Clothes dryers: expert reviews, buying guide and advice

Need a clothes dryer that gets the job done quickly? Find the best models in New Zealand with our guide and expert picks. See test results for vented, condenser and heat pump dryers from Fisher & Paykel, Miele, Samsung and more

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Buy the best clothes dryer for your laundry

Make laundry day easier with the right clothes dryer. Our test results compare vented, condenser and heat pump clothes dryers from a range of brands. Our test covers:

• Drying performance• Energy efficiencyPlus, see the latest prices, product specs and features, member reviews and more

See results

Best clothes dryers of 2026

Is your clothes dryer broken beyond repair? Perhaps you need a bigger one for your growing family, or you’re renovating your laundry. Our expert recommendations help you find the right model for your home – looking at type, features, capacity and budget

You can filter our test results by clothes dryer type to find the best heat pump clothes dryer, or best vented or condenser clothes dryer. So below, we’ve chosen a few other models worth highlighting

Best small capacity dryer

Best medium capacity dryer

Best large capacity condenser dryer

Best large capacity heat pump dryer

What you need to know when buying a clothes dryer

Save time and energy by picking the right clothes dryer to dry your washing efficiently. Check out the different types of clothes dryers, and the features and functions to look for in our clothes dryers buying guide. We also explain energy rating labels and clothes dryer life cycle costs, plus our tips for buying a secondhand clothes dryer

Read buying guide

Get the most out of your laundry

Improve your laundry routine with our expert advice

Tips to get the most out of your clothes dryer

Whether you use your dryer every day or only on the odd occasion, follow our advice to get the most out of it

The best way to dry laundry in winter

We tested five different drying methods and found one clear winner

What’s the best way to wash your clothes?

What’s the best way to wash your clothes, towels, duvets and outdoor gear? Here are our hints and tips for getting top results with your laundry

People’s Choice

Our People’s Choice awards are granted to brands that consistently rate above average for customer satisfaction and meet out other performance criteria. Become a member and see which brands have earned a People’s Choice award

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Which clothes dryer brands are most reliable?

We asked thousands of Consumer members about their experience with products they’ve used to find out which brands are most reliable and satisfying to own. The results are available to members and Digital Pass holders

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Other appliances for your laundry

If you also need a new washing machine, check out our test results below or perhaps consider a washer dryer. We’ve also got results for irons and steam stations

Washing machines

Washer dryers

Irons and steam stations

Best retailer to buy large appliances from

Many things can ruin a shopping experience – a pushy salesperson, the product you wanted not being in stock or having to pay more than you intended. We asked consumers to tell us who they think are the best and worst. Become a member to see the best stores to purchase large appliances from

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How we test clothes dryers

Our clothes dryer test is based on an Australia New Zealand Standard. The test uses a standard load of cotton bed sheets, small towels, and pillowcases

Test scores reflect how long each dryer takes to finish drying a 3.5kg load, taking account of any residual moisture (auto-sensing mode), whether there’s a reverse tumbling feature, and energy efficiency. We combine a clothes dryer’s test score with the brand’s predicted reliability and satisfaction ratings to generate each clothes dryer’s overall score

Learn more about our testing

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