Consumer Review of Bounce Dryer Bar: Does it Really Work as Promised?

I had seen commercials for the Bounce Dryer Bar and wondered how it would work for me. The price was twice what I would normally pay for my favorite box of fabric softener sheets, but I decided to give it a try because my husband was probably tired of me forgetting to toss in the fabric softener sheets anyway. I paid about $5 for a 2 month Bounce Dryer Bar at Walmart because I didn't want to commit to the more expensive 4-month version until I was sure that I liked the product.

How long did the Bounce Dryer Bar really last?

In this respect, I was mightily disappointed. I marked my calendar and found that I got a mere 3 weeks use out of the 2-month Bounce Dryer Bar that I bought. In the interest of full disclosure, we are a family of four - the typical American family. I didn't go overboard washing extra clothes, towels, sheets, blankets or other items. There is a disclaimer on the box that the 2 and 4 month usage advertised is variable, depending on usage and dryer settings.

I have seen other Bounce Dryer Bar reviews online where the consumer did eke out the full amount of time advertised for the product, but that was not the case for me. Within about 2 weeks of usage, I could see the beginnings of the word "REPLACE" and I knew the product would not last much longer.

How did the Bounce Dryer Bar smell?

I liked the scent, especially at the beginning of my 3 weeks usage of the product. However, over time, it seemed to lose the scent. I am a consumer who uses fabric softener sheets mainly for scent. When I do my laundry, I want it to smell good after drying. The Bounce Dryer Bar just didn't have the scent staying power that I was expecting. On the plus side, I didn't have any problems with static cling.

Troubleshooting problems with the Bounce Dryer Bar

Like other users, I did have an issues related to its use. The first time I used it, it did come out of its sleeve. I chalk that up to user error, as I likely didn't snap that bar completely into place. To avoid a loose bar clunking inside your machine, I suggest making sure it is firmly locked into place before adhering the the product to the drum.

My second issue was that by the end of the third week of use, the sleeve had come detached from the drum. It is possible to re-attach, but at that point, there wasn't much life left in the bar anyway, so I just threw it away.

Finally, my bar did attract dark lint that stuck to the bar. This didn't overly concern me and I peeled it off when I noticed it getting built up on the bar itself. Most of my laundry is dark clothing, so it was not unusual to me to see lint on the product after several loads of dark laundry.

Overall impression of Bounce Dryer Bar

I love the concept of this product because I often forget to use fabric softener sheets. I do think that the strength of the scent should be addressed as I did not feel it was strong enough. I actually wish that Snuggle would make a similar product because I would definitely buy that to try. I didn't like the length of time that it lasted, but feel that perhaps my dryer settings were not optimal for its use. I didn't really expect to get the full 2 months out of the product, but I did expect to get more than just 3 weeks of use.

Would I buy it again? If product improvements were made, I would consider purchasing the Bounce Dryer Bar again. For the time being, though, I have gone back to fabric softener sheets.

Sources:
Rachel Ellis' review: New Bounce Dryer Bar Fabric Softener for Your Laundry: A Thorough Review
www.bounceeverwhere.com product information