No more burritos in the bed linen? I tested the item for washing without lumps. – It’s Worth It in 2026

In addition to eliminating laundry burritos, Wad-Free boldly touts a 75% reduction in drying time. Here we have doubts.

To compare drying times, I put several loads of wet laundry, each containing 12 to 15 pieces of bedding, in the dryer at home. I started each load with a 40 minute dry cycle on medium heat. (Using the hot dry cycle with Wad-Free is not recommended. Additionally, Andrea and Jackie agree that high heat should only be used occasionally to sanitize or sanitize; using it regularly can damage fabrics and cause natural fibers to shrink.)

To establish control, I calculated how long it would take to completely dry the laundry the way I usually handle the task: by scooping all the wet laundry out of the washer in one big boulder-sized armful and stuffing it into the dryer. (For what it’s worth, Jackie told me that this “method” wasn’t doing me any favors in terms of drying time.) After an initial 40-minute cycle on medium, I had to return one sheet and six pillowcases to the dryer for another 20 minutes.

I then used Wad-Free units in my dryer for three subsequent loads. Two of them turned out to be almost the same as I usually do: in the first test, two parts came back for a total of an hour. In the second case, all but one fitted sheet required an additional 20-minute cycle.

My third attempt with the Wad-Free was more successful: After the initial 40-minute drying cycle, I put the two duvet covers and sheet back for another five minutes to dry them completely, for a total of 45 minutes.

Obviously, 45 minutes of drying is not 75% faster than 60 or 80 minutes of drying, so I can’t call Wad-Free a reliable time saver.

Jackie also did not notice a significant difference in the time saved when using Wad-Free. And Andrea found that drying a full-size sheet and pillowcase set took longer than usual when using Wad-Free, although “not so much longer that I think it would preclude the usefulness of this product,” she said.

I have to agree. I can’t say that Wad-Free is a panacea for your laundry problems, and it may even cause (literally or figuratively) a problem or two in your daily life. But if your main laundry irritation, like mine, is burritos, and you’re not bothered by slight damage to delicate fabrics, it might be worth giving this item a spin (cycle). Just don’t expect a miracle without lumps every time.

This article was edited by Katie Okamoto and Maxine Bilder.