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Most and Least Reliable Clothes Dryer Brands

To find a dryer that lasts, check CR's reliability ratings based on our members' experiences with more than 96,300 appliances

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LG WM3400CW and DLE3400W/DLG3401W Stacked washer and dryer in laundry room
LG electric dryers are among the most reliable, according to the CR members who own them.
Photo: LG

If your dryer isn’t dependable, it can feel like you’ve been hung out to dry. So if you’re in the market for a new one, it pays to pick a model that’s less likely to give you trouble down the road.

That’s where Consumer Reports’ annual surveys tumble in. Based on what members tell us about their own dryers, we calculate the predicted reliability of the brands in our ratings, estimating the likelihood that a newly purchased dryer will develop problems or break down within its first five years.

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MORE ON DRYERS

Our owner satisfaction rating reflects the proportion of CR members who are extremely likely to recommend the dryer they bought to others. CR surveyed 86,609 members on their experiences with 96,315 dryers purchased new between 2015 and 2025.

In our survey, we saw significant differences in the popularity of the three main types of dryers. Electric dryers are most common among Consumer Reports members, accounting for 74 percent of the models. Standard gas dryers make up 24 percent, while compact electric models account for 2 percent. Compact gas dryers account for less than 1 percent.

Over the past five years, CR members paid a median of $733 for a standard-size electric dryer, $787 for a gas dryer, and $1,006 for a compact electric dryer. Overall, the median price paid for all dryers was $748.

In terms of market share, LG accounts for more than half of the dryers purchased by CR members in 2025 and is the dominant brand across all dryer types. Whirlpool and GE follow at a distant 9 percent overall. But GE commands 17 percent of the compact dryer market. Miele is also a big player in compact dryers, with a 23 percent market share, a tick behind LG.

Several dryer brands saw shifts in their ratings this year. Across three categories, seven saw improvements in predicted reliability, including Amana, GE, and Hotpoint gas dryers, as well as GE, GE Profile, and Hotpoint electric dryers. Asko, Electrolux, and Whirlpool electric compact dryers also saw a boost in reliability scores.

Owner satisfaction ratings also improved for Whirlpool and GE Profile electric dryers, GE and GE Profile gas dryers, and Maytag compact dryers. But Bosch compact dryers experienced a dip in customer satisfaction.

Most Common Clothes Dryer Problems

Dryers are durable appliances that can last 13 years or more. Although many brands showed improved reliability based on our surveys, dryers can still experience a variety of problems or breakdowns.

The most common dryer problems reported in our survey were clothes not drying (12 percent), clothes getting tangled or balled up (10 percent), drum issues (6 percent), and blower/vent/filter trouble (4 percent). In heat-pump dryers, members also cited lint clogging (6 percent) and, in electric dryers, heating-element issues (4 percent). Problems related to control panels or doors were reported for 2 percent of machines.

If you’re just beginning your search for a new dryer, our clothes dryer hub is a great place to start. Then consult our comprehensive dryer ratings, which incorporate our exclusive reliability and owner satisfaction scores. Use the filters to narrow your choices from the more than 150 full-sized electric and gas models and electric compact dryers that we test.

Readers with a digital access membership to CR can read on for our survey results for brands that include Admiral, Amana, Asko, Bosch, Electrolux, Frigidaire, GE, GE Profile, Hotpoint, Insignia, Kenmore, LG, Maytag, Miele, Samsung, Speed Queen, and Whirlpool.

Become a member to read the full article and get access to digital ratings.

We investigate, research, and test so you can choose with confidence.


Keith Flamer

Keith Flamer has been a multimedia content creator at Consumer Reports since 2021, covering laundry, cleaning, small appliances, and home trends. Fascinated by interior design, architecture, technology, and all things mechanical, he translates CR’s testing engineers’ work into content that helps readers live better, smarter lives. Prior to CR, Keith covered luxury accessories and real estate, most recently at Forbes, with a focus on residential homes, interior design, home security, and pop culture trends.