I use dryer sheets in my European, condenser, moisture sensing dryer sometimes for staticky loads (such as the blankets you mentioned), and I've never had a problem at all. Though I still prefer liquid fabric softener in general, but simply because most loads I wash the majority doesn't go in the dryer.

Jon

I am aware of the controversy about dryer sheets ranging from how horrible they are up to opinions of the whole thing being a fictitious urban legend. All I can say is I've used them for decades -- different brands and many different machines -- and never had a moment's trouble of any kind.

Same here, used for years with zero problems. I tried liquid softner for several years and ended up with too much buildup on the washer outer tub.
Some folks say it clogs up the lint screen. Never had that happen either. I guess you could clean it periodically with vinegar if you fear such a problem. Some say it can affect the sensors in the dryer by coating them. I would think that would happen with liquid softner as well. In any such case if you suspect the sensor is coated just clean it once in a while.
My wife used them in our Maytags for eons and just never had any problems with either machine related to the use of dryer sheets or fabric softener in general. The dryers always worked efficiently.

After pondering on this thread for a little while when I went home last night, I decided to check out the filter screen in my dryer after the last 6 years use of fabric softner and sheets. I ran water through it to see if it would bead up at all. Not one drop. It passed through the filter with no problems at all.

All I can imagine people were thinking when they made such a claim is that the water will fill the voids of the tiny holes in the screen. This is a normal trait of a screen with its tiny holes though, brand new or heavily used. A slight tap and the water traces drop right on through. Perfectly normal.

I also performed a sensor test using the onboard diagnostic service mode of the dryer. The sensor worked perfectly with no difficulty shorting the bars at all.

The most common problems with dryers have to do with improper venting which is indeed something the homeowner can do something about. Short, straight, smooth and clean will net you huge performance benefits.

We just had a dryer fire, which the firemen said was caused by a dryer sheet.
Somehow it got sucked into the lint filter, don't ask me how, and the heat built up until the fire started. Thank goodness we were awake and heard the clunk when the plastic fins in the drum melted and fell. We managed to put the fire out with our handy fire extinguisher and hose (power turned off first, of course) but we lost a load of clothes, and both washer and dryer (they were stacked, and all that water did the washer electronics no good at all). There was lint on the filter itself (daughter #2 didn't clean the filter after daughter #3 did her laundry) but none in the vent hose, so it should have been fine, except for the dryer sheet blocking the filter. We'd used the sheets for several years without trouble (though our lint filter definitely needed to be washed every so often, or it did clog up), but we won't be using them any more. Ever. If the kids think they need them for static problems, they can rub the sheets directly on their clothes.