While a typical heated airer might use between 0.1 to 0.4 kWh per cycle, a tumble dryer usually requires about 2 to 4 kWh.
Your average 9kg vented tumble dryer will use around 5.30 kWh for a full load cycle. Using your dryer two times a week will give you an average annual usage of 636 kWh – which translates to £1.54 for each cycle and £184.44 a year. Your average 9kg condenser tumble dryer will use around 5.2 kWh for a full load cycle.
How much does it cost to run a tumble dryer for an hour? According to Heatable, a 2500W tumble dryer costs about 85p to use for an hour. However, the tumble dryer cost per hour depends on the energy efficiency rating of your tumble dryer and the cost of energy at the time.
As with any heated drying device, heated airers use electricity to help dry your clothes. Despite this, many heated airers use very little electricity in comparison to a traditional tumble dryer, making them more cost-effective and better for the environment than a traditional dryer.
Do dryers use a lot of power? Yes, though they do so over a shorter period of time than many other popular appliances. For example, let's compare your dryer to your TV, which (if relatively new) will use between 100-300 watts. Your TV could cost you a tenth of what your dryer costs you in the same period.
Heating and cooling are by far the greatest energy users in the home, making up around 40% of your electric bill. Other big users are washers, dryers, ovens, and stoves. Electronic devices like laptops and TVs are usually pretty cheap to run, but of course, it can all add up.
Disadvantages of tumble drying
One significant disadvantage is its high energy consumption, which can contribute to increased electricity bills. Also, it is essential to be mindful of potential fabric damage, as the heat can cause shrinkage or damage to delicate fabrics if not used correctly.
Depending on the model's extracting power and wattage, a dehumidifier can cost anything from just 10p to 30p an hour to run, making them cheaper to use, compared with a tumble drier.
Tumble dryers at the affordable end are less energy efficient, so could cost you more in the long-run. Heat pump tumble dryers are more expensive up-front, but don't require so much electricity to generate heat, making them more energy efficient and cheaper in the long-run.
How can I lower the cost of drying clothes? 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.
Ideally, the best time to do laundry to save energy is either early in the morning or late at night. In warmer climates, morning laundry can help offset using your air conditioning later in the day, as the dryer will warm up the space.
Vented dryers use approximately 2.07 kWh per hour. This makes your tumble dryer cost per hour roughly . 57p.
Heat pump tumble dryers are much more energy efficient than other types of machine, which means they're kinder on your wallet and the environment. These machines use up to 60% less electricity than a conventional condenser or vented tumble dryer while still being able to deliver the same performance.
Despite the heated clothes airer's extended run time and its reliance on a dehumidifier, it is still much cheaper to use a heated dryer over a tumble dryer. It would cost 45p in electricity for a full load on the clothes airer, plus 4p for the dehumidifier (49p in total). This is compared to £1.02 for the tumble dryer.
Overdrying and exposing your clothes to long cycles of high heat can damage the fabric and cause clothes to shrink. Instead, opt for tumble or air dry settings in shorter intervals in order to preserve your clothing.
A vented tumble dryer will be more cost effective than a condenser in both the purchase and running stages, if you are able to find somewhere to run the hose externally. It will also dry your clothes more quickly than a condenser dryer, as it is not required to spend time converting the hot air into water.
Line drying or clothes rack drying will always be the more sustainable and cost-effective way of drying your clothes. Energy Saving Trust says that avoiding the use of your tumble dryer could potentially save you money each year.
A clothes dryer (tumble dryer, drying machine, or simply dryer) is a powered household appliance that is used to remove moisture from a load of clothing, bedding and other textiles, usually after they are washed in the washing machine.
Energy use
We've previously found condenser dryers to not be very energy efficient. Along with older vented varieties, they use around three times more energy to dry a load than their heat pump counterparts. This means vented and condenser dryers cost more to run in the long term than a heat pump.
As technology advances, appliances become more energy-efficient. If your current microwave is consuming more energy than newer models, it could be contributing to higher utility bills. Upgrading to an energy-efficient microwave reduces your environmental footprint and saves you money in the long run.
Do vacuum cleaners use a lot of electricity? Vacuum cleaner energy use varies. A major driver of vacuum cleaner power usage is the motor. Commonly available vacuum models have motors that use between 500 and 3,000 watts of energy, with the average machine using about 1,400 watts.