With the cost of living biting, we’re all looking for ways to rein in household spending.
Clothes dryers can seem like a luxury to those living in sunnier climes, but when you’re slogging through a wet winter they can feel more like a necessity.
However, tumble dryers can really push your energy costs up – and unless you shop smart, your dryer could cost you many more times the purchase price in electricity bills.
We’ll explain how to keep your dryer running costs down and which type of dryer is best for energy efficiency.
Unless you shop smart, your dryer could cost you many more times the purchase price in electricity bills
Plus, exclusively for our members, we’ll reveal the clothes dryers that cost the least per load and are recommended by our experts.
If you’re not yet a member, join CHOICE to get instant access to all our expert, independent reviews.
Air drying is always the cheapest way to dry your clothes, but if that’s not an option for you, here are some other ways to use your dryer more efficiently:
Air dry clothes as much as you can before putting them in the dryer.
Keep the lint filter clean.
Use your washing machine’s highest spin speed to get as much water out as possible.
A vented clothes dryer will be one of the most energy-intensive appliances in your home, burning through anywhere from 2.75–9.25kWh per load. In fact, vented dryers use around three times as much energy as heat pump dryers.
When we calculated average dryer running costs over 10 years, here’s how they stacked up:
Dryer type
Average RRP*
Average 10-year running costs**
Vented
$523
$1930
Condenser
$1432
$1921
Heat pump
$2317
$708
*Based on models tested as of March 2025. **Based on drying one load three times a week.
These figures are based on drying a load three times a week, so if you’re tumble drying more often, the difference will be much bigger. This means a heat pump dryer could end up being cheaper in the long run, even though it has a much higher purchase price.
If you’re only planning to use your dryer occasionally, a cheaper vented dryer will likely be the better option
But if you won’t use a dryer regularly, it may not be worth spending extra on a heat pump dryer, even if they are cheaper to run. All those energy savings won’t amount to much if the initial purchase price left a gaping hole in your bank account. If you’re only planning to use your dryer occasionally, a cheaper vented dryer will likely be the better option.
Our expert reviews let you filter by brand, price, running costs and more to help you find the best clothes dryers for your needs.
Our detailed clothes dryer review includes data on 25 dryers. CHOICE’s laundry experts assess them for things like energy efficiency, drying time, cost per load and noise.
Join CHOICE to access our detailed clothes dryers testing data. Only CHOICE members have access to all our expert, independent reviews.
Or log in to unlock this article and find out which dryers turn up the heat on your clothes, but not your power bills.
Alice Richard is a Content creator and marketer. Alice writes on a range of topics, from health insurance to heaters and BBQs to bargain-hunting, always with the aim to help consumers find the best products to buy, and which to avoid.
Alice can take vast amounts of data from CHOICE product tests and turn it into content that is easily digestible and fun for readers.
Alice has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Queensland.
Alice Richard is a Content creator and marketer. Alice writes on a range of topics, from health insurance to heaters and BBQs to bargain-hunting, always with the aim to help consumers find the best products to buy, and which to avoid.
Alice can take vast amounts of data from CHOICE product tests and turn it into content that is easily digestible and fun for readers.
Alice has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Queensland.
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