Best tumble dryers 2024: Which? Best Buys and expert advice

Make sure your next tumble dryer is one of the best you can get with our Best Buy recommendations.

Our rigorous lab tests have found the worst tumble dryers will either under or over-dry your clothes and could damage them over time, so read on to discover the best tumble dryers, as well as some handy hints and tips on finding the right model for your home. 

You can also head to our tumble dryer reviews to filter and compare all the models we've tested.

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Best tumble dryers for 2024

Here's our pick of the top tumble dryers on the market to help you make the most informed decision.

Every year, we put a wide range of tumble dryers through their paces to find the best models, testing everything from drying performance and energy efficiency to speed and ease of use. Only logged-in members can see our full list of the best tumble dryers in our table below. Join Which? to get instant access to our Best Buys and expert reviews.

All prices, recommendations and test scores correct as of November 2024.

Tumble dryer reviews by type

• Condenser tumble dryer reviews
• Heat pump tumble dryer reviews
• Vented tumble dryer reviews

Tumble dryer reviews by price

• Tumble dryers under £500
• Tumble dryers under £1,000
• Tumble dryers under £1,500

Why you can trust our tumble dryer reviews

We buy all of the tumble dryers that go through our test lab and refuse to accept any free samples from manufacturers, so you can rely on our reviews to be 100% unbiased. As part of our testing, we run two dry cycles on each model, weighing the clothes before and after to determine how much water has been removed by the machine. We repeat the weighing process three times to ensure we only give our Best Buy badge to the true top performers.

Where to buy a tumble dryer

Make sure you're buying from a reputable seller – check the returns policy, and pay attention to customer feedback and reviews. For more information, see our advice on shopping online. 

AO, Argos, Currys and John Lewis are some of the most searched-for tumble dryer retailers at the time of writing. We’ve included links to these retailers, hand-picked because of their stock availability, best value price or warranty options. 

• John Lewis sells a mixture of condenser, vented and heat pump tumble dryers. Prices start at less than £220 for a basic model and go up to around £1,500. John Lewis offers a two-year warranty at no extra cost, and you'll get free home delivery for orders over £50. The well-known department store also scores highly in our annual retailer survey for home appliances.
• AO stocks a wide range of tumble dryers, all of which can be delivered for free and returned within 100 days if you're not happy. It promises to price-match other UK retailers and offers a finance plan if you don't want to buy outright. Like John Lewis, AO.com also impresses in our annual survey of home appliances retailers. 
• Argos offers a sizeable selection of budget-friendly tumble dryers from brands including Beko, Bosch and Indesit. You can get same-day in-store collection at selected Sainsbury's stores. 
• Currys has more than 100 models in stock from a wide variety of different brands. You'll get free delivery on all orders and if you find the tumble dryer cheaper elsewhere, Currys promises to match or beat the price of all other retailers. 

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Should I buy a heat pump, vented or condenser tumble dryer?

There are a few different types of tumble dryers – heat pump, condenser and vented, which vary in terms of upfront costs and energy use. 

Read on for the pros and cons of each type of tumble dryer.

For further information on running costs, read How much does it cost to run a tumble dryer?

Heat pump tumble dryers

The stand-out feature of a heat pump tumble dryer is how little energy it uses to dry clothes. Typically, this is less than half the amount of energy needed to run a vented or a condenser machine. Heat pump tumble dryers work by heating air efficiently and reusing warm air as it leaves the drum. They tend to cost more to buy and they operate at cooler temperatures than other types of tumble dryer, so they can take longer to dry clothes.

• Pros Energy-efficient heat pump technology makes them the cheapest and most sustainable type of dryer to run; water is captured in a tank or run away, so there's no need for a vent or hose. 
• Cons They tend to be more expensive than the other types of tumble dryer, although prices are coming down.

They have much lower running costs than vented or condenser dryers, but cost significantly more to buy, reducing the potential savings. We have seen a good heat pump dryer that costs around £350, but they're more likely to cost around £500+. That said, prices are coming down, and the huge energy savings will pay for the increased purchase price in just a few years in most cases.

Heat pump dryers tend to do well in our tests: not because of speedy drying, but because of how well they dry clothes and the very low annual running costs, typically around £50.

Discover the best heat pump tumble dryers, plus expert buying advice

Condenser tumble dryers

Condenser dryers collect moisture from wet clothes into a water reservoir, which you must empty when it's full. They're usually seen as more convenient, as you don't have to place them near a wall vent or hang a hose out of a window. However, they are more expensive to buy than a vented dryer, and use more electricity.

Check out the condensation efficiency rating in the test results section of our reviews to avoid a model that will steam up your home.

• Pros A container collects the water, so there's no need for a hose out of the window or a vent in the wall and you have more choice as to where it's installed (although you'll need to make sure it's placed somewhere well ventilated with an ambient temperature).
• Cons You'll need to remember to empty the container; they tend to be more expensive to buy with higher running costs, and poor condensers run the risk of leaking damp air into your home.

Prices start at around £220, but you'll need to pay slightly more for a good model. Average yearly energy running costs are around £127. 

Discover the best condenser tumble dryers, plus expert buying advice

Vented tumble dryers

You can identify a vented dryer by its hose, which it uses to expel the damp air created in the drying process. The hose must be vented outside your property.

• Pros They're usually the cheapest type of tumble dryer to buy.
• Cons High running costs; they use a hose to pump out damp air, which you'll need to feed through a window or install a vent by drilling a hole through an external wall.

They can cost as little as £250, but you'll need to spend double that to get a decent dryer – and even more to get one of the best. 

Typically, this kind of dryer will add around £139 to your annual electricity bills, but that figure will vary with the size of the drum.

Read all our vented tumble dryer reviews to compare models

Integrated tumble dryers

• Pros Integrated or built-in tumble dryers are built into a kitchen cabinet and hidden from view behind a unit door. 
• Cons Not many integrated tumble dryers are available to buy, installation is more fiddly than a freestanding dryer and usually more costly. We are also yet to find a Best Buy integrated dryer.

Discover the best integrated tumble dryers, or see all our integrated tumble dryer reviews

Smart tumble dryers

You’ll need to download an app to take advantage of smart tumble dryer functions. Each manufacturer has its own one, and each has a variety of features depending on the product.

You’ll likely be able to choose programs, keep tabs on running times and monitor energy usage.

• Pros Can keep track of energy usage and how long your dryer has left to run, plus you can operate your tumble dryer from the app.
• Cons They're typically pricier than other tumble dryers.

A smart tumble dryer costs around £100 more, on average, compared with a standard non-smart dryer. 

Take a look at our smart tumble dryer reviews to see how they fare in our tests

Which tumble dryer dries clothes fastest?

Our tumble dryer tests have uncovered massive differences between the fastest and the slowest machines.

The slowest tumble dryers take nearly 35 minutes per kilo of clothes – that’s more than twice as long as the quickest tumble dryers, which can take as little as 14 minutes per kilo.

How much should I spend on a tumble dryer?

Vented dryers tend to be the cheapest type. On average, they cost considerably less than a condenser or heat pump tumble dryer. 

However, vented dryers can be tricky to install, as they need a window or wall vent nearby for the hose to dispose of hot air.  

There are a few condenser tumble dryers available for less than £250, although they will likely be lacking some of the programs and functionality you’ll find in pricier models.

Spending a little more is likely to get you sensors in the drum, which automatically adjust program times depending on the size and dampness of the load, and a display that tells you how long your program has left to run. 

Spending at least £350 will give you the best chance of buying a good condenser tumble dryer. Most of the condenser tumble dryers we’ve reviewed that cost more than £350 score well on their clothes-drying ability and how well their condenser unit works. 

But, vented and condenser dryers use so much energy to get the job done that they rarely earn Best Buys.

If you have the money to spend, heat pump tumble dryers are much cheaper to run than typical vented or condenser tumble dryers.

The most expensive tumble dryers all use heat pump technology, which makes them more energy efficient. Paying a little more upfront for a heat pump dryer will reduce 

Our testing shows that, in general, the more you spend on a tumble dryer, the more likely it is to be a top performer. However, that doesn't mean you can't pick up a bargain Best Buy – we've found Best Buy heat pump dryers for around £400.

Tumble dryer type and price

Consider a heated clothes airer if you're looking for a cheaper way to dry your clothes indoors, or discover 10 ways to cut the cost of tumble drying

How to get the best deal on a tumble dryer

Getting a cheap tumble dryer isn’t just a case of picking the right model. Use our top tips to keep costs down.

• Wait for the sales: Most of us buy a tumble dryer in a rush to replace a broken machine or to kit out a new home. If, however, you want to upgrade and can afford to wait, you may find a cheaper deal at another time of year. The January sales and around spring are the best times to keep an eye out for a deal, when brands often discount older models that are being discontinued.
• It pays to shop around: Once you’ve selected one, search for the model number online. Retailers often have different prices for exactly the same machine, so compare stores to make sure that you’re not missing out on a promotion or deal price.
• Check for additional costs: Your new bargain tumble dryer might come with some nasty surprises on the bottom of the receipt if you’re not careful. You should consider delivery charges and installation fees if you’re not setting up the dryer yourself. Manufacturers may have deals with different retailers, so make sure that everything you expect is included in the price. It's a good idea to check the warranty and the returns policy, too, in case of a fault.

What size tumble dryer do I need?

Tumble dryers come with different capacities, ranging from compact models that can dry 3kg of laundry up to very large 11kg capacity. 

Usually, 4kg capacity can dry up to 10 shirts and 9kg capacity can dry up to 26 shirts. 

However, when shopping for a tumble dryer, it's worth keeping in mind that capacities differ for different programs.

Our examples in the image above of how much you can fit in each capacity of machine are based on using the cottons program. 

They're also based on filling the machine to 70% capacity, allowing air to circulate around the clothes and making drying more efficient.

Should you buy a large tumble dryer?

As capacity goes up, generally so will the costs to buy and run, although this also depends on the model. 

Pros of large tumble dryers

• Can be an energy-efficient way to dry your laundry, as long as you're able to fill the drum to program capacity each time.
• Per kilo of laundry, bigger machines take less time to dry clothes than smaller or compact dryers.

Cons of large tumble dryers

• Buy a dryer you struggle to fill and you risk using more energy than you need.
• They're more expensive to buy, so it’s worth thinking about whether you really need one.

Should you buy a compact or mini tumble dryer?

Just because a small tumble dryer is usually cheaper to buy doesn't mean it will cost less to run. 

We look at mini tumble dryer running costs in more detail further below.  

Pros of compact or mini tumble dryers

• The price tends to be quite low – around £150.
• Due to the smaller size they're easier to fit into a cupboard, making them less of an eyesore.

Cons of compact or mini tumble dryers

• Mini or compact tumble dryers are slower and less efficient than bigger ones.
• Nearly all of the models available are vented.
• There aren't many of them around, so choice is limited.
• Almost all use an old-fashioned timer control rather than a sensor.
• Drying is often uneven and some can be prone to over-drying clothes.

Which tumble dryer is best for a garage?

If you need to have your tumble dryer in a garage or another outbuilding where the temperature isn't controlled, bear in mind that some dryers don't work as efficiently and can develop faults in extreme conditions due to the cold. Condenser and heat pump dryers are usually more susceptible to issues as they need the right temperature of air around them to extract water from the air leaving the drum. 

But, condenser and heat pump dryers are the easiest to install in a garage, as they recycle the heat and steam within the machine, so you won’t need a hose for the water to escape through. 

You'll need to ensure there's space around the machine and that the room is well ventilated. And if you go for a vented machine, you'll need to vent the warm and damp air away through a vent in the wall or through a window.

Make sure you read the manual for the manufacturer's advice on installing in a garage.

Which tumble dryer brands offer the best security support policies?

Smart tumble dryers connect to wi-fi or Bluetooth, allowing you to operate some of the functions from your smartphone or other device via an app. As with any internet-connected device, it’s important that these apps receive regular security updates, to guard against security and privacy threats.

We asked the biggest brands about their support policies and, as you can see, some are far better than others.

• Miele plans to release security updates for approximately 10 years after the model stops being produced, but might release critical updates beyond this period.
• BSH, the manufacturer of Bosch, Siemens and Neff, said it will support all its Home Connect appliances with security updates for at least 10 years after they've been sold.
• AEG supports its products for a minimum of five years from last sale. 
• LG will only guarantee a minimum of five years of updates from launch.
  
• Samsung told us it supports tumble dryers for a minimum of five years from launch.
• Candy will support its products for a minimum of two years from purchase. The same goes for Haier. 
• Hoover offers a minimum of two years of support from purchase. 

You may not be at immediate risk if you're using a smart product that's unsupported, but if you’re buying a new one, look for a model that will receive update support for as long as possible. For further information, read our guide to smart devices and security.

How do I install a vented tumble dryer?

It’s best to have a vented dryer installed professionally, so check with your retailer to see if they offer the service or call in an engineer.

For those more at home with DIY, it’s possible to install it yourself with a tumble dryer vent kit. 

• First, choose a good place to put it. If you’re happy to vent out of the window, then place it close to one, otherwise you’ll need a spot along an external wall.
• Then you'll need to trace a circle on your wall the same size as the hose.
• Make small holes in this area with a drill, then join them up.
• Mount your vent grille over the holes, screw the plate on the wall and push the vent tube through the hole. 
• Connect the end of the hose to your dryer. Make sure your vent is as short as possible, as any kinks in the hose can stop the dryer from working properly.

Who makes integrated vented tumble dryers?

If you don’t have a utility room to hide your appliances away, an integrated tumble dryer that sits behind a kitchen counter could be the answer.

You might need to pay more for this aesthetic, but cheaper brands such as Baumatic, Hoover, Montpellier and White Knight all have an integrated tumble dryer in their line-up.

The models we've tested start from around £450. Read our guide to integrated tumble dryers to see if they're the best option for your home.

Who makes black, grey or silver vented tumble dryers?

Black and silver vented models are rare – we haven't tested one for a while and there are currently no reviews on our site for them. 

There's more colour choice if you go for a heat pump tumble dryer. Head over to our reviews to find the best black, grey and silver heat pump tumble dryers we've tested.

Repairs, disposal and second-hand tumble dryers

If your tumble dryer stops working, this shouldn’t automatically mean you rush out to buy a new one. Repairing it yourself can save you money and reduce the environmental impact of both recycling the old one and the effect buying a new machine would have.

Tumble dryers are simple machines, especially vented and condenser models, and problems can often be fixed quickly and cheaply without the need to call in a professional.

Head over to our tumble dryer tips and maintenance guide to find out why your tumble dryer might not be working and how to fix it.

If, after troubleshooting, you realise your tumble dryer needs to be taken apart to fix it, make sure the work is carried out by a professional.Choose a Which? Trusted Trader to find a local appliance engineer you can trust.

How to dispose of a tumble dryer

If you’re replacing your old dryer, you’ll need to decide how to get rid of it. The good news is that every product with a plug, charger, batteries or carrying the crossed-out wheelie bin logo can be recycled.

If your tumble dryer is still in good working order, selling it second-hand is an environmentally friendly option.

Electrical retailers such as AO, Currys, John Lewis and independents will offer to remove your tumble dryer when you buy a new one from them. There will be a fee for this – expect to pay around £20. 

However, you can avoid this charge if you’re able to take your dryer to your local recycling centre. Tumble dryers are lighter than washing machines as they’re not weighed down by concrete or iron to keep them stable when spinning. This means that, while they’re still bulky, a dryer will be easier to load into the back of a car.

Councils across the UK can also collect them and other appliances from outside your home. The cost of collections will vary based on where in the UK you live – sometimes it will be free. 

Find your closest recycling centre using the Recycle Now electrical recycling locator

Buying and selling second-hand tumble dryers

It’s useful to know the difference between the terms used to describe second-hand tumble dryers.

• A used dryer means it’s just come from someone’s home and hasn’t been refurbished. 
• Those badged as ex-display or graded will have come from a shop and if they've been used at all it’s likely to be very minimal. 
• Refurbished dryers are likely to have been checked and repaired where necessary to make them feel like new.

We recommend buying new rather than second-hand, as this is likely to give you fewer safety concerns. But if you do buy second-hand, ask whether a portable appliance test (PAT) has been carried out to make sure it’s safe. 

If you’re buying through an online marketplace, such as Amazon or eBay, ask whether the seller offers a guarantee should the product become faulty or unsafe.

How to avoid unsafe second-hand tumble dryers

Be careful when buying second-hand dryers from certain brands.

If the second-hand model you’re interested in is from Hotpoint, Indesit, Creda, Swan or Proline (brands owned by Whirlpool), check our list of tumble dryer safety recalls.

If it is, you’ll need to check whether it was made before October 2015. You can do this by using the recall section of the Hotpoint website.

A number of Beko models have also been recalled in recent years. Go to the Beko site to find out which are the dangerous dryers to avoid. 

The Electrical Safety First website also has more information about recalled tumble dryers and other unsafe appliances.

Can you ever tumble dry woollen jumpers without shrinking them? Find out what happened when we tested a Woolmark-approved, no-shrinkage guarantee tumble dryer (spoiler alert – it wasn't good)