How much does it cost to run a vented tumble dryer? (2026 price cap)
At the GB-average Ofgem price cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026, a vented tumble dryer rated at 2.5kW costs 66p an hour to run and around £172 a year assuming 3 loads a week, averaging 4.2kWh each.
Per hour
66p
Per typical use
£1.11
Per day
47p
Per week
£3.32
Per year
£172
Typical rating and how we worked this out
This page uses a typical rating of 2.5kW for a vented tumble dryer; published figures for this appliance range from 2kW to 3kW. Vented tumble dryers heat air, pass it through the drum and exhaust the moist air outside through a hose — the simplest and least efficient of the three dryer types, typically using more energy per load than an equivalent condenser or heat pump model. 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 4.2kWh 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 | £183 |
| South Eastern England | 26.88 | 67p | £176 |
| Eastern England | 26.61 | 67p | £174 |
| London | 26.60 | 67p | £174 |
| South Western England | 26.58 | 66p | £174 |
| Southern Wales | 26.55 | 66p | £174 |
| North Western England | 26.49 | 66p | £174 |
| Southern England | 26.47 | 66p | £173 |
| Northern Scotland | 26.35 | 66p | £173 |
| Southern Scotland | 26.11 | 65p | £171 |
| West Midlands | 25.60 | 64p | £168 |
| Yorkshire | 25.60 | 64p | £168 |
| North Eastern England | 25.46 | 64p | £167 |
| East Midlands | 25.36 | 63p | £166 |
| Great Britain average | 26.32 | 66p | £172 |
East Midlands is cheapest at £166 a year; Merseyside and Northern Wales is most expensive at £183 a year — a gap of £16.38 for identical use.
How a vented tumble dryer compares with similar appliances
Ranked by typical annual cost in laundry, GB average:
- vented tumble dryer — £172 a year (this page)
- washer-dryer (combined) — £185 a year
- condenser tumble dryer — £127 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
- Fill the drum to the recommended load size — an overfull load takes far longer to dry per kilo
- Use a moisture-sensor auto-dry setting rather than a fixed-time programme
- Spin clothes at the highest suitable speed before drying to remove more water first
FAQs
- How much does it cost to run a vented tumble dryer for an hour?
- 66p at the GB-average rate (26.32p/kWh, 2.5kW). One typical use — 3 loads a week, averaging 4.2kWh each — costs closer to £1.11.
- How much does a vented tumble dryer cost to run per year?
- Around £172 a year at the GB-average rate, assuming 3 loads a week, averaging 4.2kWh each — about £3.32 a week.
- Which UK region is cheapest to run a vented tumble dryer in?
- East Midlands, at £166 a year, against £183 in Merseyside and Northern Wales — £16.38 apart for identical use, purely from the regional rate.
- Does the exact wattage of my vented 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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