APPLIANCE RUNNING COSTS · OCT–DEC 2026

How much does a heat-pump tumble dryer cost to run?

A heat-pump dryer recycles warm air instead of making new heat each time, so it uses a fraction of the electricity of a vented or condenser dryer, though cycles take longer. At the GB average price-cap electricity rate of 26.32p per kWh for October–December 2026, a heat-pump tumble dryer costs about 38p per load.

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

PER LOAD

38p1.44 kWh

PER WEEK

£1.143 loads a week (assumed)

PER YEAR

£59225 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.

Estimated running cost£1.14

4.3 kWh over 3 loads · about £0.38 per load

How much electricity it uses

Energy labels show 1.20 kWh for a full cotton load on the 9 kg Samsung DV90DB7845GB (A+++), 1.44 kWh on the 8 kg Hotpoint C HD 84M WBS (A+++) and 2.05 kWh on the 9 kg Bosch WQG24509GB (A++).
Cycles are longer: 174 minutes for a full load on the Hotpoint and 176 minutes on the Bosch, against 142 minutes for a standard Hotpoint condenser model.
A standard 8 kg condenser dryer is labelled at 4.75 kWh a load, about three times the 1.44 kWh of the Hotpoint heat-pump model.

**Tumble dryer (heat pump): running cost by energy use**At 26.32p per kWh (GB average price-cap rate, October–December 2026, Direct Debit, 0% VAT). Weekly use: 3 loads (assumed).
Example	Energy per load	Per load	Per year
Lower	1.2 kWh	32p	£49
Typical	1.44 kWh	38p	£59
Higher	2.05 kWh	54p	£84

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

Load size and how wet the clothes are.
A blocked lint filter or heat exchanger reduces efficiency.
Programme choice: eco or cotton programmes match the label; quick programmes may use more.

How it compares

**Cost per use compared**Typical figures from each appliance’s page, at 26.32p per kWh.
Appliance	Typical use	Energy	Cost
Tumble dryer (heat pump)	1 load	1.44 kWh	38p
Tumble dryer (condenser)	1 load	4.75 kWh	£1.25
Tumble dryer (vented)	1 load	5.02 kWh	£1.32
Heated clothes airer	1 load, 4 hours	1.20 kWh	32p

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 heat-pump tumble dryer cost per load?

At 26.32p per kWh (the GB average price-cap rate, October–December 2026, Direct Debit, 0% VAT), 1.44 kWh per load costs about 38p. Across the figures we cite (1.2 to 2.05 kWh) that is 32p to 54p.

How much does a heat-pump 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 £59 a year (225 kWh). Change the hours or uses in the calculator to match your own.

Is a heat-pump dryer worth it?

It depends on how often you dry. Use the comparison table: the difference per load between a heat-pump and a condenser model, multiplied by your loads a year, is the saving to set against any extra purchase price.

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

EPREL product fiche: Samsung DV90DB7845GB heat-pump tumble dryer ↗1.20 kWh per full-load cotton cycle, 9 kg, class A+++.
EPREL product fiche: Hotpoint C HD 84M WBS UK heat-pump tumble dryer ↗1.44 kWh per full-load cotton cycle, 8 kg, class A+++, 174 minutes.
EPREL product fiche: Bosch WQG24509GB heat-pump tumble dryer ↗2.05 kWh per full-load cotton cycle, 9 kg, class A++, 176 minutes.
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.
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).
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 →