You were  expecting the latest energy-efficient clothes dryer, right? The sad truth is, there’s very little variation in the energy efficiency of dryers (gas dryers are more efficient than electric, and there is heat-exchanger technology on the horizon that may change the game).  But in the mean time, there are lots of ways you can reduce the energy used to dry your clothes – which typically accounts for 6% of your electric bill!

Consider the clothes line.  It’s August,  85° outside, and your air-conditioning is pumping 24/7.  Do you really need to throw the beach towels in the dryer? Although it can be cumbersome to line dry all your clothes, even drying the easy stuff (towels, sheets, jeans) on the line can cut your dryer usage in half.  I like this one — the rust-resistant vinyl line retracts into the unobtrusive plastic housing.  It’s less than $10 at Amazon.com.  Don’t hang clothes over the line — fold the edge of your clothes over the line, and use clothes pins to secure them. The free swinging of clothes in the breeze keeps them from drying rigidly.  (If your towels aren’t fluffy enough on the line, pop them in the dryer for a few minutes without heat to fluff them up a little before folding.)