How much does it cost to run a heat pump tumble dryer in the UK?
Price updated 9 July 2026 · Q3 2026 (Jul–Sep)
A typical heat pump tumble dryer (900 W) used 1.5 hours a day, 4 days a week costs about £6.13 a month (£73.52 a year) at 26.11p/kWh.
A heat pump tumble dryer recycles warm air instead of constantly heating fresh air and venting it, so it draws far less power — typically 600–1,200W against 2,000–3,000W for a conventional dryer. Cycles run longer (heat pump dryers work at lower temperatures) but use roughly a third of the electricity per load. Over a year of regular drying the running-cost saving usually outweighs the higher purchase price, which is the main reason to choose one.
Work out your own cost
About £6.13 a month · £73.52 a year
Uses about 282 kWh a year. Prefilled with the Ofgem cap of 26.11p/kWh — edit any box for your own figures.
Cost by model power
The same heat pump tumble dryer can vary a lot between models, so here is the range from a low-power to a high-power example.
| Model | Power | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low-power model | 600 W | 16p | 23p | £4.08 | £49.01 |
| Typical model | 900 W | 23p | 35p | £6.13 | £73.52 |
| High-power model | 1,200 W | 31p | 47p | £8.17 | £98.02 |
What changes the cost
- Much lower power than a vented dryer
- Longer cycle times at lower temperature
- Spin speed of the wash beforehand
- Load size
Common questions
Is a heat pump dryer really cheaper to run?
Yes — it uses around a third of the electricity of a conventional dryer per load, because it recycles warm air rather than heating and venting it.
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