Kenmore Dryer Model Guide: Is Kenmore Right for You?

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Barry began to teach himself to repair appliances as a teenager. In later years, his love of cooking led Barry to learn to troubleshoot kitchen appliances around his home. His background in education allows him to combine his love of repair work and passion for writing to bring the most helpful troubleshooting and repair guides to this site. He encourages appliance owners to plan ahead, think about their goals, and always read the manual!

What to Consider When Buying a Kenmore Dryer

Dryer Style

You can get a dryer with a front-load or top-load style. Which one is better? In reality, all dryers are front-loaders since they all have their doors on the front face of the appliance. This is unlike washers which can either have the door in front or on top of the dryer.

However, the top-load-style dryers have a design that emulates their top-load washer counterparts. This allows users to match the top-load washer with a similar-looking dryer for uniformity. Sadly, Kenmore doesn’t have any front-load-style dryers available at the time of writing this piece. If you’re looking for this dryer style, consider Whirlpool, another popular brand.

Fuel Type

You’ll need to decide whether to get a gas or electric dryer. If your home already has a gas hookup, your options are narrowed to just gas dryers. On the other hand, if there’s no gas hookup, but you have a 240-volt outlet in your laundry area, then you can only consider electric models.

For those with both hookups – or if you’re building a new home – you’ll need to weigh both fuel types to make an informed decision. Here’s a breakdown of the difference between gas and electric dryers.

Gas Dryers	Electric Dryers
They cost about $100 more than their electric counterparts.	Are cheaper to buy.
They’re cheaper to operate since the cost of gas is lower than that of electricity.	Electric dryers cost more to operate – electric prices are higher than gas prices in most places.
Gas dryers get hotter than electric dryers.	Temperatures in electric dryers don’t go as high as gas dryers.
Cycle times are shorter.	Take longer to dry clothes since they don’t get as hot as gas dryers.
They use a standard 120-volt outlet to power the control panel and drum.	They use a 240-volt to power the entire unit.
Gas dryers cost more to maintain and repair.	You can repair electric dryers yourself if you choose to.
These models produce carbon monoxide, so they require proper venting.	Electric dryers don’t produce any fumes.

Which One Should You Choose?

Gas dryers seem to have more advantages than electric dryers. They heat up faster, get hotter, have shorter cycles, and are cheaper to operate. As long as you get a qualified technician to install them, you won’t run the risk of carbon monoxide and gas leaks. Still, you can get a carbon monoxide detector to alert you in the event of a leak.

Size and Capacity

Kenmore’s dryer models either have a width of 29 inches and a depth of 28 inches or a width of 27 inches with a depth of 30 inches. Compare these dimensions to the space in which you’ll install the new dryer. You’ll need to leave about 6 inches of space behind the dryer for the power hookup and venting. If you’re installing the washer and dryer side by side, ensure that there’s enough space for both appliances, with a one-inch gap in between them.

When thinking about the capacity to get, a rule of thumb is to pick a dryer that has two times the capacity of your washer. So, if your washer has a capacity of 5 cubic feet, you’ll need to consider a dryer with at least 10 cubic feet. Kenmore has dryers with capacities of 5.9, 6.5, 7.0, and 7.4 cubic feet.

Smart Features

If you’re hardly ever at home, getting a dryer with smart features will help you keep tabs on your laundry even when you’re away. Kenmore’s dryers with smart features have WiFi connectivity, and they can be operated remotely via the Kenmore Smart App.

Straight from your phone, you can monitor the progress of your load, set custom cycles, and even run diagnostics if there’s an issue. The Kenmore smart dryers are also compatible with Amazon Alexa.

Sadly, all of Kenmore’s dryers with smart features are unavailable at the time of writing this piece. If you’re set on getting a smart dryer, check out Samsung’s options here.

Price and Your Budget

Kenmore’s current lineup is made up of no-frills dryers that are inexpensive. The company’s cheapest model costs about $500. This is a bare-bones dryer with a simple design. The most expensive model costs about $1050 for the gas model and about $950 for the electric one.

With a budget of under $1000, you’ll have over a dozen Kenmore dryer models to choose from. However, those looking for a luxury dryer with high-end features will have to consider a different model. Still, even if your budget isn’t limited, consider what you actually need in a dryer to avoid spending on features that won’t be useful to you.

Main Features of Kenmore Dryers

Drying Cycles

Kenmore’s cheaper dryers have three cycles; Auto Dry, Timed Dry, and Air Only.

Auto Dry is controlled by moisture sensors that adjust the cycle time and temperature according to the dampness of the load.
Timed Dry has different durations that you can set the cycle, from 10 minutes to 70 minutes.
Air Only is meant for fabrics that are sensitive to heat.

Kenmore’s more advanced models have specific cycles that are either controlled by sensors or timed manually.

The sensing cycles are;

Normal – This is a general cycle that’s used for most fabrics.
Heavy Duty – Uses high temperature to dry heavy fabrics like jeans and corduroys.
Bulky – Used for beddings like comforters and blankets.
Sanitize – Uses very high heat to kill bacteria and eliminate odors.
Delicates – Meant for fabrics that don’t require lots of heat.
Casual – Used for knits and synthetic fabrics like polyester.

The Timed cycles are;

Touch Up – This cycle removes creases.
Express – Use this cycle if you want to quickly dry the load.

Accela Steam Technology

Found in some Kenmore dryers, Accela Steam Technology uses a direct water connection that boosts the steam cycle, unlike the steam cycle in other models that require you to fill a separate water compartment.

Steam Refresh

This is a separate cycle that helps to remove odors and wrinkles from clothes to eliminate the need to iron them.

Wrinkle Guard

When Wrinkle Guard is activated, the dryer will intermittently tumble your clothes after the cycle ends, thus keeping wrinkles from emerging. You can use this feature if you run your drying cycles overnight, and the clothes are bound to sit in the dryer for hours after the cycle ends.

SmartDry Plus Technology

This feature, found in a few Kenmore dryers, is a system of moisture and temperature sensors that are used in the auto drying cycles. With this tech, the dryer can accurately tell the moisture level of a load and adjusts the temperature and cycle time accordingly.

Recommended Kenmore Dryer Models

Selection Criteria

User ratings – To come up with this list of recommendations, I reviewed the customer ratings and feedback to find dryers with four-star ratings and above. I also considered performance-related feedback to find those with recurring negative issues.

Features vs price – The dryer models have the best features in their class, which makes them worth their price.

Performance – These models are top performers in their class, based on expert reviews.

Kenmore 62332 7.0 cu. ft. Electric Dryer w/ Wrinkle Guard

This is an affordable dryer that doesn’t attempt to look more expensive than it actually is. Its spartan looks are marked by three control knobs on the dryer’s backguard, and a side-swing door on the front face. In fact, Kenmore doesn’t even attempt to hide the hinges on the door that, in my opinion, look unrefined. Still, this dryer isn’t for one who wants fancy looks.

It’s for those who want performance. The Kenmore 62332 has a capacity of 7.0 cubic feet, just enough for a family’s use. It comes with Auto Dry, Timed Dry, and Air Only cycles, as well as four drying temperatures. This model also boasts the SmartDry feature for improved drying performance.

Main Features

The Kenmore 62332 model has a width of 29 inches and a depth of 28 inches.
Its capacity is 7.0 cubic feet.
It has a side-swing door.
There are three drying cycles: Auto Dry, Timed Dry, and Air Only.
It also has four drying temperatures.
This model has a Wrinkle Guard option.
It has SmartDry sensor technology.

Pros

This is an affordable Kenmore dryer.
The SmartDry feature helps to accurately time a drying cycle.
It has a large capacity.
It is quiet.
The dryer doesn’t take long to complete a cycle.

Cons

The dryer isn’t Energy Star certified.
It has bland looks.

Kenmore 65132 7.0 cu. ft. Electric Dryer w/ SmartDry Plus Technology

The Kenmore 65132 model is a step up from the model reviewed above. Kenmore attempted to spice up its looks: there are no exposed hinges on the door, and the control area has a bit of a silver tint to make it a bit more classy. This model has a drop-down door as opposed to a side-swing one. The jury is still out on which one is better, but I’ll leave that choice to you.

This Kenmore dryer model boasts SmartDry Plus technology; the ‘plus’ means that there are two moisture sensors instead of one, along with a temperature sensor. Because of this, the 65132 is the best performer in its class, leaving your clothes dry and fluffy at the end of a cycle.

Main Features

The Kenmore 65132 has a capacity of 7.0 cubic feet.
Its width is 29 inches, and its depth is 28 inches.
This is an electric dryer – there’s a gas model with similar specs.
It has three cycles: Auto, Timed, and Air Only.
This model has SmartDry Plus sensor technology.
It also has Wrinkle Guard.
It has a drop-down door.

Pros

This Kenmore dryer is affordable.
It has excellent drying performance, thanks to the advanced sensor technology.
You don’t have to use heat to dry your clothes. You can use the Air Only cycle.
It’s easy to use.

Cons

This model isn’t Energy Star certified.

Kenmore 61112 7.4 cu. ft. Electric Dryer

This Kenmore dryer is one of the more expensive models in the company’s lineup. However, it’s still quite affordable compared to other brands; you can get it for less than $1000. This model ditches the knob controls and opts for buttons, giving it a more modern look. The door in this one is black glass to contrast the white of the rest of the body, and it has a drop-down style.

There are more cycle options in this model, five to be precise. Among them is a Sanitize Cycle that Kenmore claims can kill close to 100% of household bacteria. This dryer also comes with SmartDry Plus Technology as well as Wrinkle Guard. What sets it apart from the previous two models on this list is its capacity – this one has 7.4 cubic feet.

Main Features

The Kenmore 61112 has a width of 27 inches and a depth of 30 inches.
It has a capacity of 7.4 cubic feet.
It has a drop-down glass door.
There are five cycles: Sanitize, Express Dry, Bulky Items, Delicates, and Normal Dry.
This model has Wrinkle Guard.
It also has SmartDry Plus Technology.

Pros

This dryer is quiet.
It completes its cycles quickly.
It has a modern look.
It has a large capacity.

Cons

This model isn’t Energy Star certified or ADA Compliant.

Kenmore 69142 7.4 cu. ft. ENERGY STAR® Auto-Dry Electric Dryer

If the lack of Energy Star certification is a deal-breaker for you, this Kenmore dryer solves that problem as it’s certified. What earned the dryer this certification is the Energy Saver feature that uses little energy to get the load dry. Costing about the same as model 61112 above, this one is a compelling recommendation as it comes with features that make it a top performer.

Top on the list is the SmartDry sensor technology that can tell how damp the load is and adjusts the temperature and cycle time accordingly. Sadly, this model doesn’t have the more advanced SmartDry Plus tech. Kenmore added an LED drum light in this dryer, a handy feature to have. It also has creature comforts like 10 cycles as well as the Wrinkle Guard option.

Main Features

This Kenmore dryer has a capacity of 7.4 cubic feet.
Its width is 27 inches, and its depth is 30 inches.
This model is Energy Star certified.
It has 10 drying cycles: Normal, Heavy Duty, Bulky, Towels, Sanitize, Delicates, Casual, Touch Up, Express, and Air Dry.
There’s SmartDry Technology.
The dryer has an Energy Saver mode.
It has a reversible side-swing door.

Pros

It has a large capacity.
The dryer is energy efficient.
It is quiet.
There’s a drum light.

Cons

It only has the basic SmartDry Technology.

Kenmore 61652 7.4 cu. ft. Energy Star Electric Dryer w/ Steam Technology

This is Kenmore’s most expensive dryer that’s currently available. Its looks seem to belie its status in the company’s lineup; it looks similar to the 61112 model featured earlier on this list. However, that’s not really a bad thing as it has stylish black accents on a white body. Its door is made of glass, and it has a drop-down style.

When it comes to performance, Kenmore gave this model some top-of-the-line features like Smart Dry Plus and Wrinkle Guard with a steam option. There’s also a Steam Refresh cycle that you can use to remove odors and wrinkles from clothes that have been in storage for a long time. Just like the previous model, this one comes with a 7.4-cubic-foot capacity.

Main Features

The Kenmore 61652 has a capacity of 7.4 cubic feet.
It has a width of 27 inches and a depth of 30 inches.
This dryer has Smart Dry Plus technology.
It has Wrinkle Guard with steam.
There’s a Sanitize Cycle.
It also has an Express Dry Cycle
It has a drop-down door that’s made of tempered glass.

Pros

The dryer’s steam function makes it more effective at removing wrinkles.
You can monitor the load through the glass door.
The dryer is quiet.
This model is Energy Star certified.

Cons

There’s no drum light.
It doesn’t have WiFi connectivity.

Alternative Dryer Models

Frigidaire FFRE4120SW 6.7 Cu. Ft. Free Standing Electric Dryer

Frigidaire is a good alternative to Kenmore’s options, and the FFRE4120SW model sits in the same class as Kenmore’s mid-range dryers. Its capacity is smaller than what Kenmore offers – this one has 6.7 cubic feet.

Its style is reminiscent of Kenmore’s design language, except Frigidaire gave this dryer curves here and there to make it look a bit classy. Its control panel also stands out thanks to the black accents. It also has an LCD display. The door is reversible, and it has a side-swing style with a pocket handle and exposed hinges.

This Frigidaire dryer has 10 cycles, with a Quick Dry Cycle and a Sanitize Cycle among them. There’s also an Anti-Wrinkle option. Frigidaire also gave this model an ECO Dry mode to help you save energy. Sadly, though, it isn’t Energy Star certified.

Find out more about Frigidaire’s dryer models in this article.

Whirlpool WED5620HW 7.4 cu. ft. Front-Load Electric Dryer with Intuitive Touch Controls

Experience Whirlpool’s renowned reliability by opting for this dryer model. The Whirlpool WED5620HE is a front-load dryer, a style that Kenmore currently doesn’t have in their lineup. This dryer is reasonably priced, costing just under $900, depending on where (and when) you buy it.

At this price, you’ll get Whirlpool’s Wrinkle Shield option – their version of Kenmore’s Wrinkle Guard. This front-load dryer has a capacity of 7.4 cubic feet, about the same as the Kenmore options on our list above.

It’s a top performer, thanks to features like the company’s Advanced Moisture Sensing, which is a series of three moisture and temperature sensors. This model also has an EcoBoost feature that lowers the amount of energy used. This is one of the reasons why the Whirlpool WED5620HW is Energy Star certified.

Check out our Whirlpool dryer model guide to find out what this brand has to offer.

Samsung DVE45A6400V/A3 7.5 cu. ft. Smart Dial Electric Dryer with SuperSpeed Dry

Samsung boasts top-ranking on JD Power’s customer satisfaction list, and this dryer gives you a chance to find out why. This is, in my opinion, the best alternative to Kenmore’s dryers as it offers some excellent features at a very competitive price. For starters, it’s a front-loader, which is unavailable on Kenmore’s lineup.

Secondly, this model has smart features that include an AI-powered Smart Dial as well as remote operation and monitoring via your smartphone. Find out more about the Smart Dial in this article. Moreover, the dryer has 19 drying cycles that include Steam Sanitize Cycle, a 30-minute Super Speed Dry cycle, Odor Refresh Cycle, and Wrinkle Away Cycle. This model also comes with moisture sensors as well as vent sensors.

At a price of less than $1000 at the time of writing, this is a Kenmore alternative worth considering. Check out our Samsung dryer model guide here.

FAQs

Question: Are Kenmore dryers any good?

Answer: Kenmore dryers are good, reliable appliances that appeal to those looking for a simple, inexpensive dryer that gets the job done.

Question: How long do Kenmore dryers last?

Answer: Generally, dryers last about 10 to 13 years. Since Kenmore dryers are known to be reliable, they should last at least 12 years.

Question: Is it worth fixing a 10-year-old dryer?

Answer: Since dryers are expected to last about 10 to 13 years, it’s not worth fixing your 10-year-old dryer. At this stage, consider buying a new dryer, especially if repairing it is too expensive.

Bottom Line

Kenmore sells reliable dryers that are excellent performers. These dryers are built with little to no-frills, making them inexpensive appliances. If you’re on a budget, I would recommend considering Kenmore’s dryers as they offer value for money.

If you’re looking for high-tech features like WiFi connectivity, then Kenmore isn’t for you. Consider a brand like Samsung. Also, if you’re looking for a front-load dryer, Kenmore doesn’t have any available, at least when writing this article. In summary, Kenmore is for those looking for a no-frills top-load-style dryer that will get the job done.