Washing and drying our clothes is one of life’s certainties. We do it every day. Every week.
And while it’s ideal to dry wet clothes outdoors, sometimes that’s not possible; it could be raining, or you don’t have space or time.
Clothing dryers are incredibly powerful appliances that help dry wet clothes by removing moisture with immense heat. A byproduct of this is hot, humid air which needs to be removed safely to the outside. How? A dryer vent!
A dryer vent ensures your clothing dryer has a safe way to expel hot air and keep itself in tip-top condition. But the best dryer vent systems have several other benefits too.
Dryer vents can help reduce utility bills and improve air quality by retaining heat during cold months, and cooling room temperatures during the summer. This in turn helps eliminate harmful and unsightly mold from appearing and keeps you in great health the whole year-round!
Many of the best dryer vents also act as effective guards against drafts from wind, rain, and extreme weather, and help prevent troublesome pests such as insects and birds from causing costly damage to fixtures.
Dryer vents are the unsung heroes of our household duties, being lightweight, compact, and easy to install! They also ensure one of our most powerful household appliances operates safely.
We’ve picked 8 of our favorite systems that excel in improved air quality, lint-reduction, and energy efficiency!
The 8 Best Dryer Vents
1. BetterVent Indoor Dryer Vent with Lint Filter
Our first recommendation is a dryer vent that protects air quality and saves you money on energy bills by being heat-efficient and supporting your clothes dryer.
How? This dryer vent has a patented double filter system that captures everything from lint, dust, pet hair, and more and removes it from floating freely around your room.
It’s energy-efficient because as it dries your clothes fast, it also returns warm, dry air directly back into the room. This saves you lots of money during the cold winter months.
This dryer vent doesn’t need water to work, and so eliminates messy cleanups. With a stainless steel pre-filter screen and polyester filter, this vent can trap even the finest of dust particles keeping surfaces in pristine condition.
Now let’s talk about the safety features; a safety vent flap automatically opens to keep the dryer from overheating, until you perform the required maintenance.
Install in just 3 simple steps, and let the dryer get to work immediately. This kit includes everything you need, including instructions, mounting hardware, 4 calibration weights, and 2 polyester filters (which can be vacuumed clean for extended use).
It’s the perfect choice for homeowners and renters who want a healthier indoor environment with improved air quality and ideal conditions for drying clothes.
Things we love:
- The double filter system can capture fine particles
- A safety vent system for added protection
- Helps reduce heating bills
Things to consider:
- A transition duct hose is not included
2. Indoor Dryer Vent Trap
This dryer vent will capture lint, dust, and other particles for an overall healthier indoor environment. It’ll also help create ideal conditions for clothes drying indoors.
Both the dryer duct’s patented stainless steel screen and water drawer system will capture fine particles with ease, reducing unsightly material from collecting on clothes. Both are also very easy to clean too.
This dryer vent’s kit screen comes with the additional benefit of recycling heat, lessening environmental impact, and saving you money on your utility bills, especially in the colder winter months.
You’ll also be glad to know that the system is incredibly easy to clean! Simply rotate the knob on the front of the inside dryer vent kit once, where you’ll then scrape the lint off the back of the filter. You won’t have to take it apart or touch the lint to maintain It.
We also love that you have the choice of adding a drop or two of your favorite smelling essential oils, which will leave your room smelling great as fresh air circulates.
Lastly, with a weight of 1.7 lbs and dimensions of 8.2 x 5.2 x 12.2 inches, this is a compact, sleek designed air vent which can easily fit into a variety of environments and remain out of sight!
Things we love:
- Durable, long-lasting system
- Lightweight and very compact
- Helps reduce heating bills
Things to consider:
- A water system may not be ideal for all people
3. Heartland Natural Energy-Saving Dryer Vent
Helping to protect your home, your energy bills, and your wallet – this dryer vent is a self-sealing system that keeps cold air out, season after season.
Not only that, but this vent also acts as a safeguard to your home from problematic insects, critters, and other pests who may cause damage to fixtures and openings.
Designed to self-operate, the vent opens and closes itself further reducing the time you spend doing household chores. This dryer vent is incredibly easy to install and can be completed in less than 30 minutes, allowing it to get to work at record speed!
It is also a very versatile vent system, suitable for a variety of places including mounted to brick, masonite, and press boards! It features a square base with pre-drilled holes for simple, user-friendly assembly – saving you time, energy, and requiring little DIY skills to install.
An impressive design helps to keep rooms cooler during the summer, and warmer in the colder winter months, saving you on heating bills throughout the year.
And with dimensions of 13.2 x 7.4 x 6.4 inches and weighing only 1.8 lbs, it’s compact and versatile and can easily be kept out of direct sight.
Things we love:
- Incredibly easy to install
- Prevents pests from entering through the system
- Energy efficient
4. OdorHog Vent Stack Pipe Filter 1.5″, Black ABS with Mushroom Cap
No one likes bad smells. This pipe filter from OdorHog helps eliminate unpleasant outdoor odors from roof vents and septic tank systems with incredible ease, and incredible results!
Promising fast installation with no tools or glue required, it comes in 4 sizes and will suit a multitude of settings where foul smells are prevalent.
This system works by eliminating odors as they exit the plumbing vent stack, allowing you to enjoy your backyard or patio without nearby distasteful smells impacting you.
Made with strong ABS plastic to withstand sun and extreme weather, the mushroom cap design helps to keep water, leaves, and debris from interfering with the vent, thus reducing maintenance and causing no future problems down the line.
The clean, easy-to-replace mesh bags contain activated carbon which lasts years, not months, making this a great, permanent solution to your smell problems.
A freeze protectant helps keep the carbon from freezing during cold weather, adding to its resistances. This vent has many applications including roof vents, septic tank systems, municipal sewer systems, marine vessels, and commercial properties – anywhere where bad smells might impact you.
Things we love:
- Long-lasting activated carbon
- A simple installation which requires no tools or glue
- Weather and sun resistant
- Eliminates foul-smelling odors – especially useful for septic tank systems and places prone to bad smells
Things to consider:
- Not recommended if you have indoor plumbing odor issues
5. Deluxe Dryer Vent, Steel with Magnetic Damper
This durable powder-coated dryer vent can help eliminate wind and pest problems whilst still taking care of any air quality issues and helping to dry clothes quickly.
Made with heavy gauge metal, this dryer vent excels particularly when exposed to even the harshest of weather and conditions. A weatherproof powder-coated exterior means it won’t succumb to harsh rain, frost, or sunlight.
This system is made to fit a 4-inch diameter pipe or duct. We’re particularly impressed with it’s no-fuss, high functioning design. For example, a magnetic pad seal helps you to save energy, while the spring dampener adds essential tension to its functions.
Lastly, an important wind guard prevents any wind flap or damage, particularly important if this vent is in an exposed position on a roof. No drafts mean it can help indirectly heat your home, reducing bills and improving the comfort and drying capabilities of your rooms.
Things we love:
- Incredibly durable and weather-resistant
- Made of heavy gauge metal
- Guards against wind and prests
Things to consider:
- Does not come with pre-drilled mounting holes
- Suitable for a 4-inch diameter pipe/duct
6. Deflecto Clothes Dryer Vent Kit with Pipe, Collar, and Two Plastic Clamps
Whether it’s for a new dryer installation, or to replace existing transition ducts, this vent pipe and the external hood is durable, high-performing and heat, and weather-resistant.
An 8’ long aluminum flexible transition duct with a 4” diameter attaches to most clothes dryers and stays in place thanks to plastic clamps, two of which are included.
Now let’s talk about the impressive pipe, which has 4” of diameter, 11” long, and is constructed of durable aluminum with a high-impact styrene collar, this vent system is built for long-lasting, year-on-year use.
It also features curved louvers, which open smoothly to provide maximum airflow and quieter operation. It also helps keep wind, rain, and snow from entering, and UV inhibitors that prevent sun damage and cracking.
And with an operating temperature of 265-degrees F, this vent kit is both resistant and versatile in where it can safely work.
Lastly, with dimensions of 11.3 x 6.5 x 5.9 inches and weighing less than 1 lb, it’s a compact, lightweight system.
Things we love:
- High heat-resistance
- Weather-resistant louvers prevent wind, rain, and snow from entering
- 2 Plastic clamps are included
7. Alcoa Home Exteriors Louvered Exhaust Vent
This louvered exhaust vent is a useful addition to vent dryers and bathroom exhaust fans and comes with some essential pest-preventatives.
First, let’s talk about its unique design. A built-in grid makes for an effective pest-control against intrusive birds who may try and nest in and around your vent. This limits damage and costly pest removal.
Now let’s talk about the high-quality materials used in its making. It’s manufactured with ultraviolet stabilized color, which reduces the effects of even the harshest of weather.
A 10” long metal tubing ensures that this exhaust vent is suited for even the thickest of walls. The design itself allows for open or closed flaps.
With a rich-textured appearance, this system is compatible with all siding profiles. And with surface dimensions of 7”x7”
What we love:
- Effective pest-control, especially against birds
- 10” long metal tubing suited for extra thick walls
- Highly-resistant materials protect it from extreme weather
8. Dundas Jafine TDIDVKZW Indoor Dryer Vent Kit with 4-Inch by 5-Foot Proflex Duct
Say goodbye to lint problems with this effective indoor dryer from Dundas Jafine.
First, this vent kit is tiny, measuring just 6.75 x 6.75 x 7.25 inches and weighing just 1 lb. This means it is incredibly compact and can be placed in a variety of areas.
As an indoor dryer vent, it is specially designed to solve all drying demands in areas when outdoor venting is not possible, which includes apartments, condos, and motor homes.
Additionally, this dryer vent will help retain heat, especially during cold winter months, overall helping to reduce any costly heating and energy bills.
Included in this kit is everything you need; a 4-inch by 5-foot ProFlex dryer transition duct, a plastic lint reservoir, and 2 plastic adjustable clamps.
Things we love:
- A great solution for drying indoors when outside venting is not possible
- Comes with 2 plastic clamps and a plastic lint reservoir
- Suits a variety of locations including apartments
Things to consider:
- Not to be used with gas clothes dryers
Dryer Vent Buying Guide
Clothing Dryer – safety is paramount!
As we know, clothing dryers are incredibly powerful machines that help dry all our wet clothes with incredible ease. But we must remember the byproduct of a clothes dryer is hot, humid air – and that needs to be taken out of our homes and released outside.
There are several things you should take note of:
Increased humidity in your house creates ideal conditions for mold, mildew, and bacteria to grow indoors. Not only can this be unsightly, but it can also have a serious impact on your health.
Ensure your dryer vent helps to regulate heat effectively. Your dryer vent should help remove hot air during warmer summer months and help reintroduce it when it gets colder in winter.
Blockages – lint, dust, pet hair, and other fine particles often get stuck to clothing, and when washed in a dryer, can gather together. When they gather in huge amounts, they might cause blockages in the ventilation, which can cause overheating and fire.
For that reason, you need to find a dryer vent that can be easily cleaned. Many of the products we’ve recommended have easy ways to keep the filter clean. Many filters can also be vacuumed and used for longer periods.
You should always inspect the filter during each clean for signs of damage, and replace it if you see anything unusual.
It’s always important you read the safety instructions included, and those of appliances your vent is supporting, for best practices in how to clean and how often.
Louver vent
You might have noticed that some of the products we have recommended have feature curved louvers. Louver features help keep unwanted things from traveling up your vent, including water, dirt, and harmful debris.
If your vent is particularly prone to these materials, consider choosing a dryer vent system that excels in protecting against this.
Resistances
The best dryer vents will be durable, long-lasting, and resistant. This is especially important if the vent is exposed to any extreme weather including wind, sunshine, or frost.
Pick a system that has UV protection which will protect it from direct sunlight. If you are in a colder climate, consider frost-protection. Wind guards are also very useful in preventing drafts from traveling up the vent if exposed to strong winds with little to no protection (such as high walls)
Installation
Particularly if you aren’t a confident DIYer, you want to pick a dryer vent that is easy to install. Many of our recommendations require little to no tools, glue, or DIY skills to install the dryer vent. Pay particular attention to pre-drilled holes on mounting brackets, for example, as having this already done will help considerably.
It’s also important to look for easy installation depending on where you live and where the vent will work, e.g. can I install it easily if the vent goes on the roof, on a wall, etc.
It’s important to remember that if something is easy to install, it’s also easy to remove and/or maintain should you need to repair it or replace a part.
Lastly, it’s always a great idea to consult your clothes dryer’s manual for any recommendations and/or size requirements that your vent must abide by. Remember this is particularly important if your vent’s filter needs to be of a specific material or minimum length.
Pest Control
Pests are by their very existence, a huge problem.
It’s important that whenever there is a channel or opening made which links inside with outside, that you don’t invite any unwelcomed guests which might damage equipment or invade your home.
Insects, small rodents, and birds can cause costly damage to your appliances and walls if allowed to wander in and build a nest.
Many of the best dryer vents have effective ways to prevent pest damage, including the size, grids, and shape of the vent fixtures. This is particularly important for example if your vent is on a roof, where birds are quite likely to build nests.
Conclusion
Whilst dryer vents come in all shapes and sizes, the products we’ve recommended all excel in providing you with high-quality service at affordable prices with practical installation at every step.
Each vent is effective in collecting and reducing lint and fine fibers, all the while supporting your clothes dryers and ensuring you and your clothes remain safe at all times.
Remember that the best dryer vents still require you to check, clean, and maintain them regularly. Aside from that, the best dryer vents will help cut the cost of your utility bills by regulating heat more efficiently in your home – controlling how cool a room is during hot weather, and reintroducing warm air during the colder months.
Less moisture in the air reduces unsightly and potentially unsafe mold from growing in your rooms too!
Lastly, the best dryer vents also prevent harmful pests such as insects or birds, and weather from damaging your fixtures, giving you peace of mind that when you install the vent, it will solve problems – not add to them!
With the best dryer vent, you will have better conditions for drying your clothes. Cleaner air with lower bills? It’s an easy decision to make.