The first time I heard of dryer balls, I was immediately intrigued. As someone who tries their hardest to be environmentally aware and actionable, I cut out dryer sheets and fabric softeners years ago. The problem is, I live in a cold climate. While I hang my laundry as often as possible, sometimes I just need to dry my clothes in a dryer. And when I do, the dry, cold weather often equals static electricity and ultra-clingy clothes. So when I heard about dryer balls, I wanted in. Typically more environmentally-friendly than dryer sheets, dryer balls are most often made of wool and little else. The idea is to toss them in with your clothes to decrease drying time, which in turn cuts over-drying and static electricity. Don't believe me? Give one of these 5 dryer ball options a try. Handy Laundry Wool Dryer Balls Reduce Your Environmental Footprint With these reusable dryer balls, as compared to typical dryer sheets, you can greatly reduce your overall environmental footprint while reducing lint, hair, static... and potentially your energy bills.Best OverallFind on Amazon Leading the pack on this list are these Handy Laundry Wool Dryer Balls. Reducing not only the overall drying time (and thus, your energy bill), but also the amount of lint, wrinkles, and clingy static, these dryer balls are super effective at doing their job. They’re made from high quality, premium New Zealand wool that won’t leave pieces of wool on your clothes. They’ll last through hundreds of loads of laundry (indefinitely, actually) making them a smart choice among those of us trying to reduce our use of single-use items. Add a few drops of your favorite essential before each drying session and you’ll have laundry clothes that have a personalized, soft scent as well. Pros: Save money by eliminating the need for fabric softener and dryer sheets, as well as cutting down on your overall energy costs. Zero toxic chemicals or ingredients. Mold and mildew resistant. Cons: Depending on how many dryer balls you throw in your load of clothes, you might hear some light thumping during the drying process. Smart Sheep XL Wool Dryer Balls Award-Winning Extra Large Dryer BallsThese wool dryer balls are extra-large in size and work wonders on your laundry.Best XL SizeFind on Amazon The award-winning dryer balls are another favorite among dryer ball enthusiasts. These guys are made from 100% high-quality wool, straight from New Zealand. They contain zero fillers (an important note as many other wool dryer balls have unneeded fillers). In fact, over time, wool dryer balls with fillers can become misshapen and lose their benefits. These dryer balls retain their shape load after load, which keeps them working as effectively as possible long after other wool dryer balls that contain unfortunate fillers typically last. Pros: A socially conscious company that supports women and minorities in Nepal. Winner of Hearst Media’s “Best of the Best” award. Comes in a 6-pack for a price that’s wallet-friendly. Cons: These balls will collect pet hair and over time this can be difficult to clean. SnugPad Organic Wool Dryer Balls Budget- and Clothing-FriendlyAlthough dryer balls work to reduce your drying time overall and thus your energy bills, these ones also save money by being budget-friendly, too. Best on a BudgetFind on Amazon These organic wool dryer balls from SnugPad take the already eco-friendly wool dryer ball to the next level. Without harsh growing practices, organically made items can be much safer on your body’s system, as well. Because these dryer balls are 100% organic wool, they’re extra nice on sensitive skin or sensitive systems. Their size and effectiveness help to shrink your overall drying time by working 25% faster than how a dryer would run without any dryer balls. Pros: Reusable up to 4 years, saving you a lot of money over time on the cost of softeners as well as energy. Handmade and felted wool balls. These dryer balls are the size of a typical baseball, making it possible to toss a few in per load and let them work their magic. Cons: These aren’t the most user-friendly at first. You’ll have to get the system down just right to get the most out of these balls. Whitmor Dryer Balls Synthetic, Vegan, ReusableWhen it comes to reusable dryer balls that aren't made from animal products, these dryer balls work wonders at fluffing and softening your clothes as they dry. Best SyntheticFind on Amazon A vegan alternative to wool dryer balls, these non-toxic, spiked balls will drum around in your dryer, creating fluff between your sheets, and reducing tangles, hair, and lint. Like wool dryer balls, these can be used indefinitely. How do they work? Well, the soft spikes in the ball work to really soften your items, almost like a massage for your clothes. But don’t worry, unlike dryer sheets, these don’t break down materials whatsoever. Instead, they produce a similar result to that of dryer sheets. And as a bonus, they’re made without any toxic materials. Pros: Made from 100%, high-quality PVC. Zero leaching into your fabrics, and can be used indefinitely. Because these items get into and around your clothes as they dry, they help to make your clothes fluffier and less tangled. Cons: Unfortunately, these balls can generate a fair amount of static electricity. Allstar Innovations Dry ‘n Steam The Mean Steam MachineThis steaming dryer ball is a genius anti-wrinkle hack that everyone with a dryer needs. Best Steam Dryer BallsFind on Amazon While the balls we reviewed above are an excellent choice for synthetic dryer balls, there was one common complaint: the fact that, despite how soft and tangle-free the clothing was at the end of a dryer cycle, they were full of static electricity. The solution? A bit of moisture. Allstar Innovations has created a product that addresses that very problem. All you have to do? Fill these dryer balls with water and toss them on in with your clothes. As the dryer heats up, steam is created and released in the drum of the dryer. This steam works to eliminate static electricity, as well as seriously iron out wrinkles. Pros: Can be used without the water. Your results will be typical of any other dryer ball—less drying time, no lint, no hair. Can be used with any materials. A BPA-free product. Cons: If you have a larger load of laundry, you’ll want to toss in a few more dryer balls. Otherwise, the steaming effect will be diminished. Frequently Asked Questions How do dryer balls work? Offering up a more sustainable alternative to dryer sheets, dryer balls act as an agent that tosses between the clothes as they dry. This allows for air to circulate in the dryer more effectively, lessening drying time and fluffing your clothes at the same time. You’ll have softer, and bouncier (read: less static) items. And, because over time dryer sheets and fabric softeners break down fabrics, you’ll also have longer-lasting items as well. It’s a solution that not only makes sense for environmental reasons but also for the health and longevity of your clothing items. Can you scent your dryer balls? While it does depend on the type of dryer ball you go for, it is totally possible to scent them. Wool dryer balls are the go-to dryer balls if you want to scent your laundry. I have a seriously sensitive sense of smell, so I tend to skip out on anything that has a scent unless I can use natural ones. And essential oils don’t get much more natural. I prefer the smell of lavender and woodsier scents like cedar. To scent your dryer balls, just add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to your dryer ball before adding it to the dryer. It’ll add a personalized, non-toxic scent to your clothing items. Can you use wool dryer balls with everything? There are multiple types of dryer balls, from wool to plastic to rubber. The most popular type of dryer ball is a wool dryer ball, as they tend to be far superior in drying your clothes than synthetic ones. Because it’s just wool, you can definitely use them with anything and everything. Lest you should worry, the wool won’t transfer onto your fabrics and leave behind any fuzz, either.