The most common tumble dryer problems, from 9,359 verified buyers

1. The most common tumble dryer problem owners report: “Clothes still damp, or slow to dry”, raised in 42% of the 1 to 3 star reviews, followed by “Broke down or developed a fault” (7%).
2. What happy owners praise most: “Dries well and gently”, in 21% of the 4 and 5 star reviews we read.
3. 94% of verified buyers rated their tumble dryer 4 or 5 stars, against 93% across every product type in our study; tumble dryers rank 12 of 37 for happy buyers.
4. 4% gave 1 or 2 stars, about 1 buyer in 25.
5. Across the 7 tumble dryers with 30 or more ratings, the share of happy buyers ran from 64% to 98%.
6. Paying more did not disappoint more buyers: the pricier half of these tumble dryers had a median of 95% happy buyers, against 91% for the cheaper half (up to £369).
7. Owners agree with experts here: models whose expert reviews earned our “great choice” verdict had a median of 95% happy buyers, against 84% for “good with caveats”.
8. Buyers in the UK were the happiest (95% at 4 or 5 stars), and buyers in the US and Canada the least (75%).

Share of the 601 reviews of 1 to 3 stars that raise each problem, grouped across models. What to check before you buy.

1. 1. Clothes still damp, or slow to dry42%
   Came up on 6 models
2. 2. Broke down or developed a fault7%
   Came up on 3 models
3. 3. Confusing controls, no time display5%
   Came up on 4 models
4. 4. Stops mid-cycle or keeps asking for the filter or tank5%
   Came up on 3 models
5. 5. Noisy4%
   Came up on 2 models

The problems above, most common first, and how to avoid each one. Our advice; the order comes from the reviews.

1. 1. Clothes still damp, or slow to dry (42% of complaints)

   Heat pump dryers are cheap to run but slow, and sensor programmes stop early with small or mixed loads. Spin clothes fast first, clean the filters every load, and don't overfill.

2. 2. Broke down or developed a fault (7% of complaints)

   Faults usually show in the first weeks, so buy from a shop with an easy returns policy, register the guarantee and keep the receipt. A longer maker's guarantee is worth paying a little for.

3. 3. Confusing controls, no time display (5% of complaints)

   Look at the control panel in photos: some show only lights, not the time left.

4. 4. Stops mid-cycle or keeps asking for the filter or tank (5% of complaints)

   Clean the lint filter every load and the condenser often; if it can't drain to a pipe, you'll empty the water tank after each load.

5. 5. Noisy (4% of complaints)

   If it will run near a bedroom, a desk or the TV, look for a published noise figure (in decibels) and read what reviewers say about it on its normal setting.

Share of the 320 newest 4 and 5 star reviews we read that praise each point.

1. 1. Dries well and gently21%
   Came up on 7 models
2. 2. Quiet20%
   Came up on 7 models
3. 3. Easy to set up and use14%
   Came up on 5 models
4. 4. Cheap to run8%
   Came up on 4 models
5. 5. Fits a small space or a normal socket7%
   Came up on 2 models

Regions with 30 or more ratings, by where the shop is. Shops in each region sell different models, so a gap can come from the models as much as from the buyers.