Let's Talk Dryers

littlegreeny · Sep 7, 2020

Bob, I have a unitized Frigidaire washer/dryer. The washer is that infamous agitub unit Eugene (and I) despise. The dryer is electric and has a moisture sensor. We currently rent and these came with the apartment. I really do not like them but have figured out what cycles will get an acceptable level of clean. I tried getting them removed so we could buy our own set but the building management wouldn't allow that.

We're house hunting and I'm still trying to decide what washer and dryer we're going to get once we have our own house.

combo52 · Sep 7, 2020

Dryer Vents

Hi Mark, there is nothing inherently wrong with a dryer venting through the roof, Is it excessively long ?, if it goes through an attic the outside of the rigid metal vent pipe needs to be heavy insulated and a proper roof cap that does not restrict the air-flow should be used.

All things considered a vent that goes up is better than one that goes down through a basement.

John L.

eurekastar · Sep 7, 2020

I have had several Whirlpool built dryers (of various marques) throughout the years. They were all durable and performed exceptionally well. I was rather disappointed with the Speed Queen dryer (that I gave to my Mom about three months ago). I loved the washer, but disliked the dryer. It performed well on timed dry but the automatic cycles took too long and tended to over dry on the normal setting and under dry on a less dry setting. I currently have an LG dryer that I'm very happy with.

[this post was last edited: 9/7/2020-20:47]

maytag85 · Sep 7, 2020

Reply #22

Speed Queen dryers are built well like you said but they tend to get quite hot and over dry things at times. My aunt had a 1999 Whirlpool Ultimate Care II set until 2016 and got a Amana (Speed Queen) set and my aunt doesn’t much care for the dryer since it gets very HOT, even more so than my new ‘63 Whirlpool dryer and I’ve used it before and it does get HOT. The dryer is gas but if it were my dryer I’d put a 18,000 btu nozzle in the burner so it would make it more gentle and that may not be the correct fix but honestly I would rather have a dryer that takes longer to dryer and is overall more gentle on clothes rather that have a dryer that gets very hot.

littlegreeny · Sep 7, 2020

Speed Queen Dryers

I wonder if the lack of a moisture sensor on all but the most expensive Speed Queen dryers is the root cause of the frustration with their performance? I'm surprised the blower assembly of Speed Queen's are plastic. I'd think a dryer that costs upwards of a $1000 would have all metal construction and a moisture sensor.

Is there something I'm missing that justifies their high price tag or are they pretty much built like any other dryer?

wayupnorth · Sep 7, 2020

I have a 1984 Maytag DE410 and thats always set at the first less dry and all the laundry comes out dry and never hot, just warm. My mother had a Bendix gas dryer as a kid with a 0-60 timer and a huge burner that broiled the laundry and it ran HOT.

agiflow4 · Sep 7, 2020

I had a 2013 Speed Queen dryer I left at my old house. It dried well on the *setting on regular/permanent press cycle with any loads. Was a good dryer and quite sturdily built. Much more so than my current Amana but the Amana dries well also. I like having the lint filter on top again. Missed that with my old Whirlpool dryer.

appnut · Sep 7, 2020

Patrick, your Amana dryer is produced by Whirlpool.

agiflow4 · Sep 8, 2020

Oh yeah I knew that Bob. No there manufacturer ever had a pull out lint filter on the top of the machine. Would be nice if they had made the drum with the integrated baffle they used to have.

gelaundry4ever · Sep 8, 2020

whirlpool 29 inch dryers

had a distinct blower hum you could hear. I'm talking about the ones that the typical match to the direct drive washers.

maytag85 · Sep 8, 2020

Reply #28

When you say integrated baffles on the 29” dryers are you referring the the stamped baffles like on my ‘63 Whirlpool Imperial dryer?

agiflow4 · Sep 8, 2020

Yes indeed Sean.

cleanteamofny · Sep 8, 2020

What makes a good and safe dryer?

Dryers are as safe as long every laundry machine owners do the once a year maintenance cleaning to reduce interior cabinet and exhaust duct lint buildup that could cause a dryer fire.

It seems like a moisture sensor is a must-have as well as a metal blower housing. 

It depends on the specks of the MFG's as well of the price we are willing to pay for units.

Moisture sensors are better at detecting moister in the load over an exhaust thermostatic sensor.

Is gas better than electric and why?

This is an on the fence answer:

Both get the job done.

Gas tends to leave a little moister in the load where electric tends to slightly (by a small margin) over dry.

Gas dryer is cheaper to run over electric but the drawback is the scent of burning gas is left on the load and can be most pronounced if the gas company adds too much mercaptan.

Who makes the best dryers and why? 

Everyone has their personal favorite dryer and since I've owned both 29" and 27" Kenmore's made by Whirlpool.

For me, they both win hands down.

1. For speed

2. Flexible drying temps.

3. Capacity

4. Longevity and easy to service

maytag85 · Sep 8, 2020

Reply #31

For some reason the lint screen never really seems to get full on my ‘63 Whirlpool Imperial dryer even with things such as towels which generally generate a lot of lint. I can literally clean the lint screen after every couple of loads but I usually clean it after each load I dry in it just because. Sometimes there is NO to very little lint when I dry small loads of laundry in it.

littlegreeny · Sep 8, 2020

Thanks Larry for your detailed reply.

I totally agree about cleaning the dryer. Yesterday I took mine apart and was stunned by the amount of lint inside. We've lived in this rental for seven years (moved in when it was brand new) and I never took it apart to clean it. The vent has also never been cleaned but I don't have a means to do that. Unfortunately our building maintenance is non-existent so they'd never clean the dryers or the vents.

combo52 · Sep 8, 2020

Dryer Fires

Are not caused by lint build-up on the bottom of a dryer or minor build-up in the exhaust duct etc.

Major warning signs that you are at risk of a fire are

1 a dryer that takes MUCH longer t dry a load than it did originally

2 a dryer that is extremely noisy, also one that has been catching and damaging clothing

Yes it is nice to clean and lubricate a dryer once in awhile but unless it is drying 5-10 loads a day you are wasting you time to do it every year and may be damaging the machine by taking it apart that often.

. For average users of around 5- 10 loads a week with none of the problems listed above I might think about service every 5-10 years and depending how bad it looks adjust your cleaning schedule accordingly.

John L.

DADoES · Sep 8, 2020

This was the first disassembly of my 2004 SmartLoad in January 2014, age 9 years 3 months. I was surprised at how little lint had leaked out of the mechanism, although there was an accumulation in the filter housing (last pic), which is part of why I was servicing it.

2nd pic, there's a clean swipe on top of the motor control module.

Plastic everywhere ... !