. 

Which? members can log in to view which tumble dryer brands are the most and least reliable, and which our members are most satisfied with. If you're not yet a member, join Which? to get instant access.

You can filter our tumble dryer reviews by brand. Read all our Miele tumble dryer reviews, AEG tumble dryer reviews and John Lewis tumble dryer reviews

Which tumble dryer brands do owners recommend?

As well as faults, our survey also revealed which tumble dryer brands owners feel happy with and which they’d recommend to a friend.

These results are shown as each brand’s Customer Score, and are based on tumble dryers bought in the past seven years.

Which? members can log in to view which tumble dryer brands last the longest before they need to be replaced. If you're not yet a member, join Which? to get instant access.

In the market for a new tumble dryer now? Find the right tumble dryer for you with our best tumble dryers guide

The three most common tumble dryer faults

Looking after your tumble dryer, keeping it clean and not overfilling it with clothes could help your machine live a fault-free life. However, unforeseen problems can occur. 

Our survey of more than 4,500 tumble dryer owners also revealed that these are the three most common tumble dryer faults.

1. Sensor problems or poor clothes drying (15% of all faults reported)

The symptom of the humidity sensors inside a tumble dryer not doing their job properly is still-damp or overly dry clothes. 

Humidity sensors inside the drum end programs when they detect the clothes are dry. But with clothes made of different fabrics and weights drying at different speeds, a mixed load of cottons and synthetics can sometimes fool the machine into thinking everything is dry and stopping the program.

You can help your dryer to dry more accurately by separating fabric types and not overfilling it. Splitting cottons from synthetics will give you the most effective results. But in busy homes, this might not be realistic and the best dryers will be adept at drying mixed loads well.

To help your dryer out, try drying big and heavy items such as towels and blankets separately. That way, the smaller and lighter items get a better chance of drying properly. And when drying bed linen, try buttoning up the end of duvets to stop other laundry becoming balled-up inside.

Also, wipe down the insides of the drum monthly to keep the sensors clean.

2. Blocked filter or condenser (13% of all faults reported)

This can be a problem that stops your dryer from working, but it's also one of the simplest to fix. And if you carry out regular maintenance of your machine, neither of these problems should affect you.

The lint filter is in the door and around the door rim of your dryer. Every time you dry clothes, quickly wipe them clear of fluff. By doing this, you'll keep the machine drying efficiently and safely.

The condenser can become clogged with fluff and hair over time and this will reduce the airflow through the dryer, which could lead to poorly dried loads or extended drying sessions. So, every month remove the condenser and clear any hair and fluff from it.

3. Drum problem (11% of all faults reported)

More than one in 10 of the faults experienced by those who took part in our tumble dryer survey was a problem with the drum. 

One way to help avoid drum problems is to never overfill the machine, as this can affect how the drum rotates and how clothes tumble in it. 

By making sure that there's plenty of room inside for the clothes to tumble as they dry, you can protect the drum while also giving your clothes the best chance of drying.

Read our tumble dryer tips and maintenance advice guide to get the best out of your dryer. If you need a professional, search Which? Trusted Traders to find an approved local trader.

How easy is it to repair a tumble dryer?

When we surveyed tumble dryer owners about faults, the most commonly reported issues had to do with the humidity sensors (clothes being left damp or overly dry), the filter or the condenser being blocked and drum problems.

There are measures you can take to avoid damaging the drum of your dryer and to keep sensors clean and, if you do this, your chances of experiencing problems will be reduced. But if the drum isn't rotating properly or the sensors simply aren't working, you'll need to call in a professional.

The drum problem could be down to a worn bearing at the back. Many tumble dryers can be quickly disassembled and bearings can be replaced easily by a professional.

When it comes to a blocked filter or a clogged-up condenser, both can be easily resolved, but they shouldn't be problems in the first place.

Cleaning a dryer's lint filter should happen after every load, this helps the dryer to move air around more efficiently and should lead to quicker, cheaper and more effective drying. Removing the fluff and hair that builds up in a lint filter is also a useful safety measure to take and it only takes seconds to do.

Removing fluff from the condenser unit is also an easy job to do and one to carry out monthly. As with the lint filter, an unclogged condenser unit will again help air flow around the dryer efficiently.

For more showstopping faults, such as a broken heater or a fried printed circuit board, which aren't easily fixable, you'll need professional help. 

If your machine is approaching the end of its natural life or it can't be repaired, it might be a good time to invest in an energy-efficient tumble dryer

Which tumble dryer brands offer the best guarantees?

Most tumble dryer brands offer product guarantees of one year as standard, but there are a handful of brands that offer longer cover, including:

• Bosch - Bosch tumble dryers and all Bosch appliances come with two-year warranties as standard.
• John Lewis - All John Lewis tumble dryers come with a three-year warranty and if you buy another brand of dryer from John Lewis, it will come with a two-year warranty.
• Miele - You'll receive a two-year warranty from Miele for any of its tumble dryers, with five and 10-year warranties provided for certain products.

Faulty tumble dryer? Find out how to get a refund, repair or a replacement

How we discover the most reliable brands 

Which? has a wealth of information on the UK's favourite appliance brands. Every year we ask Which? members to tell us about the home appliances they own – from how likely they would be to recommend a brand, to how reliable the products are once they get them home.

This year 8,922 Which? Connect Panel members and 5,559 members of the public told us about more than 39,000 individual products. We calculate each brand's customer score, fault rate and reliability rating using the results of our annual survey. 

Our surveys, combined with our extensive lab tests, mean we can recommend the best tumble dryers you should buy. 

For more on what it takes to earn a Best Buy recommendation, read how we test tumble dryers