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.

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

When it comes to dryer balls, wool balls are the most popular choice. But both types of dryer balls can save you time and money whilst also making your clothes smell great, feel softer, and look less wrinkly. The durable dryer balls are crafted from organic wool and promise to withstand 1,000 loads of laundry. Since personal preference can vary a lot when it comes to scent, Woolzies gives you the option of three different essential oil bottles: fresh lemon, soft lavender, or tangy orange. The best part of this amenity is that you are in charge of how fragrant your dryer balls are. You can add as much, or as little, scent as you want to. However, just note that they're not the best option for static cling.

Brown recommends using three balls for small loads, four balls for medium loads, and five to six balls for larger loads. “These balls separate the garments, allowing for air to circulate," says Brown. Your dryer balls may pill over time, but it's not a cause for concern. “This does not mean they are no longer effective,” says Hay. In fact, you can pull the pills off. Thomas suggests using a sweater shaver to get the job done. 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.

The 10 Best Wool Dryer Balls of 2023 - The Spruce

By choosing wool dryer balls you may feel good that you’re doing your bit to help the environment by using a 100% natural product that’s biodegradable at the end of its useful life.However, wool isn’t without environmental impact. However, depending on which brand you choose, plastic dryer balls can have the advantage of being cheaper, longer-lasting, and vegan-friendly.If you or someone in your home prefers to avoid wool, then we have some good news: There are other dryer ball styles! From Whitmor, these small and spiked balls give you similar outcomes, but they're made from lightweight plastic instead of wool. With a 2.6-inch diameter, they're slightly smaller than the wool options on this list. However, they feature rounded spikes to effectively fluff fabric. 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. However, the presence of sheep isn’t great for the environment. Sheep production results in greenhouse gas emissions and affects soil, water, and air quality. So although wool is natural, it’s not without environmental impact. With most dryer balls—and these in particular—you don't want to send them through your washing machine, since the regular cycles can damage the wool. As long as you avoid making that mistake, they should last you for years to come. Wool dryer balls tend to come in sets of three, four, or six, and sometimes more. When shopping, you’ll want to pay attention to how many balls you're getting for a given price, to make sure you're getting your money's worth. You’ll also want to ensure that you get enough balls to support your laundry needs.

Dryer Balls - British Wool

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 If you live in a small space then any extra noise coming from your dryer is going to get on your nerves. Plastic dryer balls are definitely much noisier than wool dryer balls so this could be an important point of difference when making your choice. As 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. They come in one color, a solid blue, so they're easy to spot when you lift your dry clothes out of the dryer. Note that they're unscented, so if you were hoping to add essential oils, these won't be the best fit for you. For everyone else (and especially for fans of the color blue), we think they're a great option.verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ Plastic dryer balls are made from plastic which is a man-made substance created from petroleum and natural gas. This means that they are created from a non-renewable resource. Plastic can take hundreds of years to break down and even then there are problems with microplastics getting into the oceans and food chain. 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. Plastic dryer balls aren’t any more effective than wool ones. Both types of dryer balls offer many of the same benefits and can reduce laundry drying times but up to 30%. Choosing between wool and plastic dryer balls comes down to personal preferences and your own priorities. 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