Alright, folks, it’s time for the ultimate showdown: wool vs plastic dryer balls. Getting some dryer balls is an excellent investment if you want to decrease your dryer time and reduce energy costs. But, there are several types of dryer balls out there. So, which dryer balls should you get?
All dryer balls decrease drying time and help soften laundry. Wool dryer balls are more durable, more eco-friendly, and can help prevent wrinkles. Plastic dryer balls are usually cheaper, are good for people with wool allergies but are also noisy in the dryer and can get cracked and dried out over time.
Both wool and plastic dryer balls have a lot going for them. Let’s break them down and compare so you can make the best decision about which dryer balls to get.
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Wool Vs Plastic Dryer Balls
All dryer balls decrease the drying time of your laundry by separating the laundry which increases airflow.
But, when it comes to comparing these two types of dryer balls, there are five main points to compare them. Let’s break them down and talk about each one.
1. Durability
When it comes to durability, you would think the plastic dryer balls would have the edge. But in reality, wool dryer balls tend to be more durable and last longer than plastic.
Because wool dryer balls are made of wool, they’re able to take a lot of stress and strain. They can bang around inside the dryer for 1000 loads and still look pretty good. And if they do start to wear out, you can recharge them to make them last even longer.
Plastic dryer balls, on the other hand, can dry out and crack after a few hundred loads. And, because they’re plastic, there’s no way to recharge them.
When it comes to durability, wool dryer balls take the cake.
2. Drying Ability
In terms of drying ability, wool and plastic tend to be about even. But, they each have one difference that effect they way they dry.
Plastic dryer balls are usually made with a bunch of little spikes on them. These spikes are really good at fluffing up the laundry.
These spikes make it fluffier than wool dryer balls can and even better than fabric softener.
Wool dryer balls still fluff up the laundry but not quite to the degree as the plastic ones. But, they are able to do something that plastic dryer balls cannot.
Because dryer balls are porous, they can absorb moisture. Wool dryer balls absorb moisture from the laundry and then they release that moisture to help steam and de-wrinkle clothing.
Between wool and plastic, both types of dryer balls help decrease dryer time by separating the laundry. Plastic dryer balls are great at fluffing up and softening laundry, while wool dryer balls act like mini steamers to prevent wrinkles.
3. Eco-Friendly
As we’ve mentioned previously, both types of dryer balls decrease drying time which makes your dryer more energy efficient.
However, wool dryer balls are more eco-friendly in terms of the materials they’re made out of.
Plastic dryer balls are, big surprise, made out of plastic which is not a super sustainable material.
Wool, on the other hand, is very sustainable.
Wool dryer balls can also be easily recycled, composted, or reused. Plastic dryer balls can’t be composted and once they break or crack they can’t be reused.
4. Pricing
In general, plastic dryer balls tend to be cheaper than wool dryer balls. But, since both of them decrease your dryer time which decreases the cost of dryer loads, either one is a worthy investment.
Wool dryer balls are much more accessible, they are available in a lot more stores in person and online.
And, as we mentioned in the previous section, wool dryer balls are more eco-friendly. If you’re really concerned about your eco-footprint, then wool dryer balls are the better option even though they cost a little more.
5. Other Considerations
There are a few other little differences between wool and plastic dryer balls that are worth a quick mention.
Firstly, you can add scents to your wool dryer balls by adding a few drops of your favorite essential oils to the dryer ball. These oils will then get released once the balls get heated up making your clothes smell nice a fresh.
Since plastic dryer balls aren’t porous, you can’t add scents to them.
However, because plastic dryer balls are made of plastic, they’re a little sticky. This little stickiness makes it so that the plastic dryer balls attract lint while in the dryer making your clothes turn out even better.
Wool dryer balls can help collect pet hair and lint as well but, over time, wool can also start to release fibers when they start to wear out.
Plastic dryer balls tend to be very noisy in the dryer because of their hard exterior. If you’re not a fan of your dryer being super loud, then plastic dryer balls are probably not for you.
Lastly, plastic dryer balls are a great alternative to wool dryer balls if you have a wool allergy. Wool allergies are rare and most people are actually allergic to the lanolin in the wool, not the wool itself. But, if wool gives you skin irritation, go for the plastic just in case.
Wrap Up
We’ve covered a lot of ground with this one, so let’s do a final comparison so you can make the best decision for you.
When it comes to durability, wool actually lasts longer than plastic. Plastic will dry out and crack over time while wool can absorb the moisture from wet clothing keeping it conditioned.
In terms of drying ability, wool and plastic are basically tied. But, plastic makes the clothes fluffier and wool can help prevent wrinkles.
Because of the materials they’re made out of, wool dryer balls are more eco-friendly than plastic dryer balls. Wool dryer balls can also be recycled, composted, and reused.
Because plastic is pretty cheap, plastic dryer balls are cheaper than wool dryer balls but dryer balls are easier to find and purchase.
Last but not least, our final considerations are that you can add scents to wool dryer balls, plastic dryer balls help collect lint in the dryer and plastic dryer balls are best for people with a wool allergy.
Hopefully, all the information didn’t give you information overload and instead gave you enough information to make a decision on which type of dryer ball is for you.
Now get out there and make something awesome!
