Are Steam Dryers Gas or Electronic?

Manufacturers say steam removes wrinkles and odors from laundry. When shopping for a new clothes dryer, you’ll notice manufacturers proclaiming the benefits of the steam technology offered on higher-priced models. They say steam dryers can remove wrinkles and odors from clothes, although Consumer Reports found mixed results on the successful use of steam in its testing. If you want to invest in a steam dryer, you can choose from gas or electric models.

Clothes dryers incorporate steam in various ways. For example, LG offers a steam-based cycle designed to sanitize items you cannot wash safely. The company also incorporates steam into a short cycle that allows you to remove wrinkles from up to five pieces of clothing at a time. GE offers a similar option. Frigidaire allows users to add steam to several different cycles, including normal, delicates and jeans. Some models also have steam refresh cycles that targets odors.

LG, Frigidaire and GE aren’t the only manufacturers offering dryers with steam technology. You can also find steam on models from Samsung, Electrolux, Kenmore, Maytag and Whirlpool. Available colors for steam dryers include red, white, silver, blue, charcoal gray and brown.

Consumer Reports advises that gas dryers typically cost $50 to $150 more than electric models, and steam dryers are no exception. For example, Samsung suggested a retail price of $1,399 for its 7.5-cubic-foot electric DV511AER/XAA in September 2011, while the gas version of that dryer cost $70 more. The amount you save on fuel costs when using a gas dryer should offset its higher purchase price over time.

Dryers offering steam features tend to be among the highest-capacity units in a manufacturer’s product line. Steam dryers typically range from 7 to 7.5 cubic feet of capacity. However, Whirlpool has an option with 6.7 cubic feet, and Electrolux has a steam dryer with 8 cubic feet of space. Steam dryers usually measure 27 inches wide. They stand 36 to 45 7/16 inches high and 28 15/16 to 33 inches deep.

Photo Credit BananaStock/BananaStock/Getty Images; Read Next:

View the original article here