Choosing the right laundry supplies relies on three key points: Ingredients, environmental impact, and value for money.
When it comes to drying laundry, opting for using single-use dryer sheets or liquid fabric softeners to make clothes feel soft and fresh is common. For most people, it’s easy to purchase the first option they see because of the price or lack of knowledge. We investigate some of the top home goods companies on the market in 2024 and find out how they're changing the home goods industry with their eco-friendly laundry alternative!
All Natural Wool Dryer Balls are a relatively new product that has started gaining popularity this year because of their superior benefits and convenience. The majority of quality sets of wool dryer balls come with hefty price tags because of their quality, however, we discovered the company 'Cosy House Collection' that has been creating waves on social media and in the news with their high-quality All Natural Wool Dryer Balls that come with a ridiculously low price tag!
Many dryer sheets and fabric softeners contain harsh chemicals that can affect your health or irritate your skin. The chemicals that coat single-use dryer sheets cling to your laundry, then eventually to you, and potentially enter your bloodstream. Dryer balls are a safe alternative. Luckily, quality wool dryer balls are all-natural and chemical-free, giving you peace of mind that you are protecting yourself and your household from potentially harmful substances.
Finally – you’ll want dryer balls that are environmentally friendly. Aside from being harmful to your health, single-use dryer sheets make for unnecessary waste and can be harmful to the environment. Seeing as the average American household does about 300 loads of laundry each year*, using dryer sheets and fabric softener (that typically comes in a plastic container), the amount of unnecessary waste created can be astronomical.
It can be difficult to know which are the best fabric softeners on the market. That's why Great Life Tips has compiled months of research about this emerging category. We’ll show you what to look for and what to avoid when picking your wool dryer balls, and how it can help transform your sleep.
Benefits of Wool Dryer Balls:
Resuable
- Reduces waste
- Saves money
Natural
- Humanely sheered sheep's wool
- Natural alternative to plastic dryer balls
Eco-Friendly
- Reduces drying time
- Extremely renewable
Improves Drying Quality
- Reduces wrinkles
- Reduces lint
What You Need In The Perfect Set of Dryer Balls
Taking all of the life improving attributes listed above into consideration, we've boiled down a list of four key characteristics you should always look for in you should always look for in a great fabric softener. Try to seek out all of these qualities:
Eco-Friendly Materials
The best dryer balls are handcrafted from organic materials, typically sheep’s wool. The added benefit of using eco-friendly wool dryer balls is that they are a zero-waste solution to doing laundry. Therefore, you’re not only saving money and time, but also doing your part in helping decrease waste. No more buying single-use dryer sheets or fabric softener that comes in plastic containers.
Chemical-Free
The problem with most dryer sheets and fabric softeners on the market is that they contain harsh chemicals, dyes, and include a ton of artificial fragrance. These chemicals can have both short and long-term effects on you and your family’s health, as well as take a toll on your dryer
Hypoallergenic
The best way to dry laundry is with tools that contain no synthetic ingredients and are hypoallergenic. Luckily, wool dryer balls are both. Dryer balls are ideal for anyone with skin sensitivities, fragrance allergies, as well as babies.
Eco-Friendly
Saving time and energy is always a positive thing. Since the wool used for dryer balls is extremely absorbent, dryer balls can reduce the drying time of laundry by 25%. As an added bonus, you can use a lower temperature setting on your dryer when using dryer balls, which also helps reduce your carbon footprint.
What To Avoid when buying Dryer Balls
Chemicals & Unnecessary Additives
Many dryer sheets and fabric softeners are finished with chemicals that are harmful to your skin, body, and even your dryer. Companies process their dryer sheets with chemical finishes that are said to soften your clothes, prevent static, and make your clothes smell good.
These chemicals do not soften your clothes, but rather coats them. This prevents the fabrics from performing the way they are supposed to. If used regularly, dryer sheets can cause towels to become less absorbent, activewear to become less breathable, and can cause children’s clothing to become less flame-retardant. These chemicals then go from your clothes, onto your skin, and absorb into your bloodstream.
One of the main chemicals in dryer sheets and fabric softeners is quaternary ammonium compounds (QACS) and it is known for causing various health issues such as aggravating asthma symptoms and causing skin irritation, as well as more long-term health issues.* Additionally, the fragrances used in dryer sheets can cause health issues like migraines, asthma attacks, and allergic reactions.
Consumers often think they're safe using “green” or fragrance-free dryer sheets, but those might still contain chemicals that can impact your health due to lax disclosure regulations. This is a recipe for disaster when you are using these questionable products multiple times a week while doing laundry
Non-Eco Friendly, Single-Use Products
Dryer sheets are single-use, which means you have to use new dryer sheets every time you dry a load of laundry and throw away the used ones. Seeing as the average American household does laundry 8-10 times a week, that is a lot of unnecessary waste and unnecessary money spent.
The fragrance dryer sheets release chemicals into the environment through vents, affecting the air all around you. Additionally, QACS don’t biodegrade easily and can be toxic to aquatic life.* This is concerning since these products go directly into our water systems.
Top 5 Dryer Balls of 2024
Based on our own extensive research, the metrics provided by our Great Life Tips Ranking System, and consideration of thousands of reviews by Shoppers just like you, we've compiled a list of what we've found to be the top five products in this category, on the market today.
All Natural Wool Dryer Balls
Total Ranking
375 votes
9.7/10
A+
Overall GradePROS
- 100% Sheep’s Wool
- Best value and quality for the price
- Durable & Long-Lasting
- Large Size
- Excellent US-based customer service
CONS
- Only available online
The Bottom Line
Cosy House Collection's extra-large Wool Dryer Balls are the best way to soften and freshen your laundry.
Sourced from humanely sheared New Zealand sheep, their unscented wool dryer balls are hand-felted. They are dye-free, chemical-free, and unscented - reducing wrinkling, static, tangling, and drying time by 30%. These dryer balls are extremely durable, lasting for up to 3 years — or 1,000 loads — and are a little bigger than a tennis ball in size
Their return policy includes a 90-day, risk-free, money-back guarantee, proving the company stands behind its products.
*Results are based on the Great Life Tips Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
Learn About Our Top Pick2. Natural Wool Dryer Balls
Total Ranking
214 votes
9.1/10
A-
Overall GradePROS
- New Zealand Wool
- Reduces Lint & Wrinkles
- Softens Clothes
CONS
- Produce static
- No significant reduction in drying time
- 30-Day Return Policy
The Bottom Line
Handy Laundry was our favorite wool dryer ball set we reviewed, however, they were missing some of the features we loved with Cosy House Wool Dryer Balls.
Made with 100% New Zealand wool, these dryer balls soften clothes as they dry, eliminating the need for fabric softeners. These dryer balls are ideal for pet owners since they assist in removing pet hair from fabrics. They also reduce lint and wrinkles.
However, there are a few cons to mention. Despite claiming these dryer balls reduce drying time up to 25 percent, reviewers have not noticed a difference in drying time. Additionally, these dryer balls seem to produce some static.
*Results are based on the Great Life Tips Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
Learn More3. Laundry Dryer Balls
Total Ranking
263 votes
8.7/10
B+
Overall GradePROS
- Large Size
- Rated for 1000+ Loads
CONS
- Wrinkles Remaining
- Shed Wool Fuzz
- 30-Day Return Policy
The Bottom Line
Wantell’s XL Laundry Dryer Balls have some fantastic features. However, there are also some cons to address.
The Wantell dryer balls are large in size, yet are very lightweight so they will bounce around in the dryer gently and quietly. These 100% New Zealand wool dryer calls are also durable and long-lasting. When used properly, these dryer balls can last over 1,000 loads.
While there are some great pros listed, we were missing some features. They state that their dryer balls reduce wrinkles. Reviewers seem to disagree, stating that they noticed their laundry still had some wrinkles after drying. These dryer balls also left some fuzz behind on clothes, so Wantell suggests washing the dryer balls before using them if you experience this issue.
*Results are based on the Great Life Tips Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
Learn More4. Charming Eco Dryer Balls
Total Ranking
299 votes
8.1/10
B-
Overall GradePROS
- Fun Designs
- Eco-Friendly Packaging
- Reduces Drying Time
CONS
- Expensive
- Static
- Lacks Durability
- 30-Day Return Policy
The Bottom Line
Friendsheep is a popular choice for dryer balls. For this fleece blanket, we found that there were both pros and cons.
Friendsheep’s dryer balls feature fun designs made with non-toxic dyes, making laundry a little bit more fun. They also come in eco-friendly packaging. When using all the dryer balls in the set, they do reduce drying tim
However, that is where the pros end. These dryer balls are the most expensive option on this list, and the price does not seem to fully reflect the quality of the item. Some reviewers have experienced an increase in static when drying their laundry. Additionally, high-temperature settings can diminish the appearance of the fun designs on dryer balls.
*Results are based on the Great Life Tips Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
Learn More5. Organic Wool Dryer Balls
Total Ranking
194 votes
7.9/10
C+
Overall GradePROS
- Organic Wool
- Durable
- Reduces Drying Time
CONS
- Expensive
- Some Shedding
- Static
- 30-Day Return Policy
The Bottom Line
Like the wool dryer balls from Friendsheep, Woolzie’s Wool Dryer Balls are on the expensive side. Nonetheless, they have some great features.
These durable organic wool dryer balls can last for 1,000 loads, ensuring you can use these for years to come, as well as save money. Additionally, you’ll not only save money, but you’ll also save energy. Reviewers have stated that they have noticed a shorter drying time using these dryer balls.
Unfortunately, reviewers have also had some issues with the wool dryer balls shedding. They also had some issues with their laundry having an abundance of static, despite Woolzies claiming they are proven to be the best anti-static dryer balls.
*Results are based on the Great Life Tips Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
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