How Much Does It Cost to Run a Tumble Dryer?
A vented or condenser dryer uses 2 to 4 kWh per load, roughly 50p to a pound at current unit rates. Heat pump models use about a third of that. The arithmetic and the alternatives.
In short
A conventional vented or condenser tumble dryer uses about 2.5 to 4 kWh per full load, which at a typical unit rate of 25p is 60p to a pound each time. A heat pump dryer uses roughly 1 to 1.5 kWh, around 25 to 40p. Four loads a week on a conventional dryer costs around 150 to 200 a year; a heat pump model cuts that by two thirds.
The tumble dryer is usually the second most expensive appliance to run in a home after the heating, and the one whose cost people most underestimate, because it runs for an hour or two and is easy to forget.
The arithmetic
Cost per load equals energy used in kilowatt-hours multiplied by your unit rate. Typical energy per full load:
- Vented dryer: 3 to 4 kWh
- Condenser dryer: 2.5 to 3.5 kWh
- Heat pump dryer: 1 to 1.5 kWh
At a unit rate of 25p per kWh, a conventional dryer costs 60p to a pound per load. A heat pump model costs 25 to 40p.
Four loads a week for a year:
- Conventional: around 150 to 200
- Heat pump: around 50 to 75
Your exact unit rate is on your bill. Multiply it by the kWh figure on the appliance’s energy label for the precise number.
Why heat pump dryers use so much less
A conventional dryer heats air with an element, blows it through the drum and vents or condenses it. The heat is used once and thrown away. A heat pump dryer recycles it, running the exhaust air past a refrigerant loop that recovers the warmth and returns it to the drum.
The trade-offs: they cost more to buy, they run at a lower temperature so cycles take longer, typically two to three hours, and the heat exchanger needs occasional cleaning. For a household doing regular loads, the running-cost saving repays the price difference within a few years.
Cutting the cost of the dryer you have
- Spin faster in the washer. A 1,400 rpm spin leaves clothes noticeably drier than 1,000, and the washer’s spin is far cheaper than the dryer’s heat.
- Clean the filter every load. A clogged lint filter restricts airflow and lengthens the cycle.
- Use the sensor programme. It stops when the load is dry rather than running for a fixed time.
- Do not overload. Clothes need room to tumble. Two moderate loads dry faster than one packed one.
- Part-dry, then air. Twenty minutes to take the worst off, then an airer, cuts energy by more than half.
- Run it off-peak if you have a time-of-use tariff. Overnight rates can be less than half the daytime figure.
The airer alternative
A heated airer uses around 0.2 to 0.3 kWh an hour, so a six-hour run costs roughly 30 to 45p, similar to a heat pump dryer load and a third of a conventional one. An unheated airer costs nothing but takes a day and adds moisture to the room, which in a poorly ventilated home means condensation and mould. Open a window or run a dehumidifier alongside it.
The honest comparison
A dryer buys time and convenience, and in a damp climate it is genuinely useful. At 60p to a pound a load it is not ruinous, but it is the single easiest large appliance cost to halve, either by changing the model or by changing how it is used.
Common questions
Is a heat pump dryer worth the extra cost?
For a household doing three or more loads a week, usually yes. It costs perhaps 200 to 300 more to buy and saves around 100 to 150 a year, paying back in two to three years. For light use the payback is longer and a conventional model may be the better buy.
Does a shorter cycle save much?
Yes, roughly in proportion. Half-drying then finishing on an airer, or using the sensor programme rather than a timed one so the dryer stops when clothes are dry, are both effective. Cleaning the filter every load also reduces cycle time noticeably.
How does it compare with a washing machine?
A washing machine at 40°C uses about 0.5 to 0.7 kWh per cycle, so the dryer typically costs four to six times as much per load. Drying is the expensive half of laundry.
Sources
Every factual claim above traces to one of these. Follow them rather than taking this article's word for it.
- Energy price cap Ofgem
- Household expenditure statistics Office for National Statistics
Try it yourself
Free, instant, and nothing you enter leaves your browser.