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APPLIANCE RUNNING COSTS · OCT–DEC 2026

How much does a vented tumble dryer cost to run?

Vented dryers heat air and blow it outside, which makes them one of the most expensive laundry appliances to run per load. At the GB average price-cap electricity rate of 26.32p per kWh for October–December 2026, a vented tumble dryer costs about £1.32 per load.

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

PER LOAD

£1.325.02 kWh

PER WEEK

£3.963 loads a week (assumed)

PER YEAR

£207785 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£3.96

15.1 kWh over 3 loads · about £1.32 per load

How much electricity it uses

  • The 8 kg Hotpoint H1 D80W (class C) uses 5.02 kWh for a full cotton load and the 4 kg Hotpoint NV4D 01 P uses 2.95 kWh, according to their energy labels.
  • New GB rules made in March 2026 set a minimum efficiency standard for household tumble dryers. The government proposed them to phase out less efficient air-vented, gas-fired and condenser dryers; they apply to dryers placed on the market, not those already in homes.
  • Households ran a median of three drying loads a week in winter and none in summer in the 2011 Energy Follow-Up Survey.
Tumble dryer (vented): 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
Lower2.95 kWh78p£121
Typical5.02 kWh£1.32£207

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

  • How wet the clothes are: a fast spin in the washing machine removes water more cheaply than the dryer.
  • Load size and fabric: heavy cottons take longer.
  • Drying time: sensor programmes stop when clothes are dry.

How it compares

Cost per use comparedTypical figures from each appliance’s page, at 26.32p per kWh.
ApplianceTypical useEnergyCost
Tumble dryer (vented)1 load5.02 kWh£1.32
Tumble dryer (condenser)1 load4.75 kWh£1.25
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, instead of using a tumble dryer, can save about £50 a year in Great Britain.

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 vented tumble dryer cost per load?

At 26.32p per kWh (the GB average price-cap rate, October–December 2026, Direct Debit, 0% VAT), 5.02 kWh per load costs about £1.32. Across the figures we cite (2.95 to 5.02 kWh) that is 78p to £1.32.

How much does a vented 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 £207 a year (785 kWh). Change the hours or uses in the calculator to match your own.

Are vented tumble dryers being banned?

New GB efficiency rules for tumble dryers were made in March 2026, with the government aiming to phase out less efficient vented and condenser models from sale. They do not require you to replace a dryer you already own.

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 H1 D80W UK vented tumble dryer ↗5.02 kWh per full-load cotton cycle, 8 kg, air-vented, class C.
  2. EPREL record: Hotpoint NV4D 01 P (UK) vented tumble dryer ↗2.95 kWh per full-load cycle, 4 kg, air-vented, class C.
  3. 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).
  4. GOV.UK: raising product standards for household tumble dryers ↗Government proposal to phase out less efficient air-vented, gas-fired and condenser tumble dryers.
  5. Energy Follow-Up Survey 2011, report 9: domestic appliances (DECC, 2013, PDF) ↗Median washing, drying and dishwasher loads per week; wash temperatures.
  6. 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).
  7. 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 →