Shoppers have praised a set of "magic" £5 tumble dryer balls they said speed up drying times and reduce wrinkles in fabric. Dryer balls - usually made of wool, plastic or rubber and around the size of a tennis ball - help to separate clothes during drying.
To use them, simply add the balls to your dryer with your laundry. They should help to separate the clothes, resulting in reduced static and fewer wrinkles, saving both energy and the need to spend time on ironing.
And Amazon customers are loving a set of Ecozone Tumble Dryer Balls which are a bestseller on the site. The reusable balls are £5.33 and come in a pack of two.
Reviewer linnie said: "Happy with these balls, really does speed up drying time and towels a lot softer. The only downside is they make a bit of a noise." Andrew admitted to being "sceptical" at first but added: "These may not seem like they would make much difference, but they really do.
"My clothes come out with WAY less static, and I haven’t had a damp result from a tumble dry since! Whatever magic they claim these dryer balls have - they’re not lying to you! They really do work and the benefits may not be as drastic for some other people with already very good quality dryers, but for people who use laundromat or student accommodation (or any communal) dryers, popping these into your machine are probably going to help you get a better quality tumble dry by a country mile."
Winifred said: "I purchased these in the hope that they would save time drying and cut down on the wrinkles on the clothes when they come out of the tumble dryer. I have definitely noticed a difference in both, I have even noticed that the towels are also softer. Brilliant to have if you use the tumble dryer regularly!!"
Jordy98 said: "Was sceptical but they have proven me wrong. Clothes dried quickly but didn’t notice less creases , but as I didn’t have to use as much energy as they dried faster I’m happy."
Susie C wrote: "Bought to replace old tumble balls. What can I say - they are fun colours, do the job as described and can be used again and again. Reasonably priced and came very quickly."
Some shoppers expressed concerns about the durability of the dryer balls and how noisy they are in a tumble dryer. And others said they preferred wool dryer balls for a better effect.
Maria said: "Cubes lost the shape after a couple of uses. Tried getting back into original shape but it didn’t work. Makes me feel bad as this creates more unnecessary waste" and Tessa said: "Really good for 3 washes then they deflated and haven't worked since. Such a shame :/ won't be buying again." Mrs E.A Lawrence said: "They are rather noisy tumbling in the dryer, the ones I had before were made of wool so much quieter."
If like some of the reviewers you prefer a dryer ball made from wool, Dunelm has the &Again Pack of 4 Wool Dryer Balls for £10. Lakeland is selling 2 Dryerballs Tumble Dryer Balls for £8.99. The Range has a pack of 2 Natural Wool Tumble Dryer Balls from £5.89.
The Ecozone Dryer Cubes, Tumble Dryer Balls with variable node design are £5.33 on Amazon UK. All prices were correct as of October 2, 2023.
