Tumble Dryer

Heat pump tumble dryers reuse the same hot air during a cycle, removing the water as they go, so they’re pretty efficient. They also dry at a lower temperature, which is better for the environment and helps limit wear and tear on your clothes.

The cost of energy depends on your tariff and how efficient your machine is. When looking for a new tumble dryer, check the energy rating on each model. A is the most efficient option with D being one of the less efficient machines. If you’re shopping with AO, we have the YourEko energy saving tool on most of the products as well, so you can compare running costs and even pop in your own usage info to see real numbers. It’ll even tell you if there are more efficient machines on our site that are a similar cost or cheaper. Pretty neat!

Condenser tumble dryers are a great option if you’ve not got space for vents. They dry your clothes and cool the steam down until it becomes water. They collect all moisture removed into a container that needs emptying every now and then. Some models even tell you when it’s full, too. For a bit more info, head over to our handy buying guide that’ll help you pick the right model.

Vented tumble dryers dry your clothes in warm air and extract all the steam outside through vents. These models are cheaper to run than condenser tumble dryer and they dry clothes quicker as they don’t turn the steam into water on cycles. We’ve got loads more info in our handy buying guide.

The amount of electricity tumble dryers use will depend on its energy rating and the programme it’s running. They use on average 4.5kWh per cycle, according to Ofgem. Of course, the higher the energy rating on your machine, the less electricity it uses so some models will be even more efficient than this.