The dryer is dead. Long live the dryer.
July 23, 2018 10:18 AM Subscribe
My clothes dryer is dead. Please help me select a new one.
It has been a decade since I have done this, so if you have a clothes dryer that you absolutely love (or like), please let me know what it is. I would love to stay under $500, if at all possible. FWIW, I live in Virginia, near Best Buy, Lowes, and Home Depot. My household is my wife, two kids, and myself, so laundry for four people. Thanks, everyone.
It has been a decade since I have done this, so if you have a clothes dryer that you absolutely love (or like), please let me know what it is. I would love to stay under $500, if at all possible. FWIW, I live in Virginia, near Best Buy, Lowes, and Home Depot. My household is my wife, two kids, and myself, so laundry for four people. Thanks, everyone.
Response by poster: We got an estimate for $350 to fix it (bad thermostat and heating element). I am semi-handy, but I don't trust myself to fix this.
posted by 4ster at 10:29 AM on July 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by 4ster at 10:29 AM on July 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
The LG ones are pretty sweet. A whiole new level from US made dryers.
posted by w0mbat at 10:44 AM on July 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by w0mbat at 10:44 AM on July 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Wirecutter's guide to the best dryer.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 10:47 AM on July 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 10:47 AM on July 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
I got an LG dryer about 1.5 years ago based on Wirecutter and its been great.
posted by Mid at 10:50 AM on July 23, 2018
posted by Mid at 10:50 AM on July 23, 2018
Mine's the simplest Miele that was for sale 20+ years ago. Never had a problem. Silent. Fast. Expensive, but worth it.
posted by ouke at 11:51 AM on July 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by ouke at 11:51 AM on July 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
Long live the dryer.
Versions of name brand appliances sold by the big chains are often made from cheaper materials and are inferior in quality to those sold by smaller outlets.
posted by jamjam at 12:02 PM on July 23, 2018
Versions of name brand appliances sold by the big chains are often made from cheaper materials and are inferior in quality to those sold by smaller outlets.
posted by jamjam at 12:02 PM on July 23, 2018
I'm a big fan of Miele appliances. Friend has had a Miele dryer for years and swears by it, had all Miele appliances when I lived in Europe and loved them. Currently have a Miele vacuum and it's the most amazing piece of home machinery I own.
As someone else mentioned: expensive, but worth it.
posted by tgrundke at 2:09 PM on July 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
As someone else mentioned: expensive, but worth it.
posted by tgrundke at 2:09 PM on July 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
Oh, I just did this last month. My old one was going to be $500+ to repair. :(
Got this model from Best Buy:
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lg-7-3-cu-ft-14-cycle-electric-dryer-with-steam-white/5195704.p?skuId=5195704
I could not love this thing more if it bought me dinner.
Not under $500, although there might be a slightly simpler LG model that costs a bit less. I liked LG because CR marks them significantly less likely to need repairs, and I got this particular one because it was on super sale at the time I needed it. I imagine that an LG with fewer bells&whistles would be equally good.
As an aside ... I was reluctant at first to deal with Best Buy, was expecting the worst but they ended up being SUPER to do business with. Absolutely on time and easy delivery experience, the people in the store were helpful and didn't try to upsell. I know that's my n=1, but take it for what it's worth. :)
posted by mccxxiii at 2:27 PM on July 23, 2018
Got this model from Best Buy:
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lg-7-3-cu-ft-14-cycle-electric-dryer-with-steam-white/5195704.p?skuId=5195704
I could not love this thing more if it bought me dinner.
Not under $500, although there might be a slightly simpler LG model that costs a bit less. I liked LG because CR marks them significantly less likely to need repairs, and I got this particular one because it was on super sale at the time I needed it. I imagine that an LG with fewer bells&whistles would be equally good.
As an aside ... I was reluctant at first to deal with Best Buy, was expecting the worst but they ended up being SUPER to do business with. Absolutely on time and easy delivery experience, the people in the store were helpful and didn't try to upsell. I know that's my n=1, but take it for what it's worth. :)
posted by mccxxiii at 2:27 PM on July 23, 2018
We got an estimate for $350 to fix it (bad thermostat and heating element). I am semi-handy, but I don't trust myself to fix this.
$350? Reconsider trying to fix it yourself. Fixing these items will involve nothing more than taking the cover off, unplugging the old parts, and plugging in new parts. For example, here's a video of the replacement of a heating element on a Kenmore dryer. The video isn't much more than 90 seconds long. You're probably looking at $40 in parts. If you don't feel confident doing it maybe buying a nice dinner for a handy friend would work.
posted by TrialByMedia at 5:02 PM on July 23, 2018
$350? Reconsider trying to fix it yourself. Fixing these items will involve nothing more than taking the cover off, unplugging the old parts, and plugging in new parts. For example, here's a video of the replacement of a heating element on a Kenmore dryer. The video isn't much more than 90 seconds long. You're probably looking at $40 in parts. If you don't feel confident doing it maybe buying a nice dinner for a handy friend would work.
posted by TrialByMedia at 5:02 PM on July 23, 2018
Response by poster: Thanks, everyone. We ordered the one Wirecutter recommends. We will see how it goes. I appreciate everyone taking the.time to help.
posted by 4ster at 5:53 PM on July 23, 2018
posted by 4ster at 5:53 PM on July 23, 2018
Too late for OP, but for others that come this way in their time of need, I want to echo TrialByMedia's comment
Mechanical repairs to electric clothes dryers are good candidates for DIY. There is the risk of a cut on sheet metal or that the problem is worse than you thought and you are out the $40 you spent on a part, but I've successfully replaced broken belts, heater elements, bearings, and so on. These are simple assemblies with a lot of empty space inside. Worth a go. Follow the tutorials. Win at [one narrow version of] life.
posted by Glomar response at 6:15 AM on July 24, 2018 [1 favorite]
Mechanical repairs to electric clothes dryers are good candidates for DIY. There is the risk of a cut on sheet metal or that the problem is worse than you thought and you are out the $40 you spent on a part, but I've successfully replaced broken belts, heater elements, bearings, and so on. These are simple assemblies with a lot of empty space inside. Worth a go. Follow the tutorials. Win at [one narrow version of] life.
posted by Glomar response at 6:15 AM on July 24, 2018 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: So today, I found the part on Amazon and cancelled the order for the new dryer. I'm going to try to fix it. I'll let you all know how it goes.
posted by 4ster at 3:19 PM on July 24, 2018
posted by 4ster at 3:19 PM on July 24, 2018
Response by poster: Yesterday, I installed the parts, and everything seems to be running smoothly, but it started making a smell that worries me, so I am calling a repairman. So goes another of my flawed money-saving schemes.
I really appreciate everyone who took the time to post answers here.
posted by 4ster at 12:08 PM on July 27, 2018
I really appreciate everyone who took the time to post answers here.
posted by 4ster at 12:08 PM on July 27, 2018
That's probably just random residues on the heating element burning away -- even just the oils on your hands if you installed it without wearing gloves would be enough to make it smell terrible at first.
Run a load of wet towels you don't particularly care about through it first, then wash them again and dry them, and I bet the smell will be much diminished.
posted by jamjam at 10:45 PM on July 27, 2018 [1 favorite]
Run a load of wet towels you don't particularly care about through it first, then wash them again and dry them, and I bet the smell will be much diminished.
posted by jamjam at 10:45 PM on July 27, 2018 [1 favorite]
Was just going to post this very same Ask. Will be trying to DIY it via Dave's Repair advice (which I found by following hydra77's blog link). Esp since my dishwasher AND my vacuum cleaner also went on the fritz this week. We also had to fix the closet door last night. It's just a DIY kind of week I guess.
posted by vignettist at 12:25 PM on August 28, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by vignettist at 12:25 PM on August 28, 2018 [1 favorite]
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empowering blog link here
posted by hydra77 at 10:26 AM on July 23, 2018 [2 favorites]