A mechanical-dial dryer that costs under $650 and delivers exactly that experience: six years of service if you're lucky, a drawer full of replacement thermal fuses if you're typical. The heating element and fuse failures happen often enough that repair techs spot the pattern before you finish describing the symptom, and appliance pros place Amana a tier below old Maytag or Kenmore for a reason. Buy it if you need the cheapest tumbling available and can handle basic repairs yourself. If you want a dryer that doesn't become a hobby, spend the extra $300 on a midrange model with a track record.
A feature-rich gas dryer with genuinely useful AI sensing and steam dewrinkling that works well day-to-day, until the control board relay sticks in the on position and the drum spins indefinitely through the night. The relay failure is documented across multiple units: the dryer ignores the cycle end, ignores the door opening, and keeps tumbling until you unplug it. The fix is a $70 board and a YouTube video, so it's survivable if you're handy, but it's the kind of flaw that makes you second-guess the whole appliance. If you want the capacity and smart features and don't mind occasional DIY repairs, it's capable. If you want a dryer that just stops when it's supposed to, buy something simpler.