Heated airer or dehumidifier - which one is the cheapest way to dry clothes
Drying clothes in the winter can be a nightmare - but what is cheaper a dehumidifier or a heated airer?
Energy costs are still ridiculously high with Ofgem's current price cap currently sitting at £1,834 a year for typical use. Many of us have turned to heated airers and dehumidifiers to cut the cost of drying our clothes. But which one is more cost effective?
Mirror Money has compiled the cost to run both appliances - as well as the tumble dryer - using energy data from uSwitch's October 2023 Power House report so you can decide the best option for your energy bills.
Tumble dryer
The tumble dryer dries clothes using an electric motor which rotates the drum filled with wet clothes. At the same time, the appliance drives the fan which circulates hot air through the drum.
According to data from the price comparison site uSwitch, the average tumble dryer uses 3kWh of energy per cycle and each tumble dryer cycle costs around 83p under the current price cap. If you use your tumble dryer for 150 minutes a week it will cost you £1.72 each week or £89.44 over the course of a year.
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The pro of the tumble dryer is that it allows you to have dry clothes within one or two hours, depending on the laundry you put in. However, a con is that not all clothes can be put in a tumble dryer. Items such as silk, lace and sheer net should never be put in one and some woollen items could pill if they go in. Some cotton items can also shrink with the heat.
Dehumidifier
A dehumidifier is an electronic appliance that absorbs the moisture in the air from your wet clothes and projects warm, dryer air that over time dries out your clothes.
According to uSwitch, the average dehumidifier uses about 185W to run and has a cost per load/ cost per hour of around 10p. The price comparison site says households use a dehumidifier on average for around 180 minutes per week. This means the weekly cost to use one will sit at around 29p per week or around £15.03 per year.
However, some dehumidifiers can cost more to run so you should double-check the wattage before buying one. All clothes can be dried by using a dehumidifier and usually, you can get your clothes ready to wear within six hours. Again it will take a little longer with heavier clothing items such as woollen jumpers.
With a dehumidifier, you could also improve the air quality in your home as it reduces the moisture in the air preventing condensation on the windows and tackling dampness which is more likely to occur as a result of drying laundry indoors.
Heated air dryer
These gadgets have become particularly popular over the last year. According to uSwitch, the average heated air dryer uses around 300W to run.
With the heated airer, uSwitch says the average household runs their dryer for around 116 minutes a week. This comes at a cost of 16p a week - or around 8p per cycle/ hour according to its Power House data. Over the year, a heated air dryer racks up a cost of £8.31.
Heated dryers are a good option as they do not damage clothes in the drying process and all clothes can be placed onto one so you don’t need to separate your washing once it's done. However, you're not guaranteed consistent drying times because some materials dry faster than others. Heater airers usually take a few hours to dry a load, usually over the six-hour mark. Again, it could take even longer if you have some thicker garments on there.
Like the dehumidifiers, some heated air dryers can cost more to run than others so you should double-check the wattage before buying one. With drying clothes inside, you do risk damp growing in your property even with the heated airers, so always try to open a window to allow damp air to escape, if it is not too cold, and you can also place the rack away from the walls.
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