United Kingdom Laundry and water
How much does it cost to run a tumble dryer?
An electric clothes dryer is the most expensive appliance per use in most homes. A vented or condenser dryer uses about 2.5 to 4.5 kWh per load. A heat pump dryer does the same load on 1 to 1.5 kWh.
One load of a tumble dryer uses about 3.5 kWh and costs about 92p in Great Britain at 26.32 pence per kWh. At 1 load a day that is about 92p a day, £28.04 a month and £336.47 a year.
- Price: Ofgem cap, Oct to Dec 2026
- Wattage range with its source
- Checked 26 October 2026
Uses 3.5 kWh a day, 107 kWh a month, at 26.32 pence per kWh (Great Britain (price cap average)).
The dial places the daily cost between a 50 watt fan and a 4.5 kW water heater on 2.5 hours a day.
One load of a tumble dryer uses about 3.5 kWh and costs about 92p in Great Britain at 26.32 pence per kWh. At 1 load a day that is about 92p a day, £28.04 a month and £336.47 a year.
What this assumes
The default is 3.5 kWh per load, 1 load a day. Published figures for one load run from 1.5 to 4.5 kWh depending on the model and the setting. The energy label on the machine, or its manual, gives the figure for your model.
The price is the Ofgem price cap unit rate for 1 October to 31 December 2026, average for England, Scotland and Wales, paying by Direct Debit. The cap for 1 January to 31 March 2027 is announced in late November 2026. A fixed tariff, a time-of-use plan or a different payment method changes the rate, which is why the rate field is editable.
Cost per load by energy used, at the price cap rate
At 26.32p per kWh. The energy label or manual gives the figure for your model and programme.
| Energy per load | Per load | 1 a day, per week | 1 a day, per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 kWh | 39p | £2.76 | £12.02 |
| 2.3 kWh | 59p | £4.15 | £18.03 |
| 3.0 kWh | 79p | £5.53 | £24.03 |
| 3.5 kWh | 92p | £6.45 | £28.04 |
| 3.8 kWh | 99p | £6.91 | £30.04 |
| 4.5 kWh | £1.18 | £8.29 | £36.05 |
How a tumble dryer uses electricity
US dryers run on 240 volts at 4,000 to 5,500 watts for 40 to 60 minutes. UK vented and condenser dryers are 2,000 to 3,000 watts and run longer, 90 minutes or more, so the energy per load is similar.
A heat pump dryer costs more to buy and takes longer, but uses about a third of the electricity. Over ten years of daily loads it pays for itself several times over at UK prices.
A full lint filter and a long or kinked vent hose make every load take longer and cost more.
Ways to cut the cost
- Spin faster in the washer. Water removed by the spin is water the dryer does not have to evaporate.
- Clean the lint filter every load.
- Use the moisture sensor setting, not the timer.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to run a dryer for an hour?
A 4,500 watt US dryer running flat out is 4.5 kWh an hour, about 81 cents at 18 cents per kWh. A 2,500 watt UK dryer is 2.5 kWh an hour, about 66p at 26.32p per kWh. Most cycles do not run the element the whole time.
Is a heat pump tumble dryer worth it?
At UK prices, usually yes for a household that dries most days. It uses about 1.2 kWh a load against 3.5 for a condenser dryer, a saving of about 60p a load at 26.32p per kWh.
Other laundry and water costs
More in the UK
Sources
The electricity price on this page is read from the data file that also lists the release it came from. The wattage range is a published typical range, not a measurement of your appliance.