How much does a tumble dryer cost to run? (2023)

FAQs

How much does a tumble dryer cost to run? ›

'Taking a national average of 15 cents per kilowatt (kWh), you are looking at 30 to 90 cents per hour of running a tumble dryer, depending on energy consumption.

'Tumble dryers are one of the most energy-intensive devices in the home, so it's worth trying to avoid using it during the warmer months,' says Justina Miltienyte, energy expert at Uswitch.com (opens in new tab).

If the room is too cold, your dryer will use more energy heating up the air. Instead, keep it in a well-insulated room. “Not only will you save energy by placing your dryer in a warm room, but condenser and heat pump tumble dryers cannot operate properly in temperatures below 5°C,” says Ed.

But on average, Uswitch estimates a tumble dryer uses roughly 4.5 kWh of energy per cycle.

To give a fairly standard example, LG's FDV1109B Freestanding Heat Pump Tumble Dryer is A+++ rated, has a 9kg capacity and an energy consumption per cycle of 1.94kWh meaning costs of just 0.69p per cycle at full load.

Tumble dryers use the most energy out of all standard household cleaning appliances. But we are still in the grips of winter, so drying clothes outside is not really an option either, although it is by far the best for cost-effectiveness and giving clothes that unique 'line-dried' smell.

Assuming a dry cycle takes one hour: If you run a 3,000 W clothes dryer once a week, that's 3 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per week, 13 kWh per month, and 156 kWh per year. Running that same dryer three times a week comes to 9 kWh per week, 39 kWh per month, and 468 kWh per year.

'Taking a national average of 15 cents per kilowatt (kWh), you are looking at 30 to 90 cents per hour of running a tumble dryer, depending on energy consumption.

Heated airers are typically cheaper to run in comparison to tumble dryers, especially when you consider that they can typically dry about twice as much as a tumble dryer at once. A 300-watt heated airer will use 0.3 kWh of electricity per hour.

Disadvantages of Tumble Dryer

Since tumble dryers continuously exhaust their hot air, they must use electricity or gas to constantly heat up new air. This design results in a significant loss of energy, which subsequently increases the utility bills for consumers.

Why not to use a tumble dryer? ›

Studies show that tumble drying can cause significant damage to clothing, mainly in regards to shrinking and wearing fabric down. Drying shrinks clothes twice as much as washing, and tumble drying shrinks clothes twice as much as air drying.

The best time of day to run your washer and dryer is early in the morning or at night to avoid the surge in price. “During the winter, electricity demand is highest in the morning hours between 7am and 9am when people are waking up and turning up their heat. Doing laundry in the evening is your safest bet.”

According to the Daily Record, the most expensive time to use your washing machine or tumble dryer is between 4pm and 7pm. Energy prices are at their lowest between 10pm and 5am, but make sure you never leave it on over night as this could be a fire risk.

Washing machines, dishwashers and tumble dryers account for 14% of a typical energy bill, taking the top spot in our list. The power needed to heat the water that they use pushes up consumption, making them energy-hungry household appliances.

When the EPA looked at various household appliances, the clothes dryer was the biggest energy hog. That's right. The average clothes dryer uses more electricity than the average refrigerator.

That translates to about 2 to 6 kilowatt-hours of electricity. Based on the national average rate of 12 cents per kilowatt-hour, each hour of electric drying will cost somewhere between 24 and 72 cents, depending on the model.

Clothes dryers have a reputation for being energy hogs, but how much do they really cost to operate? In the U.S., it costs approximately 45 cents to dry a load of laundry in an electric dryer, based on a 5,600-watt dryer, 40-minute run-time, and a 12-cent-per- kilowatt-hour rate.

An LCD TV, which is equal to around 120 watts consumes 0.12 kWh, so if it's turned on for 8 hours = 48p per day or 6p an hour.

What is the cheapest way to dry clothes in the winter? ›

In the winter, a heated airer is a good option, especially if your house is particularly cold. We like the John Lewis & Partners 3-Tier Heated Indoor Clothes Airer — it has plenty of flexible hanging space and clothes and towels dried quickly in our tests.

Line-drying prolongs the life of your clothing.

Line drying is more gentle to fibers. You'll lower your gas or electric bill. Project Laundry List estimates the average household could save 10 to 20 percent percent on utility bills by hanging the wash!

Try washing before 4 p.m. or after 7 p.m. – Many energy companies charge extra for electricity during their “peak hours,” which see increased energy usage. During the summer, run your washer early in the morning – energy use peaks on hot afternoons.

The average-sized microwave oven uses about 215 kWh of electricity per year. In terms of energy usage, the appliance's wattage ranges from 600 to 1,500 watts. However, because microwaves are only used for short periods of time, their overall yearly energy use is lower than what their pull would suggest.

Generally, it takes about 30 to 40 minutes to dry an average load of laundry on a medium setting. However, some loads will only take 20 minutes, and others may require 60 minutes or more.

Unfortunately, ANY amount of heat is damaging to hair, so using a blow dryer (or flat iron, or curling wand) every day is a bad idea. Daily heat exposure can ruin hair by stripping the hair's natural oils, drying out the cuticle and causing breakage and frizz.

While it's not essential, a tumble dryer is a godsend if you have a large family that gets through a lot of laundry every week, or if you don't have space to hang washing to dry. Most models also feature the latest sensor technology.

Washing machine spin cycles cost less to run than tumble drying, and the dryer will then need to run for less time to dry your clothes. If it's a dull but dry day, you can also save money by hanging your clothes on the washing line then just 'finishing them off' in the dryer before you put them away.

Don't overload your tumble dryer

An overfull dryer will take longer to get your clothes dry and an empty dryer will use up energy for fewer items. Fill your dryer around 3/4 of the way full. This way, you are making the most of the cycle but still giving your laundry space to move around freely.

What is the lifespan of a tumble dryer? ›

Tumble dryers typically last from around 10 to 13 years. If the dryer has been around for that amount of time, you might need to find a replacement sooner than you think. Newer models also use less energy when operating, and so they help you save costs in the long run.

The best option for most people will be a dehumidifier. They're usually cheaper to run than a tumble dryer and you won't be left with mould around the home. If you want the cheapest option, then an airer next to the radiator is a great choice.

Heat pump tumble dryers

The heat pump tumble dryer is easily the most efficient and economical type of tumble dryer, with many holding an A+++ rating. When compared to vented or condenser dryers, this means that a heat pump tumble dryer uses a lot less energy.

Drying your towels correctly will help you achieve soft, fluffy towels. Try this method for optimal results: Take the towels out of the wash and shake them thoroughly. Put them in the tumble dryer with some clean tennis balls and dry for around 20 minutes on a high heat.

Don't leave appliances unattended – don't turn the tumble dryer on before you leave the house or go to bed. Tumble dryers contain powerful motors with fast moving parts that can get very hot. Keep your dryer well ventilated, make sure the vent pipe is kink free and not blocked or crushed in any way.

A tumble dryer is more likely to provide you with soft, fluffy clothes. This is because the clothing is constantly moving inside the dryer, making it easier for the water to evaporate and therefore ensuring a softer result.

After collecting over 60,000 data points over several months, he discovered that Fridays and Sundays are the best days for students to do their laundry.

The best times for putting on your washing machine are the off-peak hours from 12 midnight to 8 am from Monday to Friday and throughout the day on weekends and holidays.

Typically, a gas or electric dryer should take about 30 to 45 minutes to dry a full load of clothes. Dense fabrics—like a quilt or a load of thick bath towels—may take up to an hour to dry. If your dryer's taking too long to dry your laundry, it's important to figure out what's wrong instead of ignoring it.

It is okay to leave clothes in the dryer overnight provided you dry them first. Otherwise, you can get mold if you leave them wet. The next morning, before taking the clothes out of the drier, just give them a few minutes of tumbling to get out some of the wrinkles and make it easier to iron if necessary..

How much does it cost to run one load of laundry? ›

How much does it cost to do an average load of laundry? Combining all of these factors, the average cost of a load of laundry is $1.27. At this cost, if you do one load per week, doing laundry costs $66.04 per year. If you do four loads per week, doing laundry costs $264.16 per year.

That's wasted electricity—technically, it's called "no load mode," but in reality it's just another vampire. According to the Berkeley Lab's testing, cell phone chargers in no load mode consume around 0.26 watts, and laptop chargers, 4.42 watts.

The largest electricity consumer in the average household is your heating and cooling appliance. By a long shot. Central air conditioners and heaters use tons of energy in order to keep your home set to the right temperature.

Do Flat Screen TVs Use A Lot Of Electricity? No, flat-screen TV's do not typically use a lot of electricity. They only use a small fraction of energy compared to other appliances and electronics. Your air conditioning and heating units use exponentially more electricity than your television.

Recent research shows that new dryers use significantly less energy to dry most typical loads on low heat than on high heat, even though the dryer runs longer. If you aren't in a rush, let the clothes run longer on low heat. This will save energy and is gentler on clothes.

Electric dryers use anywhere from 1800 to 5000 watts of energy, on average, dependent on the load and cycle configurations. This equates to about 1.8 to 5 kWh of electricity. Whirlpool dryers typically require 2100 watts of energy.

A higher heat setting on your dryer uses more energy. Go with a lower heat setting (and a longer drying time) to use less energy. Make sure to use your dryer's cool-down option, too. It will finish up the load with the heat that is already in the dryer, instead of producing more.

The best time of day to run your washer and dryer is early in the morning or at night to avoid the surge in price. “During the winter, electricity demand is highest in the morning hours between 7am and 9am when people are waking up and turning up their heat. Doing laundry in the evening is your safest bet.”

Is it cheaper to run dryer at night? ›

According to the Daily Record, the most expensive time to use your washing machine or tumble dryer is between 4pm and 7pm. Energy prices are at their lowest between 10pm and 5am, but make sure you never leave it on over night as this could be a fire risk.

Heated airers take longer to dry clothes, however running a two-tier rack for eight hours a day to dry a couple of loads will cost less than using a tumble dryer.

While the amount of energy a shower will use varies on the individual appliance, an electric shower can use an average of 8.5kW of energy. With this in mind to work out the cost of using an electric shower you need to multiply how much energy it is using, so 8.5, by the cost of electricity, 0.34.

Turning off your appliances at the wall won't magically cut your power bill in half, but it can help you further conserve energy and save on electricity.

When they analyzed the data, the team found that those who had the lowest overall health risks were those who viewed TV for 2 hours or less per day. They estimated that 6 percent of all deaths and 8 percent of cardiovascular deaths were associated with TV-viewing time.

Conclusion. There is no definitive answer to this question. Washing your clothes by hand will use considerably less water than using a machine but unless you use cold water, the energy required to heat the water in your home probably outweighs the electricity usage by your appliance.

If your item's label says not to tumble dry, it's best not to, even with zero heat. The tumbling movement could create wrinkles which will be hard to remove without heat. Tumbling without heat could also cause shrinkage after washing.

Disadvantages of Tumble Dryer

Since tumble dryers continuously exhaust their hot air, they must use electricity or gas to constantly heat up new air. This design results in a significant loss of energy, which subsequently increases the utility bills for consumers.

Line-drying prolongs the life of your clothing.

You'll lower your gas or electric bill. Project Laundry List estimates the average household could save 10 to 20 percent percent on utility bills by hanging the wash! Line drying laundry also protects the environment, conserving energy for your fellow man.

How can I dry my clothes in the winter without electricity? ›

Also known as sunshine, solar radiation is important for drying clothes as it provides a source of free energy to evaporate the water in your clothes. While warmer air temperatures can help dry clothes, solar radiation is the most effective way to evaporate water when hanging your clothes to dry.

Ron Shimek, president of Mr. Appliance, a Neighborly company, explains that air-drying “will save money, reduce wear-and-tear of clothing from tumbling in the dryer, and ease concern about ruining clothing.” Air-drying your clothing outside is also better for your health and the environment.

Run your washer and dryer early in the morning or at night to avoid the surge. During the winter, electricity demand is highest in the morning hours between 7 and 9 am when people are waking up and turning up their heat. Doing laundry in the evening is your safest bet.

Electricity is often cheaper late at night or early in the morning, so if you run your heaviest loads during those times, you'll be able to save on your electric bill. These are typical off-peak hours when not as many people are using electricity.

The water heater used to warm water to clean dishes may be an energy suck, but the dishwasher isn't. Dishwashers make up just 1 percent of residential electricity usage.

Cooking Appliances

Induction is by far the most energy-efficient way to cook.

Washing Machines & Dryers

Dryers use more electricity of the two appliances, so you may also consider air drying clothes when possible to minimize your electricity consumption on laundry day.

Use lower heat settings in the dryer.

Even if the drying cycle is longer, you'll use less energy and be less likely to over-dry your clothes.

While acquiring a laundry dryer dehumidifier may represent a larger initial cost than a typical tumble dryer, the difference in costs over time are staggering. The running costs of a condensation dehumidifier can be as little as 0.03€ an hour – approximately 12 times less expensive to run than a standard tumble dryer.

Does a microwave use electricity when plugged in? ›

The short answer is yes! A variety of different electronic devices and appliances, including televisions, toasters, lamps, and more, when plugged in, can consume electricity even when they're turned off.

Electric dryers are less efficient than gas dryers because they take longer to heat up and don't get as hot. That means it takes more time and electricity to dry clothes. This will increase your energy bills in the long run, even if the electric dryer costs less upfront than a comparable gas dryer.

What is the cheapest time to use your washing machine? According to the Daily Record, the most expensive time to use your washing machine or tumble dryer is between 4pm and 7pm. Energy prices are at their lowest between 10pm and 5am, but make sure you never leave it on over night as this could be a fire risk.

Do Fans Use a Lot of Electricity? Running a fan takes a lot less electricity than running an air conditioner; ceiling fans average at about 15-90 watts of energy used, and tower fans use about 100 watts.

Gas dryers use gas to create the heat, and electric dryers use electricity. Both types use an electric fan to distribute the heat. Even though both types require a steady stream of electricity, gas models are slightly more efficient.