Clothes dryers are found in approximately 70% of homes in the United States. The vast majority of dryers are electric (79%) or gas (19%), with less than 1% powered by propane. The energy efficiency of dryers has increased markedly over the past 20 years, owing mostly to automatic shut-off technology and the elimination of pilot lights in gas models. Efficiency ratings of electric dryers have improved by approximately 20% and gas dryers by approximately 35%. The price range for dryers in the U.S. is from about $250 to $650. The more expensive models tend to have more features.

Dryers are not labeled to show the consumer energy efficiency because all new dryers use similar amounts of energy. However, variations in efficiency today are due primarily to automatic termination controls that eliminate over drying. Many dryers offer a form of automatic shut-off but some still rely on timers. Automatic termination is accomplished in one of two ways: by sensing the temperature of the exhaust or by sensing moisture content of the laundry. Moisture sensors are generally believed to be more accurate at sensing when the clothes are dry and are therefore more effective. Other features to look for are the number of cycles that a dryer offers. The type of fabric that you are drying will determine which cycle to use and the temperature of the drying action will vary depending on the cycle.

There are also dryers that lower the temperature as the cycle nears completion in order to reduce wrinkling. End-of-cycle signals are "bells and whistles" (literally) that are also available on most models.