Disclosed are a dryer and a method of controlling the same, the dryer which is capable of: determining an amount of laundry loaded in the dryer and controlling a drying operation according to the amount of laundry; measuring a current supplied to rotate the drum and extracting a force applied to laundry in the drum to measure an amount of laundry; changing a rotation direction to minimize an error in the amount of laundry, which is caused by entanglement of the laundry; performing a drying operation after determining the amount of laundry through adjustment of the rotation direction; and setting a drying time in consideration of both a calculated amount of laundry and a type of the laundry, such that damage to the laundry is prevented and over-drying or less-drying of the laundry is solved, thereby efficiently drying the laundry.