How much do heated air dryers cost to run and are they better than tumble dryers?

A heated air dryer can be a good alternative to tumble drying, but what else is there to consider? (Picture: Getty)

As the cost of living crisis tightens with the country entering the colder months, households across the UK will be looking for ways to make savings where they can.

From appliance swaps to potentially spending less on Christmas presents, there are steps you can take to control outgoings.

But some things you just cannot avoid – like washing your clothes. With the colder months settling in, your clothes will likely need more help drying too.

If you want to avoid using the tumble dryer, could a heated dryer be a better option?

Well, there are numerous factors to consider when it comes to choosing between a heated air dryer and a tumble dryer.

But, at a glance, a heated air dryer is cheaper to use.

Finance experts at USwitch said: ‘Based on our calculations for a 300-watt model, it’ll cost 10p per hour to run a heated airer based on the new October rates.

‘The cost per cycle for an average tumble dryer is around £1.03. The cost per hour is around 85p.’

Drying clothes in winter can be a hassle – are heated racks the way forward? (Picture: Getty)

For those not mathematically minded, that’s a sweet saving of 75p per-hour.

But – and there’s always a but – it’s not as straightforward as that.

To start, heated airers can take from four to 10 hours to dry clothes. So, to dry a load of laundry, you’re looking at up to £1.

While that still might be cheaper, you’ll lose the efficiency of washing and drying bigger loads if you’re waiting for 10 hours to dry one load of washing.

In The Wash, for example, estimates that standard tumble dryer programs only take about 30 to 45 minutes to dry your laundry.

So, with just one hour of tumble dryer usage, which costs about 85p, you might be able to do two full loads of drying.

The other thing to consider is the upfront cost.

If you already have a tumble dryer, you’re in luck because they aren’t cheap. The lowest price from a simple Google search is £150, from Argos.

But prices can range from £250 to over £500 depending on size and spec.

A heated air dryer, on the other hand, is much cheaper to buy outright.

From Dunelm’s dryer for under £40 to Lidl’s hugely popular £44.99 model, you can bag a good deal.   

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