Drying times: not all clothes dryers are as quick and convenient as you might hope. CHOICE finds out which models do the job well--and fastest.(Test:

In a country the size of Australia, the need for a clothes dryer fluctuates wildly from Tasmania through to the dry interior. But there is no arguing that when you need your clothes dried quickly, and in the absence of a clothes line or space for drying outdoors, dryers are extremely convenient.

CHOICE tested nine clothes dryers and included in the table on page 44 six previously tested models, two of which are gas powered and still on the market. All dryers on test have either a timer or sensor plus timer, and are vented (see What to Look For, page 45), which means they blow out the hot, damp air, unlike condenser dryers, which collect the water that evaporates from your clothes. All the dryers on test do the job that's required of them, so choosing one that's right for you comes down to capacity, drying time, environmental impact and how much you want to pay.

Safety first--automatic dryer doors

While it's convenient for the dryer to turn on automatically when you shut the door, a child climbing into the dryer and shutting the door behind them is a horrible but very real possibility. Dryers with this function are not really suitable for homes with small children or regular young visitors. >

nutshell

* Four of the models on test have a "start on door shut" function, which is not recommended if you have curious children.

* Don't expect one full twist of the timer to completely dry your clothes--one model on test didn't.

HOW WE TEST

Performance Our testers put a standard wet Load of washing (size depends on the dryer's capacity) into the dryer and measure how long it takes to dry and how much energy is used. If the dryer has a sensor to determine when the clothes are dry and automatically turn off, they use it; otherwise they test using the timer.

Ease of use is assessed according to how easy the controls are to use and how easy the filter is to access and clean.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

What to buy

Less than 5kg

BEST BUY

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

72% Simpson 39P400M

PRICE $399

GOOD POINTS

* Excellent for ease of use.

* Can be wall-mounted or stacked.

BAD POINTS

* None to mention.

5kg to 7kg continued

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

GREEN BUY

73% Rinnai Dry-Soft 6

PRICE $1799

GOOD POINTS

* Low C[O.sub.2] contribution.

* Sensor and timer drying.

* Fast drying.

* Can be wall mounted or stacked.

BAD POINTS

* The controls and filter are badly positioned if the dryer is floor-mounted.

* Requires a gas outlet in your laundry.

* No reverse tumble.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

5kg to 7kg

7% Simpson 39S600M

PRICE $619

GOOD POINTS

* Excellent for ease of use.

* Can be wall-mounted or stacked.

* Best overall performer in any size range.

BAD POINTS

* None to mention.

Larger than 7kg

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

GREEN BUY

70% Kleenmaid LGK37AWF3060

PRICE $2999

GOOD POINTS

* Low C[O.sub.2] contribution.

* Excellent for ease of use.

* Sensor and timer drying.

BAD POINTS

* Can only be located on the floor.

* Requires a gas outlet in your laundry.

* Expensive.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

74% Simpson 39S500M

PRICE $519

GOOD POINTS

* Excellent for ease of use.

* Can be wall-mounted or stacked.

BAD POINTS

* None to mention.

About the rest

* The Electrolux EDE605A, Westinghouse LD605E and Kleenmaid KED301 all have excellent ease of use scores, but their purchase price is higher than the other models with a similar overall score.

* The Westinghouse LD505E has excellent ease of use and no bad points to mention, but isn't quite as good as the top models due to a slightly lower drying time score.

* The Bosch is the fourth most expensive after the Rinnai Dry-Soft 6 and Kleenmaid models.

* All the Fisher & Paykel models do the job, but the DE35F56AW1 and DE45F56AW1 models start automatically when the door closes and have only OK energy efficiency scores. The DE45F56EW1 also has an OK energy efficiency score, while the DE60F60EW1 is not wall-mountable--but is stackable--and, at three hours 12 minutes, has the longest drying cycle.

* Both Homemaker models scored less than 60% for drying time and start automatically. Cleaning the filters of both machines is also complicated.

* The Haier model cannot be ducted, but is equal quietest with the Electrolux, Bosch and Westinghouse models.

FOR PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY

An occupational therapist from the Independent Living Centre, NSW, assessed the dryers' suitability for people with certain disabilities.

* If you're a wheelchair user, the Bosch is most suitable if it is wall-mounted and its door can be set to open to the left or the right. Both Homemaker models would be better if they were raised.

* For a person with back pain, the Rinnai and Homemaker models are not suitable because their filters are at the back and hard to reach.

* For someone with upper limb dysfunction, the dial-controlled Bosch and Simpson models or digital-controlled Westinghouse LD605E and LDS05E would all be suitable, so long as they're located off the floor. Due to a smaller drum, a dryer with a Lower capacity has better access and reach.

* The Haler and Westinghouse models would all be suitable for people with vision impairment as they have better contrast on their control panels and audio feedback when selecting a program.

* The Homemaker models are suitable for those with a cognitive impairment as they have very simple controls. Alternatively, the Haler has one-button operation if pre-programmed.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

What to look for

ESSENTIAL DRYER FEATURES

* Controls Some dryers have a timer that is set manually, while others have a sensor that detects when a load has reached a preset dryness level and automatically switches off. Some auto-sensing dryers have a manual timer as well.

* Filters Dryer filters collect fluff quickly and need regular cleaning, so it's helpful if the filter is at the front. While most filters are on or near the door, those in the Rinnai and Homemaker models are located at the rear of the drum, and are hard to reach to remove and refit if they are floor-mounted or mounted too high.

* Wall-mountable or stackable on top of a front-loading washing machine Mounting a dryer on the wall or putting it on top of a washing machine saves space in your laundry. The Kleenmaid gas dryer and Bosch can only be installed on the floor.

* Reverse tumbling The drum reverses the direction of tumbling at regular intervals to minimise tangling while evenly drying clothes.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

A drying rack can be mounted inside some models to hold items you don't want to tumble, such as gym shoes or delicates.

Vents/ducting How the moist, hot air from the dryer gets out of your laundry is important to prevent dripping walls and mouldy ceilings. If you have an exhaust fan or can put your dryer near a window, you may not need to worry about it; otherwise you're likely to need a venting kit. Some dryers come with one; while for others it's an optional extra (aside from the Haler, which cannot be ducted at all). However, not all ducting kits suit all situations. Discuss the installation with the sales staff to make sure you get what you need. Some dryers that have a vent at the front to exhaust the air cannot be ducted, making an exhaust fan or window more important. The table below shows which dryers are front-vented and whether they can be ducted.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

What to buy [$]

Our What to Buy list includes models in each size bracket,
and of these, Best Buys are the cheapest to buy and run.
We've nominated the gas dryers as Green Buys, since
they're the best option if you're interested in reducing
[CO.sub.2] emissions. The Rinnai is also cheaper to run than
the rest, but expensive to buy and install.

LESS THAN 5KG
Simpson 39P400M [BEST BUY] $399

5KG TO 7KG
Simpson 39S600M $619
Simpson 39S500M [GREEN BUY] $519
Rlnnai Dry-Soft 6 [GREEN BUY] $1,799

LARGER THAN 7KG
Kleenmaid LGK37AWF3060 [GREEN BUY] $2,999

PRODUCT PERFORMANCE

Energy Drying
Overall efficiency time
Brand / model (in rank order) score (%) score (%) score (%)

LESS THAN 5KG

Simpson 39P400M 72 67 67
# Fisher & Paykel DE45F56EW1 69 67 60
# Fisher & Paykel DE45F56AW1 69 64 62
# Fisher & Paykel DE35F56AW1 66 62 62
# Homemaker HM4088 (A) 66 71 55

5KG TO 7KG

# Simpson 39S600M 76 73 70
Electrolux EDE605A 74 75 66
Westinghouse LD605E 74 75 66
# Kleenmaid KED301 74 71 68
Simpson 39S500M 74 70 69
Bosch WTA3003AU (A) 73 71 67
Rinnai Dry-Soft 6 73 58 80
Westinghouse LD505E 73 72 65
# Fisher & Paykel DE60F60EW1 71 69 63
# Haier HDY60 71 67 63
# Homemaker HMDGJY60 (A) 70 77 59

LARGER THAN 7KG

Kleenmaid LGK37AWF3060 70 46 82

PRODUCT PERFORMANCE

Ease Cycle
of use time Noise
Brand / model (in rank order) score (%) (minutes) (dB)

LESS THAN 5KG

Simpson 39P400M 93 103 54
# Fisher & Paykel DE45F56EW1 92 145 58
# Fisher & Paykel DE45F56AW1 93 135 58
# Fisher & Paykel DE35F56AW1 82 106 58
# Homemaker HM4088 (A) 78 145 58

5KG TO 7KG

# Simpson 39S600M 93 139 57
Electrolux EDE605A 90 160 53
Westinghouse LD605E 90 160 53
# Kleenmaid KED301 93 128 55
Simpson 39S500M 93 122 54
Bosch WTA3003AU (A) 90 128 53
Rinnai Dry-Soft 6 88 88 59
Westinghouse LD505E 90 138 53
# Fisher & Paykel DE60F60EW1 93 192 57
# Haier HDY60 93 175 53
# Homemaker HMDGJY60 (A) 77 182 63

LARGER THAN 7KG

Kleenmaid LGK37AWF3060 93 117 56

PRODUCT FEATURES
Wall-mountable/
Brand / model (in rank order) Controls Stackable

LESS THAN 5KG

Simpson 39P400M Timer [check] / [check]
# Fisher & Paykel DE45F56EW1 Sensor + timer [check] / --
# Fisher & Paykel DE45F56AW1 Timer [check] / --
# Fisher & Paykel DE35F56AW1 Timer [check] / --
# Homemaker HM4088 (A) Timer [check] / --

5KG TO 7KG

# Simpson 39S600M Timer [check] / [check]
Electrolux EDE605A Sensor + timer [check] / [check]
Westinghouse LD605E Sensor + timer [check] / [check]
# Kleenmaid KED301 Timer [check] / [check]
Simpson 39S500M Timer [check] / [check]
Bosch WTA3003AU (A) Timer -- / [check]
Rinnai Dry-Soft 6 Sensor + timer [check] / [check]
Westinghouse LD505E Sensor + timer [check] / [check]
# Fisher & Paykel DE60F60EW1 Sensor + timer -- / [check]
# Haier HDY60 Timer [check] / --
# Homemaker HMDGJY60 (A) Timer [check] / --

LARGER THAN 7KG

Kleenmaid LGK37AWF3060 Sensor + timer -- / --

PRODUCT FEATURES

Reverse Drying
Brand / model (in rank order) tumbling rack

LESS THAN 5KG

Simpson 39P400M [check]
# Fisher & Paykel DE45F56EW1 [check] Supplied
# Fisher & Paykel DE45F56AW1 [check] Optional
# Fisher & Paykel DE35F56AW1 [check]
# Homemaker HM4088 (A)

5KG TO 7KG

# Simpson 39S600M [check]
Electrolux EDE605A [check]
Westinghouse LD605E [check]
# Kleenmaid KED301 [check] Optional
Simpson 39S500M [check]
Bosch WTA3003AU (A) [check] ns
Rinnai Dry-Soft 6 ns
Westinghouse LD505E [check]
# Fisher & Paykel DE60F60EW1 [check]
# Haier HDY60 Supplied
# Homemaker HMDGJY60 (A)

LARGER THAN 7KG

Kleenmaid LGK37AWF3060 ns Supplied

PRODUCT FEATURES

Brand / model (in rank order) Temperature settings

LESS THAN 5KG

Simpson 39P400M Warm, hot
# Fisher & Paykel DE45F56EW1 Airing, low, regular
# Fisher & Paykel DE45F56AW1 Regular, synthetics / delicates
# Fisher & Paykel DE35F56AW1 Regular, synthetics / delicates
# Homemaker HM4088 (A) Soft, strong

5KG TO 7KG

# Simpson 39S600M Warm, hot
Electrolux EDE605A Delicates, normal, airing
Westinghouse LD605E Delicates, normal, airing
# Kleenmaid KED301 Low, high
Simpson 39S500M Warm, hot
Bosch WTA3003AU (A) Cupboard dry, iron dry, law heat
Rinnai Dry-Soft 6 General, extra soft, thick, delicate
Westinghouse LD505E Delicates, normal, airing
# Fisher & Paykel DE60F60EW1 Extra dry, delicates, ready to wear,
ready to iron, freshen up
# Haier HDY60 Hot, cold
# Homemaker HMDGJY60 (A) Soft, strong

LARGER THAN 7KG

Kleenmaid LGK37AWF3060 Delicate, less dry, more dry

PRODUCT FEATURES

Air exhaust Ducting
Brand / model (in rank order) (vent) location kit

LESS THAN 5KG

Simpson 39P400M Front (rear optional) Optional
# Fisher & Paykel DE45F56EW1 Rear Optional
# Fisher & Paykel DE45F56AW1 Rear Optional
# Fisher & Paykel DE35F56AW1 Front na
# Homemaker HM4088 (A) Rear Supplied

5KG TO 7KG

# Simpson 39S600M Front or rear Optional
Electrolux EDE605A Front (rear optional) Optional
Westinghouse LD605E Front (rear optional) Optional
# Kleenmaid KED301 Front or rear Optional
Simpson 39S500M Front (rear optional) Optional
Bosch WTA3003AU (A) Rear Supplied
Rinnai Dry-Soft 6 Top panel Supplied
Westinghouse LD505E Front (rear optional) Optional
# Fisher & Paykel DE60F60EW1 Rear Supplied
# Haier HDY60 Front door na
# Homemaker HMDGJY60 (A) Rear Supplied

LARGER THAN 7KG

Kleenmaid LGK37AWF3060 Rear Supplied

PRODUCT FEATURES

Units
Filter starts on
Brand / model (in rank order) location door shut

LESS THAN 5KG

Simpson 39P400M Inside front
# Fisher & Paykel DE45F56EW1 Inside front
# Fisher & Paykel DE45F56AW1 Inside front [check]
# Fisher & Paykel DE35F56AW1 Door [check]
# Homemaker HM4088 (A) Inside rear [check]

5KG TO 7KG

# Simpson 39S600M Inside front
Electrolux EDE605A Inside front
Westinghouse LD605E Inside front
# Kleenmaid KED301 Inside door
Simpson 39S500M Inside front
Bosch WTA3003AU (A) Inside front
Rinnai Dry-Soft 6 Inside rear
Westinghouse LD505E Inside front
# Fisher & Paykel DE60F60EW1 Inside front
# Haier HDY60 Door
# Homemaker HMDGJY60 (A) Inside rear [check]

LARGER THAN 7KG

Kleenmaid LGK37AWF3060 Inside front

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

Capacity Dimension
Brand / model (in rank order) Type (kg) (cm, W x H x D)

LESS THAN 5KG

Simpson 39P400M Electric 4.0 60 x 80 x 51
# Fisher & Paykel DE45F56EW1 Electric 4.5 57 x 81 x 56
# Fisher & Paykel DE45F56AW1 Electric 4.5 57 x 81 x 56
# Fisher & Paykel DE35F56AW1 Electric 3.5 57 x 81 x 44
# Homemaker HM4088 (A) Electric 4.0 60 x 70 x 44

5KG TO 7KG

# Simpson 39S600M Electric 6.0 61 x 80 x 62
Electrolux EDE605A Electric 6.0 60 x 80 x 60
Westinghouse LD605E Electric 6.0 60 x 80 x 60
# Kleenmaid KED301 Electric 5.0 60 x 85 x 53
Simpson 39S500M Electric 5.0 60 x 80 x 55
Bosch WTA3003AU (A) Electric 5.0 60 x 85 x 53
Rinnai Dry-Soft 6 Gas 6.0 65 x 69 x 53
Westinghouse LD505E Electric 5.0 60 x 80 x 56
# Fisher & Paykel DE60F60EW1 Electric 6.0 60 x 85 x 57
# Haier HDY60 Electric 6.0 60 x 83 x 56
# Homemaker HMDGJY60 (A) Electric 5.5 60 x 70 x 57

LARGER THAN 7KG

Kleenmaid LGK37AWF3060 Gas 9.0 69 x 108 x 71

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

Brand / model (in rank order) Contact

LESS THAN 5KG

Simpson 39P400M www.simpson.com.au
# Fisher & Paykel DE45F56EW1 www.fp.com.au
# Fisher & Paykel DE45F56AW1 www.fp.com.au
# Fisher & Paykel DE35F56AW1 www.fp.com.au
# Homemaker HM4088 (A) www.kmart.com.au

5KG TO 7KG

# Simpson 39S600M www.simpson.com.au
Electrolux EDE605A www.electrolux.com.au
Westinghouse LD605E www.westinghouse.com.au
# Kleenmaid KED301 www.kleenmaid.com.au
Simpson 39S500M www.simpson.com.au
Bosch WTA3003AU (A) www.boschappliances.com.au
Rinnai Dry-Soft 6 www.rinnai.com.au
Westinghouse LD505E www.westinghouse.com.au
# Fisher & Paykel DE60F60EW1 www.fp.com.au
# Haier HDY60 www.haier.com.au
# Homemaker HMDGJY60 (A) www.kmart.com.au

LARGER THAN 7KG

Kleenmaid LGK37AWF3060 www.kleenmaid.com.au

PRODUCT COSTS

Running costs
Brand / model (in rank order) ($/10 years) Price ($)

LESS THAN 5KG

Simpson 39P400M 865 399
# Fisher & Paykel DE45F56EW1 1064 599
# Fisher & Paykel DE45F56AW1 999 499
# Fisher & Paykel DE35F56AW1 794 429
# Homemaker HM4088 (A) 822 299

5KG TO 7KG

# Simpson 39S600M 1212 619
Electrolux EDE605A 1308 669
Westinghouse LD605E 1308 639
# Kleenmaid KED301 960 1499
Simpson 39S500M 1049 519
Bosch WTA3003AU (A) 991 899
Rinnai Dry-Soft 6 621 1799
Westinghouse LD505E 1123 569
# Fisher & Paykel DE60F60EW1 1380 699
# Haier HDY60 1276 499
# Homemaker HMDGJY60 (A) 999 499

LARGER THAN 7KG

Kleenmaid LGK37AWF3060 1017 2999

USING THE TABLE

Scores The overall score is
made up of:
* Energy efficiency: 40%
* Drying time: 40
* Ease of use: 20%
The energy efficiency
score takes into account
only the energy used at the
point of connection in your
home; if we also included
the production of energy,
the gas dryers would
improve significantly.
Features See What to Look
For, above, for more on the
features in the table.
Running costs This is
based on drying a full
load three times a week
(156 times a year) for 10
years. It's calculated on
electricity at $0.17 per kWh
and gas at $0.016588 per
megajoule (equivalent to
$0.06 per kWh).
Price Recommended retail,
as of January 2009.

TABLE NOTES

(A) Discontinued, Gut may still
be available in some stores.
# Newly tested models.
na Not available.
ns Not stated.
[] Square brackets indicate
models that are technically
similar and have the same
performance scores; differences
are minor or cosmetic.

Source Citation:"Drying times: not all clothes dryers are as quick and convenient as you might hope. CHOICE finds out which models do the job well--and fastest.(Test: Clothes dryers)." Choice (Chippendale, Australia) (April 2009): 42(4). Academic OneFile. Gale. BROWARD COUNTY LIBRARY. 13 Oct. 2009
.