In the wild, sheep do not require shearing as they grow just enough wool to regulate their temperature. But modern farmed sheep are bred to overproduce wool which can result in discomfort, overheating, and even maggots laying eggs under the wool which can then eat the sheep alive. Winner: Plastic dryer balls – no cruelty to animals Noise Natur’s tumble dryer balls are designed to be considerably larger and heavier than similar products, which means that they absorb more moisture and are more successful in loosening the layers in your load of laundry. Yes! Dryer sheets and liquid fabric softeners will no longer be necessary if you start using dryer balls. Dryer balls are a natural and chemical-free alternative to dryer sheets and often prove to be much more affordable in the long run as they don’t have to be replaced very often. Do dryer balls damage the dryer?

Dryer Balls: Wool Vs Plastic (2023) - Eco Energy Geek Dryer Balls: Wool Vs Plastic (2023) - Eco Energy Geek

It has to be said, both wool dryer balls and plastic dryer balls will last you a good amount of time. In general, you will get around 1000 uses out of wool dryer balls before they start to lose shape and the fibers begin to break away. Both should last for more than 1,000 washes and are aimed at reducing drying time by between 30-40%. They are also hypoallergenic and plastic-free.

Best Tumble Dryer Balls in the UK

If you want to outfit your laundry room in one swoop, Grove will help you do it. The brand offers an all-in-one laundry set, which includes three wool dryer balls, 24 ounces of ultra-concentrated detergent that accommodates up to 33 loads, plus a sleek dispenser that measures the perfect amount of detergent each time. You also get to choose among three laundry scents and two dispenser designs. Wool dryer balls are generally sold as a 100% natural and fragrance-free product. This doesn’t mean that they can’t be used to improve the smell of your laundry though. You can simply add a few drops of your favorite essential oils to the wool balls before you use them. This is likely to be 2 to 5 years of use, depending on how often you use them. While you can recharge wool balls by washing them, when your wool dryer balls wear out, you’ll need to replace them. If you are hoping to find an equally effective and affordable product then the best option for you would be the Nuoshen dryer balls. They are not only one of the most long-lasting products on the list but are still hypoallergenic and considerably reduce drying time. Do you prefer to choose from the higher-value items? Each load was weighed before and after washing and then dried for 40 minutes on a normal cycle. For every set of dryer balls, we dried each of the three loads on a timed dry cycle and measured its post-dry weight. We used the recommended number of dryer balls based on load size. For comparison, we also dried loads with a tennis ball to see how dryer ball results fared.

Dryer Balls of 2023 - Reviewed 6 Best Dryer Balls of 2023 - Reviewed

Many scented dryer balls lose their fragrance over time. That can be a bummer—after all, you invested in a set of scented dryer balls, not a set of unscented ones. Thankfully, Woolzies found a clever way around this common problem. The brand’s Organic Wool Dryer Balls set ships with three wool dryer balls and an essential oil bottle, which you can use to perfume your dryer balls to your heart’s content. They are also a great replacement for fabric softener and will leave your clothes soft and light after your dryer cycle, as well as smelling delightful if you add a few drops of essential oil to the balls before use. Searching for a set of larger, organic dryer balls? The Company Store’s Wool Dryer Balls set is a stellar choice. They come with three dryer balls that boast a 4-inch diameter and are crafted entirely from organic New Zealand wool. While the balls are sure to make a great addition to any load of laundry, the brand recommends pairing them with your machine-washable down and down-alternative comforters for some of the best results (which a number of reviewers wholeheartedly agree with). Although plastic is famous for lasting forever, plastic dryer balls will lose effectiveness over time. As they tumble around in your dryer the spikes will gradually be worn away and the plastic dryer balls will become less effective at speeding up drying times.Also, many wool dryer balls are made from New Zealand wool. This means that there are quite a few air miles involved with the resulting carbon emissions. Because wet clothes take less time to dry, you should be careful about not running your dryer too long with dryer balls, which can create static electricity. We discovered that when using dryer balls, it is wise to reduce your normal drying time by 10 minutes to reduce static cling. If you’ve already over-dried your load, wetting the wool dryer balls and running your dryer for a few minutes should eliminate any residual static.

Wool Dryer Balls - Etsy UK Wool Dryer Balls - Etsy UK

One good tip to reduce the noise from either type of ball is to layer them in with your washing rather than simply placing them on top. This will help to reduce the noise to a more manageable level. Winner: Wool dryer balls – much quieter Fragrance Wool dryer balls are heavier than plastic ones and separate your clothes better, which leads to shorter drying times. Plastic dryer balls will not be as noisy during drying, but they did not perform as well as the wool dryer balls in our tests. Overall, we found that the plastic dryer balls we tested left clothes damp, even with longer dry times. More Articles You Might EnjoyAs I have shown above, wool dryer balls are more eco-friendly than plastic as they are a natural product that will easily biodegrade once you have finished with them. Many wool dryer ball manufacturers also try to support and provide fairly paid work to women and minority communities. It can be tough to find a set of wool dryer balls that are worth the splurge. After all, how different can two sets of wool dryer balls be? However, Food52’s Five Two Wool Dryer Balls set is amenity-filled and worth investing in. The dryer balls themselves are crafted entirely from New Zealand wool and can be used as many as 1,000 times. They boast an extra-large 3.5-inch diameter and are also available in two assorted color palettes—you can choose from a collection of vibrant colors or an array of mixed, neutral grays. Yes! If your wool dryer balls have begun to feel like they’re not working as efficiently, you can consider washing them in hot water on a gentle cycle before putting them in your tumble dryer to dry on high heat. This helps the wool to regenerate and gives the balls a longer lifespan. Do wool dryer balls really work?