Abstract: An automatic clothes dryer that initially determines the upper regulating or cycling temperature in accordance with the fabric type and desired dryness as input by the operator. If no desired dryness is input, a default dryness is assumed. Then, the controller measures the time period to reach the upper regulating temperature during the first heating cycle, and uses this information along with the fabric type and desired dryness to determine how many additional heating cycles will be executed to dry the clothes to the desired dryness. Further, the length of a subsequent cool down cycle is determined in accordance with the fabric type and desired dryness.