At the Ofgem cap rate for 1 October to 31 December 2026, a tumble dryer rated 2500W costs about 98.7p a use and £144.10 a year when 2 hours a time, 3 times a week.
| Per hour of running | 49.4p |
|---|---|
| Per use | 98.7p |
| Per day | 39.5p |
| Per year | £144.10 (548 kWh) |
Calculated at 26.32p per kWh, the capped electricity unit rate for 1 October to 31 December 2026 on a standard variable tariff paid by direct debit. Electricity carries no VAT in that period, so this is the full unit price. The 54.83p daily standing charge is not included, because you pay that whether or not anything is switched on.
Two things worth knowing about that figure. The cap limits the unit rate, not your bill, so using more still costs more. And it is a Great Britain average: the actual capped rate is set per region, so your own rate could move these numbers either way. It is on your bill.
Tumble dryer has a thermostat, so the element or compressor switches off once it reaches temperature and back on when it drifts. The figures above assume it draws full power roughly 75% of the time it is on, which is typical.
This is where most running-cost figures online go wrong. Multiplying 2500W by the hours it is switched on would give £190.60 a year, which is roughly 1.3 times the real figure.
Figures for tumble dryer run from about 800W to 3000W. This is the widest range of any household appliance, and the type matters far more than the brand. A vented or condenser dryer uses a heating element and draws 2.5kW to 3kW. A heat pump dryer moves heat rather than generating it and draws roughly 800W, so it costs about a third as much per load while taking longer. If you are comparing models, the type is the whole decision.
Spin the load faster before it goes in. Going from 1000rpm to 1400rpm removes noticeably more water and cuts drying time. Drying full loads rather than half loads costs less per item, and cleaning the lint filter every cycle keeps airflow up.
Multiplying the rated wattage by the full cycle time. The heater cycles off once the load approaches dry, so a two hour cycle does not draw full power for two hours.
Annual running cost against the appliances closest to it, on the same assumptions. The ordering surprises people: short bursts of very high wattage usually cost less than something modest left on for hours.
| Appliance | Per year |
|---|---|
| Electric heater | £189.50 |
| Desktop PC | £153.71 |
| Tumble dryer | £144.10 |
| Dishwasher | £121.05 |
| Fridge freezer | £103.75 |
Across a year, a tumble dryer on these assumptions is about 21.9% of a typical annual electricity bill of £658.00 at these rates.
The figures here use the capped rate. If you are on a fixed tariff, or you want to add several appliances together, put your own unit rate into the energy cost calculator on the homepage.