9 best tumble dryers for the freshest clothes

Score: 91/100

This isn’t the cheapest heat pump on our list, but it put in an impressive performance on test. It has a clutter-free digital display that’s clear to follow. There’s also a bright drum light, a start delay feature, a straightforward child lock and an accompanying rack dryer.

As well as ticking our boxes when it comes to features, the machine scored full marks for its economical energy consumption and effective drying. Our polycotton washing emerged crease-free too (although the same can’t be said for cotton). Testers would have liked a slightly quicker-to-empty water tank but when it came to overall ease of use, this machine was hard to fault.

Score: 90/100

Perhaps more than any other brand, Russell Hobbs’ entry into the heat pump market shows just how widespread this more economical technology is becoming, and it means you can enjoy all its benefits for a lower price. Testers found the dryer easy to use, with a clear control dial, multiple quick cycles, delay start, and an easy-to-empty water tank.

It’s not the most premium model we tested, but it scored full marks for its energy efficiency when tackling both cotton and polycotton, and everything was thoroughly dried, too. Not to mention, there was only light creasing, so your clothes would iron in a jiffy. It’s an outstanding entry level heat pump machine.

Score: 88/100

This is a thoughtfully designed heat pump tumble dryer that makes drying your clothes effortless. There’s a wide porthole for easy-loading, and you can swap which side the door opens from to suit your utility room or kitchen. Emptying the water tank was also seamless. Its instructions are detailed and clear, but note that the programme dial only turns in a clockwise direction, which can be a faff if you miss your desired setting.

What about its drying capabilities? Testers found it removed an average of 99% of water from both cotton and polycotton, with no damp spots in either load. As a result, it scored full marks for the evenness of its drying. It also impressed with how little electricity it used (again scoring 100%) and programmes were completed in the advertised time too, although there was some light creasing. An ideal buy for households with large loads.

Score: 87/100

This foolproof, do-it-all tumble dryer aims to minimise wear and tear by up to 40%, making it a top choice if you frequently wash and dry delicate garments such as wool knits, silk shirts and lingerie.

Its 15 programmes include one for cuddly toys (caring for those precious teddies!) and there’s an anti-allergy setting too. It removed all the water from our sodden clothes fairly efficiently in terms of both energy and time, though it proved faster at drying polycotton than cotton.

We did find its sensor technology unreliable at times and it has a fairly basic design, but it’s well built overall, looks good and comes at a reasonable price.

Score: 86/100

If you point blank refuse to install any more ugly white goods, consider this sophisticated Samsung machine, which dried our load thoroughly every time. It functions intuitively, so don’t panic if tech isn’t your thing, but you’ll need to go online if you require more detailed instructions than the vague in-box guide provides.

Its energy consumption was remarkably low, especially on a polycotton cycle, and its ‘fluff collector’ was satisfyingly effective, but its drying times were among the longest on test, which may pose a problem if your household is big and busy.

It’s a good choice if you have an allergy sufferer in the family, though, thanks to the high temperature HygieneCare programme, and its smart connectivity lets you control it from the sofa via an app – ideal when you’re simply too comfortable to move.

Score: 85/100

Another great value heat pump tumble dryer, this has a large digital display that makes it easy to see at a glance how your load is progressing. The rest of its controls are also clearly labelled and easy to understand, which is handy as the instructions are written in a small font and crammed with slightly confusing diagrams. The buttons could have been more responsive too.

The door design makes it easy to load your laundry, and testers liked the ‘Push and Go’ programme, which allows you to quickly start a short two-hour cycle. The dryer was fairly economical to run on test (especially with polycotton), while both cycles tested removed every last drop of water from our loads, earning them full marks. Our clothing wasn’t too creased either, although you may still need an iron or steamer for some garments. With its simple interface and reliable drying, this is an accessible buy.

Score: 84/100

Uniquely, this tumble dryer allows you to inject a dose of fragrance into your laundry, so all your clothes emerge dry and freshly scented. Testers found this function simple to use, trialling it with a wool coat, which emerged minus its previously musty smell. The drum is also clearly lit and removing and emptying the water tank was effortless.

The cycle running time estimates were accurate, and the machine calculates how much energy each cycle uses – although there was a slight discrepancy with our lab meters. The cotton cycle was more efficient than the polycotton one, but the latter left our clothes less creased. Testers also praised how quiet the machine was. A real all-rounder.

Score: 84/100

This tumble dryer alternates the direction of the drum’s rotations to stop clothes from tangling, making it a great bet if you’re losing precious time sorting your sheets after a wash. It has a big drum and there’s even a rack for drying more delicate items like shoes.

The LCD screen is very clear, while its accompanying app is intuitively designed and gives you access to more programmes, including cold air and overnight drying. In fact, testers found it quiet and energy efficient.

Their only flag is that they noticed a discrepancy between the amount of time a cycle was said to take and the reality – they all took a fair bit longer (by over an hour for one test), so plan in a decent buffer if you’re drying something you're planning to wear that day. Clothes weren’t that creased though, so at least you won’t need to iron them before you dash out the door!

Score: 80/100

This tumble dryer has one of the biggest capacities we’ve tested, making it a savvy choice for busy households with towering laundry piles. It’s also smart, so you can easily connect it to your phone and receive notifications, adjust some settings, or keep an eye on its energy consumption. There’s even an AI cycle, which will analyse your load and adjust the settings to suit.

On test, our experts found it easy to use, from loading to final notification – even when emptying the water tank. The cycle times weren’t always the most accurate, and when drying cotton, our testers found it removed a bit too much moisture – so you may want to play around with the settings depending on what you’re washing. Testers liked the polycotton cycle though.

It’s A*** rated, so it should have good efficiency (something we saw on test too), and it wasn’t too noisy – we recorded highs of 62dB, the same as advertised.