How much does it cost to run a condenser tumble dryer? (2026 price cap)
At the GB-average Ofgem price cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026, a condenser tumble dryer rated at 2.5kW costs 66p an hour to run and around £127 a year assuming 3 loads a week, averaging 3.1kWh each.
Per hour
66p
Per typical use
82p
Per day
35p
Per week
£2.45
Per year
£127
Typical rating and how we worked this out
This page uses a typical rating of 2.5kW for a condenser tumble dryer; published figures for this appliance range from 2kW to 3kW. Condenser dryers cool and condense moisture removed from clothes into a tank or drain rather than venting it outside; Which?-derived annual cost data puts a typical condenser dryer meaningfully below a vented model of similar size, at roughly 3.1kWh per full load. The running cost follows the same formula used across this site: watts ÷ 1,000 × hours × unit rate. Typical use is modelled as 3 loads a week, averaging 3.1kWh each, which is how the per-day, per-week and per-year figures above were calculated — see the cost-to-run calculator to change the wattage, hours or region yourself.
Rate used: Ofgem price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026, GB average electricity — 26.32p/kWh (excl. VAT, removed 1 Oct 2026–31 Mar 2027).
Cost by region
Same appliance, same use — ranked most to least expensive by region under the price cap:
| Region | Elec p/kWh | Cost per hour | Typical annual cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merseyside and Northern Wales | 27.86 | 70p | £135 |
| South Eastern England | 26.88 | 67p | £130 |
| Eastern England | 26.61 | 67p | £129 |
| London | 26.60 | 67p | £129 |
| South Western England | 26.58 | 66p | £129 |
| Southern Wales | 26.55 | 66p | £128 |
| North Western England | 26.49 | 66p | £128 |
| Southern England | 26.47 | 66p | £128 |
| Northern Scotland | 26.35 | 66p | £127 |
| Southern Scotland | 26.11 | 65p | £126 |
| West Midlands | 25.60 | 64p | £124 |
| Yorkshire | 25.60 | 64p | £124 |
| North Eastern England | 25.46 | 64p | £123 |
| East Midlands | 25.36 | 63p | £123 |
| Great Britain average | 26.32 | 66p | £127 |
East Midlands is cheapest at £123 a year; Merseyside and Northern Wales is most expensive at £135 a year — a gap of £12.09 for identical use.
How a condenser tumble dryer compares with similar appliances
Ranked by typical annual cost in laundry, GB average:
- condenser tumble dryer — £127 a year (this page)
- vented tumble dryer — £172 a year
- washer-dryer (combined) — £185 a year
- heat pump tumble dryer — £53.38 a year
- washing machine (40°C cycle) — £51.32 a year
- iron — £48.03 a year
Three practical ways to cut the cost
- Empty the condenser water tank and clean the condenser unit regularly
- Clean the fluff filter after every single load — the single biggest factor in restoring airflow
- Site the dryer somewhere ventilated rather than a very hot, unventilated cupboard
FAQs
- How much does it cost to run a condenser tumble dryer for an hour?
- 66p at the GB-average rate (26.32p/kWh, 2.5kW). One typical use — 3 loads a week, averaging 3.1kWh each — costs closer to 82p.
- How much does a condenser tumble dryer cost to run per year?
- Around £127 a year at the GB-average rate, assuming 3 loads a week, averaging 3.1kWh each — about £2.45 a week.
- Which UK region is cheapest to run a condenser tumble dryer in?
- East Midlands, at £123 a year, against £135 in Merseyside and Northern Wales — £12.09 apart for identical use, purely from the regional rate.
- Does the exact wattage of my condenser tumble dryer change the cost much?
- Yes — ratings range 2kW–3kW, so the top of that range costs about 1.5x the bottom. This page uses 2.5kW; check your own rating plate.
- Does the October 2026 price cap affect this figure?
- Yes — figures use the Ofgem cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026. Electricity excludes VAT (removed 1 Oct 2026–31 Mar 2027); gas includes 5%. See the price cap page for the full breakdown.
Sources
- Which?-sourced appliance running-cost table (tumble dryer types, dishwasher, washing machine) — wattage and usage figures for this appliance.
- Ofgem — Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges (regional tables, read 12 September 2026).
Related
- Cost-to-run calculator and full A–Z — check any appliance or enter a custom wattage.
- Energy price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026 — every region, every payment method.
- Back-billing calculator — if a bill for this or any appliance looks like it covers too many months.
- Free bill audit — if your overall energy costs look high regardless of any one appliance.
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