Modern clothes dryers come with various settings and features for increased functionality and performance, thanks to new energy standards and innovative technologies. Dryers come in different colors and styles to blend into various homes with unique interior décor styles and themes, as well.
They also come with varying installation and capacity options to meet the needs for different households. Today, dryers are designed for convenience and use in residential or commercial settings. Whether you need a clothes dryer for use at home or to upgrade your laundry business, you first need to decide on a gas or electric-powered dryer.
Depending on your power source, electric or gas, you can opt for a suitable dryer. If you just moved into a new house or business premise, look out for a conventional outlet or a capped-off gas line; if you find one, then there’s need to opt for a gas dryer. However, for electric dryers, look out for 3-pronged (in older houses) or 4-pronged power outlets.
Gas and electric dryers have various special functions and capacities, with comparable performances.
Electric clothes dryers are more expensive than gas dryers in terms of operation and power consumption. If you’re a budget shopper with need for a basic clothes drying solution with little to no maintenance, go for electric dryers.
Gas dryers, on the other hand, are more expensive to buy than electric dryers. However, since they consume less energy, they are less expensive to operate. Designed to use propane or natural gas, gas dryers require dedicated gas hookups for connection purposes. Although gas dryers cost more to buy and require vents and gas lines, they generally cost less over time (due to lower cost of upkeep) and dry clothes faster than their electric counterparts.
In short, electric dryers are cheaper to acquire, but are expensive to operate. The converse is true for gas dryers. If you have enough space, opt for traditional dryers built with front loading features.
However, if your space is limited, consider stackable dryer models with or without pedestals to raise the height of your machine so you can easily get clothes into the machine and back into the
laundry basket. Others even come with a drawer for extra storage.
Temperature settings, load drum capacity, performance, cycle, and energy standards compliance are some factors to check when buying a gas dryer. This guide focuses on the best gas dryers, and hope it helps you find one that either matches your
washing machine or doubles up as one.
Price
The quality, brand, style, aesthetics, design, durability, and size of dryers determine their prices. The higher the quality of a dryer, the more you can expect to pay. Popular brands also come at high costs. When investing in a dryer, you want a machine that’s going to last, so you should buy one of good quality from a well-known brand.
The features a dryer is built with also determine its price. The more features you want in your dryer, the more you’ll pay for it. Dryers are also built for residential and commercial use. The latter types of dryers are more expensive than those designed for home use. Establish a budget to work with when shopping for a gas dryer; with the amount you’re willing to pay in mind, you can compare various gas dryers for the best choice.
Gas dryers cost anything between $400 and $2000. Whereas popular brands such as LG have gas dryers that cost at least $1500, some unknown brands retail some for up to $300. Don’t go for cheap gas dryers just because they look attractive. This is an investment that, when chosen properly, can last many years of regular use.
Features
Gas dryers come in various styles, colors, designs, capacities, and many other features for improved functionality and ease-of-use. Carefully choose the features you might need because there’s no need to spend more on features you’ll never use. Assess your clothes’ drying needs and your intended area of application to help you choose the right features in a gas dryer.
Here are some features to look out for in your gas dryer:
- Capacity and pedestal to hold clothes and raise the dryer, respectively
- Controls and lint filter indicator to manipulate the dryer and know when to clean the filter
- Cycles and speed for load-drying under different conditions and how fast clothes are dried
- Sensor and timers to detect moisture levels of load and setup of the duration a cycle should last
- Eco-cycle and door for minimal energy consumption and side, front, or top machine loading
- Steam and color for quick-fix solutions such as removing odor and a matching finishing color
- Delicate and express dry to dry clothes with loose or light fabrics and dry clothes faster
- Digital displays for easy use such as child locks
- Extended tumble and NSF ratings for longer drying sessions and ability to kills allergens and bacteria
- Vent blocking indicator to notify you when it’s time to clean the vent
- Drum rack and light for flat clothes-drying and illumination of the dryer’s drum
Whichever features your gas dryer is built with, ensure they support durability, efficiency, low energy consumption, ease-of-use, and high performance.
Construction and Design
Capacity – choose the right capacity depending on the size of your household and how often you wash clothes. Opt for a large capacity if you’ll be drying large loads and a smaller capacity if clothes for only two people will be dried at once.
The smaller your load, the faster clothes dry since there’s more room for tumbling, hence less energy consumption.
Controls – opt for a gas dryer with an easy-to-use control panel. Choose the features or controls you want in your panel such as turning knobs, touch dials, touch-screen controls, etc.
Cycles – choose cycle features you need and are likely to use. Although most dryers come with delicate, normal, and heavy-duty cycles, more advanced models can feature up to twelve more cycles for better outcomes such as bedding or towels, permanent press, air fluff, etc.
Eco-cycle monitors clothes’ dryness levels to minimize energy consumption. Certain models feature a monitor on the display console to output energy efficiency and use of various cycles. Buy a dryer with this feature if you need your clothes to last and want to save energy.
Sensor – moisture or dryness sensors check the dampness level of your clothes for proper drying. This ensures clothes get dried only as needed, hence preventing over-drying and saving energy.
Delicate – this feature gently dries light clothes or those with loosely woven fabrics at ultra-low temperatures to prevent damage, hence lasting fabrics and color.
Steam – use this feature to eliminate odors or relax wrinkles in clothes you’ve worn, but don’t need to wash. Clothes are first tumbled in low heat for a few minutes before being sprayed with little water to save energy.
Drum Material – choose dryers with stainless steel drums to prevent snagging.
Pedestal – do you need to raise your gas dryer? Buy a drying machine with a pedestal or purchase it separately. It comes with a drawer for additional storage.
Door – choose a dryer with front, top, or side loading doors as you deem necessary.
Color – choose a color finish that blends into your existing décor and matches your washing machine.
Lint Filter Indicators – this feature lets you know when it’s time to clean your filters.
Express Dry or High Spin Speeds – this feature dries clothes faster using large blowers that improve airflow.
Digital Displays – modern dryers come with digital displays for easy use and/or manipulation of your machine such as child locks and cycle count-down features.
Vent Type – opt for a side, back, or front 4-way venting system.
Timers – a dryer with timers lets you set how long you want your clothes to dry. It comes in handy when you need to engage in other things or shortly go somewhere.
Extended Tumble – if you need to do something else while using your dryer, use this feature for slow runs at regular intervals. It’s also ideal if you want your clothes wrinkle-free and fresh.
NSF Ratings – this is the machine’s ability to kill bacteria and allergens on your clothes as rated by the National Sanitary Foundation. Opt for a dryer with this feature if you’re health and hygiene-conscious.
Drum Rack and Light – use the rack for flat-drying of your clothes if you don’t want to use the tumbling feature. The light illuminates the drum to help you see what’s inside.
Vent Blocking Indicator – with this feature, you’ll know when it’s time to clean the vent of your drying machine.
Noise Level – dryers can be noisy. Opt for one with this feature if there’s need for silent operation.
Performance and Ease of Use
The right capacity, controls, NSF ratings, cycles, and sensors support high performance in gas dryers. The digital display, extended tumble, pedestals, loading door, indicators, light, and noise levels support ease-of-use. Generally, most of the features a dryer comes with support performance and ease-of-use, though you still should go for those with a warranty to protect you from manufacturing faults. Also decide whether you want a stand-alone gas dryer or one that doubles up as a washing machine for 2-in-1 use.
When buying a gas dryer, it’s important to consider what you need from it. Find a gas dryer of the right capacity to accommodate your load, and the right speed to match how fast you want your clothes dry. You can also find a dryer based on the latest drying technology, and one that’s being sold at a price you can afford. It's also good for your choice to come with a warranty to protect you from manufacturing faults. Find out if one of our recommended gas dryers is what you need.
Whether you want a gas dryer for commercial or residential use, or a 2-in-1 washer/dryer combo, there’s a product out there with the right set of features and price to meet your unique laundry-drying needs. We hope that with our review of five of the top gas dryers, you can find the right appliance. If you need something different, check out our other dryer reviews.
