8 Features a New Dryer Has That Your Old One Doesn't

By Shelley Frost

September 29, 2025

A clothes dryer serves a fairly basic function, but modern appliance models are anything but basic. If you're in the market for a new dryer, you'll notice all sorts of bells and whistles you can choose from. While some newer features come standard, others are upgrades that you only get on higher-end models (which also come with a higher price tag). In the end, you'll want to decide which advanced features are worth the price for extra convenience.

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Features of New Clothes Dryers

If you haven't upgraded your dryer in several years, you may be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of feature options on newer models. Here are the common upgrades available.

Energy Efficiency

Perhaps one of the biggest differences you'll notice if you replace an older model with a new dryer is how much less energy it uses. Dryers just generally use less energy, but they also have many energy-saving features, like ventless dryers that reuse heat and moisture sensors to limit running time. You can also find Energy Star-rated dryers to ensure you're getting a model that meets rigid energy-efficiency standards.

Smart Connectivity

Smart dryers with internet connectivity allow you to monitor what's happening remotely via an app. It's easy to check on the status of the load or control the dryer settings from afar. Many smart dryers also integrate with your smart home system, allowing you to use voice commands to control the machine.

Moisture Sensors

Modern gas and electric dryers often feature moisture sensors that adjust the drying time accordingly. Older dryers run for a specified time period, regardless of how dry the clothes become. This can lead to overdrying or underdrying, which can potentially damage clothes or leave them damp.

When a dryer is equipped with moisture sensors, it only runs as long as necessary to dry the clothes. It can keep your clothes lasting longer by not drying them too much, and it saves energy by shortening the drying time in some cases.

Steam Cycles

A steam cycle on a dryer helps reduce wrinkles and static on wet clothes that need to be dried. You can also toss dry clothes in the machine on this setting if they need to be refreshed quickly before you wear them. It's often a faster option than using an iron. When you choose this setting, the dryer mists the clothes with hot, moist air at certain points during the cycle.

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Sanitizing Options

Some dryers offer a sanitizing setting to kill various microorganisms on your clothes. It typically uses high heat sustained for the cycle. Some dryers also offer a steaming sanitize setting. You might use it to kill germs after your family has been sick or to kill bacteria that cause odors on items like your gym clothes.

Heat Pump Function

Choosing a heat pump dryer is another way to increase energy efficiency. It's a type of ventless dryer that recirculates the hot air using a closed-loop system similar to a refrigerator. Because this type of dryer doesn't require a vent, the installation options are more flexible, and it uses less energy than traditional models by reusing the air and heat.

Interior Drying Racks

The standard drying method is to tumble the items until they're fully dry. If you're upgrading, you can choose models with drying rack options along with a special cycle to use that rack. That way, you can use the dryer for items like shoes, delicate clothes and toys that don't usually fare well with being tumbled for extended periods. The rack typically sits near the bottom of the drum with hooks that attach to non-moving parts, allowing the drum to spin while the rack stays in place.

Extended Tumble

You can't always get to your dryer as soon as the cycle ends, but letting the clothes sit too long could create wrinkles. With the extended tumble option, the dryer will keep spinning at the end of the cycle without heat. By keeping the drum moving, the clothes are less likely to wrinkle. The extended tumble continues for a set amount of time. Some dryers also tumble for a few seconds periodically, turning the dryer on and off to minimize wrinkles.

Many of the newer features offer extra convenience, but they're not all necessary. Consider how often you might use the features compared to the increase in price to determine if it's worth it.

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