Tumble Dryer vs Line Drying Calculator
See what your tumble dryer really costs a year by type, what line-drying half or all your loads instead would save, and how quickly a heat-pump dryer upgrade pays for itself.
Estimate only. These are estimates — appliance ratings and tariffs vary, and your actual cycle energy use depends on load size and the programme selected. Check your dryer's energy label and your own electricity tariff for the figures that apply to you.
| Scenario | Annual saving |
|---|---|
| Every load in the dryer | — |
| Half your loads on the line instead | £86 |
| Every load on the line instead | £172 |
At this usage, a heat-pump dryer would pay for itself in about 4.8 years.
Saves about £115 a year in running costs versus your current dryer.
Cutting your drying costs
- Spin your washing machine on its fastest safe spin cycle first — the less water in the load, the less energy the dryer needs to finish it.
- Dryer balls help separate the load and cut drying time, which lowers the running cost of every cycle without changing anything else.
- Heat-pump dryers use roughly a third of the energy of a vented dryer for the same load, because they recycle heat instead of venting it outside.
- Even drying half your loads on an airer or line — rather than all of them — makes a real dent in the annual running cost, with no upfront spend.
How tumble dryer running costs are calculated
Each dryer type uses a different amount of energy for the same full load, measured in kWh per cycle. Multiplying that by your electricity unit rate gives the cost of one cycle; multiplying again by how many cycles you run a week, then by 52 weeks, gives the annual running cost. Line or airer drying is free (a dehumidifier-assisted indoor dry adds a small energy cost of its own), so moving even some loads off the dryer cuts the annual total directly. Because a heat-pump dryer uses roughly a third of the energy of a vented dryer, the running-cost saving from upgrading can be large enough to pay back the extra purchase price within a few years.