Despite being a much maligned household chore, there’s a certain satisfaction that comes with a finished laundry load. But even those with a long-established laundry routine would benefit from giving their regimen a bit of an upgrade, courtesy of a set of wool dryer balls. They’re more efficient and better for the environment than dryer sheets, and, best of all, they’re incredibly affordable.

Amazon

Made with high-quality New Zealand wool, these large felted balls replace both fabric softener and dryer sheets, making them a fabulous cost-saving alternative. They’ve even been known to speed up drying time, since they lift and separate the laundry as they pummel it in the dryer, making it possible for the hot air to circulate more efficiently. As a result, it can also help save on energy costs while leaving clothes fluffy, soft and static-free. According to one reviewer, they can even help to reduce the amount of animal fur that gets stuck to your clothing.

It can be hard to break the dryer sheet habit, but according to previous coverage at HuffPost, they’re actually pretty harmful to the environment and your clothes, and less effective than wool dryer balls.

Sumit Mandal, an Oklahoma State University assistant professor who specializes in textile science, previously explained that the chemical coating can affect the properties of certain fabrics. It can make towels less absorbent, make your athletic gear less moisture-wicking and reduce the flame resistance of some children’s sleepwear. He also explained that the film builds up in your dryer, which can affect the appliance’s effectiveness over time.

In 2021, according to our previous coverage, lingerie expert Cora Harrington even wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that dryer sheets are “at best, absolutely useless” and, at most, “do actual damage to your clothes.”

And at the end of the day, dryer sheets are litter that contribute to needless waste — they just aren’t necessary. Wool dryer balls are a hardworking, excellent alternative, and Amazon shoppers are utterly devoted to this particular brand, which you can shop in sets of four, six or 12.

Promising reviews:

“Love these- have been using for quite some time. As long as I protect them from the dogs, they last quite a long time and I love no longer needing dryer sheets! Always great quality. Come in a nice canvas bag that we are able to repurpose.” —themessybunmafia

“These are awesome. I have sensitive skin and have been wanting to steer away from using too many chemicals on my clothing. I have definitely seen a huge improvement on drying time. When drying my bedsheets, it normally took about 90 minutes on a medium setting to dry. With this product, it took less than 60 minutes at the same temperature. My clothes seemed less wrinkled and the fabric felt great. If I had any critique, it would be that I did experience some static, but not a big deal whatsoever. There was no residual smell at all and I would definitely recommend to anyone who is trying to avoid chemicals or has allergies!” —Tanisha R.

“The Wool Dryer Balls have been a great addition to our home. It is refreshing not to have chemicals from dryer sheets leached into our laundry! We haven’t seen a reduction in drying time, but not having to separate our laundry (we never used dryer sheets on our towels) when drying is a big plus. Not to mention the amount of lint (and my wife’s hair) that has been ELIMINATED from our clothes is fantastic.” —Mike

“I’ve been wanting to switch over from dryer sheets to something less toxic so ordered these to try out. They are surprisingly very effective! Normally my dryer runs forever before my clothes are dry. With the dryer balls it takes less than an hour to dry a full load. I’ve used them about 4 times so far and they’re still in good shape so hoping these will last long.” —Kariee

“Effective dryer aid! I love that my clothing is so much softer without adding any liquid softener products. The wool balls also help remove hair and pet dander!” —Molly

“Works great. Love these I don’t like the smell of fabric softener sheets so I thought I’d try these and to my surprise they work very well. Everything comes out soft and wrinkle free and no smell.” —Debbie Caldwell

Get a six-pack from Amazon for $12.99 (also available in packs of four and 12).

Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.