How much does it cost to run a clothes dryer?

The answer starts from the official energy figure on the energy rating label. This page uses the median of every clothes dryer registered for sale in Australia in our dataset, then scales it to your usage and your electricity price. Change the assumptions to match your home.

Short answer. The median clothes dryer registered for sale in Australia has 159 kWh a year on its label. At 1 load a week and 32c/kWh, that is about $51 a year. Half of the models on the market fall between $41 and $73 at the same usage.

Where to find the numbers

The annual kWh is on the energy rating label. Your electricity price is the unit rate on your bill (c/kWh).

What the figure is based on

The label figure assumes 52 loads a year (one a week) on the cotton programme. Heat pump dryers use roughly half the energy per load of vented and condenser dryers.

What changes the cost

• Dryer type: heat pump dryers use about half the energy per load of vented and condenser dryers, but take longer.
• How wet the load goes in: a faster washer spin removes water for a fraction of the energy a dryer needs to evaporate it.
• Load size and sensor drying: over-drying on timed programmes wastes energy; auto-sensing stops when the load is dry.
• Lint filter and airflow: a blocked filter or condenser lengthens every cycle.
• Loads a week is the lever: the label basis is one load a week in Australia and New Zealand.

Compare clothes dryers by energy use and running cost to see every model behind this figure.

For a specific model or any other appliance, use the electricity cost calculator.