Dryer Max Dryer Ball Review

I bought a pack of two Dryer Max dryer balls from Ontel Products Corporation ($9.99 at a local pharmacy) more than a year ago. After using them, I'm a believer-and I've purchased more.

Dryer balls are about the size of tennis balls and have small soft spikes all over. While they're a bit noisy in the dryer, they definitely work.

The idea behind the balls is that they lift and separate the damp clothing in the dryer, allowing the hot air to circulate. The soft tips fluff the clothes, eliminating the need for fabric softener. (This is especially noticeable with towels.)

Reduce static

They also reduce static. Since using the balls, I haven't had a static problem, even during the winter. I never use fabric softener or dryer sheets, preferring stiff, static-filled clothes to chemicals in my underwear, so static is an issue.

The biggest problem I've found is that the dryer balls tend to disappear. They either get folded into clothing (fitted sheets or long-sleeved tee-shirt sleeves are particularly good places for them to hide) or drop behind the dryer. In the past year, I've had one ball split. They're guaranteed for two years, however, if you choose to take them up on it.

The ads suggest that you can save hundreds of dollars over the course of the life of the product. I tried to determine how much dryer time the dryer balls saved. (The claim on the packaging is that their use will dry clothes up to 25% faster.)

I washed and dried the same load (a set of single flannel sheets, a pillow case, a bath towel, and two tee-shirts) three times: once with no dryer balls, once with two, and once with six. What I found was that after fifty minutes without dryer balls, the load, with the exception of the towel, was dry. It took another ten minutes to dry the towel.

Using two dryer balls left the clothes in a similar situation after forty minutes (the towel was still damp, and the other items were dry.) Everything was totally dry after fifty minutes. When six dryer balls were used, the towel was still slightly damp after forty minutes. Based on that, I'd estimate a time savings of 5-10% for each set of dryer balls used.

That's not a tremendous amount, but the elimination of dryer sheets or fabric softener is a money saver too.

I've noticed that heavier items, such as flannel sheets, tend to dry more thoroughly with the dryer balls. They are less likely to tangle and come out of the dryer totally dry, instead of being damp in spots.

One caution. I bought a couple dryer balls for my college-aged children to use in dorm dryers. My son used them, confirmed they saved time, but not enough to save quarters, so while they saved electricity, it didn't save enough time to reduce the amount of money he spent drying his clothes.

However, for the home user, they definitely save electricity and eliminate the need for fabric softener. I now own six dryer balls (the maximum the company suggests) and think they work great.