OT: How do you buy a clothes Dryer???

[bnme]

Yikes our dryer just died and I have no idea what to look for in a new one! The one in my house was there from previous owners and it never worked very well.

How many cycles do you need (that was the first thing that threw me!). What other features are important?

I'd like to spend less than 500, but also get a decent dryer!
TIA

[annex]

If you go to Consumer Reports web site http://www.consumerreports.org/
and do a search on dryers, you can access parts of their August 2003 ratings of dryers (basically the ratings themselves are for subscribers, but the "buying advice" and "important features" sections are free.) Or go to your local library and see the whole article in print.

[nitaghei]

We got an inexpensive GE dryer from Sears a couple of years ago - about $350? I don't quite remember how much we spent- but it was in that range. I wanted a dryer that had a gentle cycle as well as timed drying.

I think what we have has 4 or 5 drying cycles, and 3 heat settings - which has been more than adequate for everything from silk sweaters to the dogs' beds and blankets.

One thing to keep in mind is to make sure that the capacity of your dryer matches that of your washer (super/ extra large/ large). We were dumb enough to buy a dryer that was one size smaller than our washer, so a really full load of wash has to be split into 2 drying cycles, which is pain in the neck.

I'm pretty sure that you can get a really nice dryer for $500.

Another tip - if you have a Sears outlet anywhere nearby, it's worth checking out. We saved over $800 on a KitchenAid refrigerator because it had a tiny scratch in the finish on one side - which didn't affect its functioning or its warranty.

Overall, I did think that Sears had the largest selection of home applicance of any store - and we went to a LOT of stores!! And I'm not a Sears fan, by any means.

HTH

Nita

[NancyJ_redo]

We bought a dryer last year and there is one feature I highly recommend. I couldn't live without the sensor dry. This is a feature that automatically senses when clothes are dry and turns off the dryer. So instead of setting the exact amount of time you want the dryer to run, you just put it on the sensor dry and it stops when the clothes are done, and you don't waste energy or overdry your clothes. Huge for people with a baby since you can't always get to the dryer when you want, and it's also helpful when I put in clothes just before going to bed.

Speaking of wasting energy, a lot of the utility companies (at least here in CA) offer a rebate if you buy one of the newer energy-saver dryers, so you should check with your gas/power company. The rebate can be as high as $100, so it covers the difference in price between a regular dryer and an energy-saver.

I agree with the suggestion that you check for a Sears outlet. If you don't have a Sears outlet near you, check around for the best price and Sears will match it (and possibly give you free delivery, interest free financing, etc.). I can't remember if they'll match an online price or if it has to be a local store, but I found an online store that had an actual store close to us that had the appliances we were buying (washer, dryer, refrig) at $550 cheaper than Sears. I had always thought that Sears had the best prices, but it turns out that's not true. I printed out the prices and brought it to Sears. They matched the prices, and they were offering free delivery and interest free financing for a year, so we ended up getting a great deal.