Drying Temps-What do you use?

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partscounterman

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Jan 6, 2018
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I just want to throw a general question out there-What temperature do you set your dryers at? I am always of the mindset that dryers shrink clothes and that its best to use the lowest temp. So my Kenmore 90 series dryer has four setting-High, Medium High, Medium Low and Low. I dry most of my things on the Low setting, except towels that I dry on High. Does anyone have any opinions on this matter?
 
David, I'm kinda like you with my Maytag Dependable Care. Towels on high. Some sheets I dry on medium and some on low. Sweats and things I don't have to worry with shrinking issues also get dried on medium. Just about everything else is on low. Underware is medium and sometimes low, just depends on my mood.
 
I generally use High, mainly because I'm too lazy to change it. Once in a while I'll set it to Air Fluff for stuff that shouldn't have heat at all. And once in a blue moon I'll use Low. Then I usually end up doing a whole bunch of loads on Low because I don't think to change it back because I never use anything but High!

Doofus, non?

veg
 
I've always used the designated temp for the items being dried. High for towels and denim. Medium for sheets and perm press, or sometimes low if the mix is more toward knitted casuals. Low for bulky items that take more time to promote more even moisture removal. I washed two queen-size pillows yesterday, washed together for balance but dried separately, on Delicate/low for 80 mins each. A queen-size comforter dried on Delicate/low at normal dryness, then rearranged and run again at normal dryness. Even with the reverse tumble, *very* bulky items sometimes need a second run.

Specific temp selections depend on the dryer, some machines may run warmer than others, and auto-dry more or less sensitive.
 
High - whites
Medium- darks (and more to avoid fading than shrinkage.)
Low- on heinous poly table-cloths and real flimsy curtains.

*Shrinkage- other than Indian and Pakistani made cottons which shrink like the devil, clothes fit me better once shrunken.

Does that make me a perfect Medium? where are my Tarot cards? BOO
 
EVERYTHING is done on low heat in our house. with the Fisher Paykel, it takes the same amount or less to dry everything on low heat, plus, things last longer, towels come out fluffier and, well, nothing shrinks. I NEVER dry on any other heat setting, even if I am doing someone's laundry while babysitting, I still dry their things on low.
 
I have the exact same dryer as David...a Kenmore 90 Series, although I haven't really taken advantage of all the settings. I use High temperature for everything, and I also tend to use timed dry frequently as well since I have the drying times down for different-sized loads. Due to the fact that I wash in various machines "when the mood hits", high heat is pretty much necessary because of the spin speeds (mainly the large capacity BD Kenmore's 505 RPM...and that's normal speed). I haven't had a problem with shrinking, and I just started using liquid FS so stiffness isn't a problem either. It will be interesting to see the 1-18 dryer's performance once I get it hooked up, and the second dryer going down there will be new...

--Austin
 
I have the exact same dryer as David...a Kenmore 90 Series, although I haven't really taken advantage of all the settings. I use High temperature for everything, and I also tend to use timed dry frequently as well since I have the drying times down for different-sized loads. Due to the fact that I wash in various machines "when the mood hits", high heat is pretty much necessary because of the spin speeds (mainly the large capacity BD Kenmore's 505 RPM...and that's normal speed). I haven't had a problem with shrinking, and I just started using liquid FS so stiffness isn't a problem either. It will be interesting to see the 1-18 dryer's performance once I get it hooked up, and the second dryer going down there will be new...

--Austin
 
I use the pre-determined settings on my dryer. Usually it's "Permanent Press" with dryness set to "Regular Dry". Comforters, Denims and Towels I dry on "Regular-Heavy" and "More Dry". If there is a little bit of dampness left over, I usually hit "Air Fluff" which is 20 minutes of no heat, or using the ambient heating from the previous cycle.
Sometimes on certain items, I have to used timed drying. This is usually used on dog beds. They can fool the moisture sensor into thinking that they are dry when in fact they are not. This fixes that situation. I use "Regular-Heavy" with the timed cycle.
Sweaters and jackets get done on "Knits-Gentle" and "Regular Dry". If they are still not done, I usually hang them up in the bathroom while still slightly damp and let them air dry overnight.
 
Even though my Maytag

has "infinite" heats, and a fun little temperature slider, I use the lowest temperature or air.

I almost always use the "Intellidry" (sensor) setting, and just use the timer section for things needing just a few more minutes, like my sweaters, or when it's air.

Even on low, it takes between 35-50 minutes. Why risk shrinkage on High?

I LOVE the "Moisture Monitor" light. I think it's fun.

Since this is a TOL, the end of cycle signal is a delightful chime that dings five times.

Sometimes, I will use the Permanent Press Intellidry cycle and Press Care (extended cool down) so I can hear the chime some more.

(I would only say something like that here. Anywhere else, I would be considered a true "ding-a-ling," and the men in white with the nets would be summoned).

Don't use the rack. Lost it in a move, anyway.

Some people are amazed when they see some of my clothes. A few weeks ago at church, someone commented on a "new shirt" of mine. Yeah, it was new-- in 1999!

Lawrence/Maytagbear
 
low temp for everything

I have had bad luck with high heat. I use a kenmore dryer with 2 temps on the dial -low and "normal" I will run pillows through 6 times to get them fully dry if necessary, but I would never use high.
Temperature wise I believe the sensor is set at 135 degrees.
125 is too little heat I have found (experimented) and 150 or more is high.
I too have clothes that are 10 years old and look great because they haven't been cooked and shrank.
 
dryer settings

My 78 LK has "infinite" settings, designated, high to low

Cotton/Sturdy
Permanet Press
* (medium heat)
Knit
Delicate
Air Fluff

Generally I follow the directions on the article of clothing.
"Tumble Dry Low" seems to be a common instruction, for this I use the * or lower setting, especially if there is elastic in the item. Items I consider to be delicate get dried on that setting. Towels or stuff I don't really care about is dried on Cotton/Sturdy in the interest of speed.
 
I use knits low for all my clothes

I dry my clothes in a 2001 Whirlpool dryer with Accudry and I use the Accudry cycle set to casual and the temp set at knits low for all my clothes. I use casual med. heat for towels and sheets and I use delicate extra low for things that shouldn't have much heat like plastic shower curtains (I have found that if you use slight heat on a plastic shower curtain it comes out nicer and smoother than air drying it). I only use time dry (set at the Tumble Press setting) for removing wrinkles or set at about 40 minutes for loads so small that the won't keep in contact with the Accudry sensor. Doing this I too concur has helped my clothes stay nicer longer. PATRICK COFFEY
 
Condenser drying!! Ouch!

I have a TOL Condenser Zanussi, bought 3 months ago. Excellent dryer but have to say the temps that build up in condenser dryers are pretty hot!!
Normally permanent press go in on the easy iron programme that gives 8 minutes heat then 10 cool. I then hang up everything and let them dry naturally after that! Towels and underwear etc go in and they are done in no time at all!
 
My 2000 Maytag Neptune Gas dryer has cycles you set and name.
The choices for temp are:
regular, medium, delicate, and extra low.
dryness control:
very dry, more dry, normal dry, less dry, and damp dry.

I have a cycle called "iron damp" even though I never iron. The temp is set to regular and the dryness level is set to "damp". I start most everything except things dried on regular (high) or extra low to this cycle and when it's done I choose another cycle to finish it. Here are some of the cycles I use to finish:
surf shirts- delicate temp/normal dry
jeans'denim- delicate temp/more dry
sweaters- extra low temp/normal dry
dress slacks- delicate temp/normal dry
sheets'linen- medium temp/more dry
hoodies&swts- delicate temp/more dry

Some cycles that I use alone:
socks only- regular temp/very dry
bed blanket- medium temp/62 min. timed
pillows- regular temp/very dry (sometimes I dry blankets on the "pillows" setting and when it's done I redistribute the blanket and start it again, but then this takes 3 cycles get the blanket dry.)
rugs- extra low temp/very dry
long johns- extra low temp/very dry
dress shirts- delicate temp/less dry
towels- regular temp/normal dry
work clothes- regular temp/more dry

Other cycles:
air no heat- no temp/99 min. timed
fold later- delicate temp/less dry (when you don't have time to fold)
finish&fold- delicate temp/normal dry (when you find the time to fold)
wrinkle out- regular temp/16 min. timed

I have no problems with things shrinking.
I wish my Maytag had the Kenmore hamper door (opens like an oven) since something always falls on the floor, but I still like it.

Probably more info. than you wanted David.

--Jeff
 
I dry mostly everything on high. Towels, jeans and whites mainly.But there are certain situations that would call for low heat. I usually set a large load of cottons for about 45 to 50 minutes with no overdrying.

I will be in the market shortly for a new dryer though. Want to get a dryer by KM that more closely matches the washer in capacity.
 
On my Kenmore, everything gets Medium, except jeans, sweat clothes and towels, they get high. I use low in the winter when I am drying sweaters.

I always use the "Auto Dry I" and only use the timed setting when I use low heat (owners manual says to do that).
 
The place I'm currently living has a late '80s Kenmore Soft Heat dryer. Typically I dry towels on cottons/high and clothes on permanent press with the automatic cycle. At the laundromat I always use the highest heat to get the clothes dried fastest.
 
I'm a HIGH guy, except for delicates, when I use LOW. Rarely ever use medium. The moisture sensor in my Frigidaire is pretty good about not overdrying. I've never had a problem with fading or shrinking using high heat.
 
On my AEG condenser dryer, I use Special Care (low) for most loads (including jeans/clothes etc), standard heat (no heat options selected) for towels and sheets, and if I'm in a hurry I'll use Quick (which gives extra high heat).

That's if I use the dryer - in fact most of my laundry gets hung either on the line or on the clothes airer :-)

Take care all,

Jon :-)
 
Thanks for the feedback...

No, Jeff, that was not too much information. I like it when one of our topics gets people talking (well, writing actually)

I brought this up because Dennis swears that the dryer shrinks clothes, so I just use the lowest temp-that is, when I use the dryer. Most of the time line drying is the order of the day.

When I came back from convention, I was all into my washer and dryer again. I wanted to run some loads in the dryer to play with it, but before I got to it, Dennis had the wash all hung up. Mother Ferch trained him well!
 
Dryer shrinking clothes

I've never had a problem w/ the dryer shrinking clothes. I dry work clothes on More Dry Regular (High) heat, and work clothes are just normal clothes that are old (jeans, surf shirts, T-shirts, and sweat pants). They never shrink.

Sometimes when people start to get a little heavy; they blame the dryer for shrinking their clothes when they just don't want to admit that they need to buy a bigger size. LOL!

What do you think, David?

--Jeff
 
dryer temps

According to Maytag, their dryers have a lower heat on high than other brands have on medium or low. Maytage says that increased air flow dries at lower temps without harm to fabric. Of course, these are "real" Maytags I am referring to. Who knows what their crap does now.....
 
Perma Press

I dry everything on Perma Press. My Bosch Axxis does a good job of extracting water, so I get by with medium heat just fine, and the drying cycle doesn't run too long before shutting off. Also, I NEVER put jeans or denim shorts in the dryer. Hang-drying them seems to extend their life.
 
[color=0000ff]<blockquote>cehalstead said: According to Maytag, their dryers have a lower heat on high than other brands have on medium or low. Maytage says that increased air flow dries at lower temps without harm to fabric. Of course, these are "real" Maytags I am referring to. Who knows what their crap does now.....</blockquote>[/color]
Fisher & Paykel says that about their top-load dryer in regards to lower temp and higher airflow. I checked the temp indirectly once (by placing an instant-read meat thermometer in the lint bucket), and it was around 122°F, but I don't remember now which fabric selection -- either regular or perm press.
 
F&P reverse tumble

I always cuss at my dryer when I dry my big comforter since it balls up and the outside gets done but the inside is still "raw". I thought a reverse tumble would solve this problem. Its interesting to hear that reverse tumble machine still need some human intervention
 

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