With the cost of living biting, we’re all looking for ways to rein in household spending.
Clothes dryers can seem like a luxury to those living in sunnier climes, but if you’re slogging through a wet winter they might be a necessity.
But tumble dryers can really push your energy costs up – and unless you shop smart, your dryer could cost you many more times the purchase price in electricity bills.
We’ll explain how to keep your dryer running costs down and which type of dryer is best for energy efficiency.
Unless you shop smart, your dryer could cost you many more times the purchase price in electricity bills
Plus, exclusively for our members, we’ll reveal the clothes dryers that cost the least per load and are recommended by our experts.
If you’re not yet a member, join CHOICE to get instant access to all our expert, independent reviews.
Air drying is always the cheapest way to dry your clothes, but if that’s not an option for you, here are some other ways to use your dryer more efficiently:
Air dry clothes as much as you can before putting them in the dryer.
Keep the lint filter clean.
Use your washing machine’s highest spin speed to get as much water out as possible.
A vented clothes dryer will be one of the most energy-intensive appliances in your home, burning through anywhere from 2.75–9.25kWh per load. In fact, vented dryers use around three times as much energy as heat pump dryers.
When we calculated average dryer running costs over 10 years, here’s how they stacked up:
Dryer type
Average RRP*
10-year running costs**
Total cost over 10 years***
Vented
$703
$1985
$2688
Condenser
$1432
$1921
$3353
Heat pump
$2317
$708
$3025
*Of models we've tested. **Used once a week, every week. ***RRP plus 10-year running costs.
These figures are based on just one load per week, so if you’re tumble drying more often, the difference will be much bigger. This means a heat pump dryer could end up being cheaper in the long run, even though it has a much higher purchase price.
But if you won’t use a dryer regularly, it may not be worth spending extra on a heat pump dryer, even if they are cheaper to run. All those energy savings won’t amount to much if the initial purchase price left a gaping hole in your bank account.
Our expert reviews let you filter by brand, price, running costs and more to help you find the best clothes dryers for your needs.
If you use your dryer regularly, consider buying a heat pump dryer as their running costs are much lower
Alice Richard is a Content creator and marketer. Alice writes on a range of topics, from health insurance to heaters and BBQs to bargain-hunting, always with the aim to help consumers find the best products to buy, and which to avoid.
Alice can take vast amounts of data from CHOICE product tests and turn it into content that is easily digestible and fun for readers.
Alice has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Queensland. LinkedIn
Alice Richard is a Content creator and marketer. Alice writes on a range of topics, from health insurance to heaters and BBQs to bargain-hunting, always with the aim to help consumers find the best products to buy, and which to avoid.
Alice can take vast amounts of data from CHOICE product tests and turn it into content that is easily digestible and fun for readers.
Alice has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Queensland. LinkedIn
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