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APPLIANCE RUNNING COSTS · OCT–DEC 2026

How much does a condenser tumble dryer cost to run?

Condenser dryers collect the water in a tank instead of venting it, but standard models use about as much electricity as a vented dryer. At the GB average price-cap electricity rate of 26.32p per kWh for October–December 2026, a condenser tumble dryer costs about £1.25 per load.

Last updated 11 October 2026GB average price-cap rate, October–December 2026, Direct Debit, 0% VAT

PER LOAD

£1.254.75 kWh

PER WEEK

£3.753 loads a week (assumed)

PER YEAR

£196743 kWh at the assumed use

Work out your own cost

Choose your region or type in your own unit rate, then change the energy per load and number of loads to match your appliance and how you use it. It starts with a week at our assumed use.

The rate starts at the GB average price-cap electricity unit rate for October–December 2026 (Direct Debit, 0% VAT); replace it with the rate on your bill. Energy per load is on the appliance’s energy label or product sheet.

Estimated running cost£3.75

14.3 kWh over 3 loads · about £1.25 per load

How much electricity it uses

  • Energy labels show 4.75 kWh for a full cotton load on the 8 kg Hotpoint C HD C82 GGGD (class B, 142 minutes) and 4.25 kWh on the 7 kg Indesit I2 D71W (class B).
  • Heat-pump dryers are also condensers but use far less: 1.20 to 2.05 kWh for a full load on the labels we cite.
  • GB rules made in March 2026 set a minimum efficiency standard for new tumble dryers; the government proposed them to phase out less efficient air-vented, gas-fired and condenser models.
Tumble dryer (condenser): running cost by energy useAt 26.32p per kWh (GB average price-cap rate, October–December 2026, Direct Debit, 0% VAT). Weekly use: 3 loads (assumed).
ExampleEnergy per loadPer loadPer year
Lower4.25 kWh£1.12£175
Typical4.75 kWh£1.25£196

Usage assumption: Three full loads a week all year. The 2011 Energy Follow-Up Survey found a median of three drying loads a week in winter and none in summer, so this is on the high side for anyone who line-dries in summer. This is our illustration, not a measured average; change it in the calculator.

What drives the cost

  • Spin speed of the wash before drying.
  • Load size and fabric.
  • A blocked filter or condenser slows drying and wastes energy.

How it compares

Cost per use comparedTypical figures from each appliance’s page, at 26.32p per kWh.
ApplianceTypical useEnergyCost
Tumble dryer (condenser)1 load4.75 kWh£1.25
Tumble dryer (vented)1 load5.02 kWh£1.32
Tumble dryer (heat pump)1 load1.44 kWh38p
Heated clothes airer1 load, 4 hours1.20 kWh32p

Ways to spend less

  • The Energy Saving Trust says line drying in warmer weather or on racks indoors can save about £50 a year in Great Britain compared with tumble drying.

Unit rates vary by region: this period they run from 25.36p per kWh in East Midlands to 27.86p in Merseyside and Northern Wales. See every region’s rate →

Questions

How much does a condenser tumble dryer cost per load?

At 26.32p per kWh (the GB average price-cap rate, October–December 2026, Direct Debit, 0% VAT), 4.75 kWh per load costs about £1.25. Across the figures we cite (4.25 to 4.75 kWh) that is £1.12 to £1.25.

How much does a condenser tumble dryer cost to run a year?

It depends on how much you use it. Our assumption is three full loads a week all year. The 2011 Energy Follow-Up Survey found a median of three drying loads a week in winter and none in summer, so this is on the high side for anyone who line-dries in summer. At 26.32p per kWh that comes to about £196 a year (743 kWh). Change the hours or uses in the calculator to match your own.

Is a condenser dryer cheaper to run than a vented one?

Not much. On the labels we cite, standard condenser models use 4.25 to 4.75 kWh a full load and a vented 8 kg model 5.02 kWh. A heat-pump condenser dryer is the one that costs much less.

Does the cost depend on where I live?

Yes, a little. Price-cap electricity unit rates for October–December 2026 range from 25.36p per kWh in East Midlands to 27.86p in Merseyside and Northern Wales. Pick your region in the calculator, or enter the unit rate from your bill if you are on a fixed or time-of-use tariff.

About these figures

Running costs are energy used × unit rate. They exclude the daily standing charge, which you pay whether or not the appliance runs. Energy per load comes from energy label or product data measured on a standard test programme; other programmes use more or less. Power ratings and energy figures are examples from the sources below, not a measured UK average.

Other appliances

Sources

  1. EPREL product fiche: Hotpoint C HD C82 GGGD UK condenser tumble dryer ↗4.75 kWh per full-load cotton cycle, 8 kg, class B, 142 minutes.
  2. EPREL product fiche: Indesit I2 D71W UK condenser tumble dryer ↗4.25 kWh per full-load cotton cycle, 7 kg, class B.
  3. EPREL product fiche: Samsung DV90DB7845GB heat-pump tumble dryer ↗1.20 kWh per full-load cotton cycle, 9 kg, class A+++.
  4. EPREL product fiche: Bosch WQG24509GB heat-pump tumble dryer ↗2.05 kWh per full-load cotton cycle, 9 kg, class A++, 176 minutes.
  5. The Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products and Energy Information (Household Tumble Dryers) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/318, PDF) ↗New GB minimum efficiency rule for household tumble dryers (EEI no higher than 85).
  6. GOV.UK: raising product standards for household tumble dryers ↗Government proposal to phase out less efficient air-vented, gas-fired and condenser tumble dryers.
  7. Energy Saving Trust: quick tips to save energy at home ↗Savings tips for kettles, washing machines, dishwashers, drying and standby (page last updated 6 October 2026).
  8. Ofgem: energy price cap unit rates and standing charges ↗GB average electricity unit rate and VAT basis, October–December 2026.

Last updated 11 October 2026. Figures are dated benchmarks taken from the sources above. How we use sources →