Two million households — 18% of owners — admit using the tumble dryer even when the weather is warm, costing them £44 million over the four warmest months of the year[1]
Almost 11 million households — 39% of homes — own a tumble dryer, using it for almost two hours a week[2]
A quarter of tumble dryer users (25%) admit running the devices when they’re not full, and 15% say they don’t use the eco setting[1]
Plymouth is the UK’s tumble dryer capital, where 50% of households have one, compared to 29% of homes in Edinburgh[3].
Uswitch.com calls on the UK to make use of the hot weather and ditch the tumble dryer for a week to save £15 million.
Households will unnecessarily spend £44 million in energy over the summer months by using their tumble dryer when it is warm outside[1], according to new research by Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service, which is calling on people to ditch the appliance on hot days to save money.
Despite the expense, two million households (18%) admit to tumble drying their clothes on hot days, when they could be letting them dry naturally for free outside[1].
Tumble dryers are owned by 11 million homes, with the device used for 118 minutes a week on average — adding up to £15 million a week for the UK[2].
A quarter of tumble dryer owners (25%) also say they run their machines when they are not full, and more than one in seven (15%) say they do not use their device’s eco setting[1].
Households considering getting a tumble dryer should compare both the purchase cost and the running costs of the devices. The most energy efficient A+++ tumble dryers use less than half the amount of energy per cycle compared to lower-rated devices, with a typical A+++ model costting £1.04 a week to run, compared to £2.80 for a C-rated appliance[4].
There is massive variation in ownership of tumble dryers across the country. Plymouth can be revealed as the UK’s tumble dryer capital, with 50% of households owning one, while only 29% of homes have one in Edinburgh[3].
Table: Tumble dryer ownership around the UK[3]
How to dry your clothes without using tumble dyer
Clothes airers: Lightweight drying racks take up little space and prices start from only £12. They let your clothes dry naturally, which can take a while but costs you nothing in electricity. Position them near an open window if it’s warm, or near a radiator if it’s cold. The kitchen is usually the warmest room so consider making the most of this for your dryer
Heated airers: These racks are heated to speed up the drying process. They cost upwards of £40 and use 220W of power, costing about 6p an hour in electricity. Higher powered versions are available that dry clothes more quickly for £60, but these use 1,000W, costing 28p an hour.
Install a line outside: Households with outdoor space like a garden can install a washing line (costs as little a £12) or rotary dryer (costs as little as £25) to hang their clothes.
Make the most of the spin cycle: The more water you can remove from your clothes before hanging them up, the faster they will dry. Use your washing machine’s spin cycles to squeeze out as much water as possible.
Will Owen, energy expert at Uswitch.com, comments: “This warm spell is the perfect opportunity for the country to ditch the tumble dryer for a week and make big savings on energy bills.
“Many of us are trying to find ways around the home to save energy and the tumble dryer is a great way to start, as it is one of the most energy-intensive devices in the home.
“Thankfully in the summer months, those with a garden or balcony have a free alternative — hanging clothes to dry outside.
“We challenge everyone who owns a tumble dryer and has a suitable place to hang their washing to take advantage of the hot weather and ditch the appliance for a week.
“Not only will this help you save money this summer, it’s a great starting point for getting into good energy habits which will be especially useful in the winter.
“For those without any outdoor space, try drying your clothes on a rack in the warmest room in the house. Also make the most of your washing machine’s spin cycle to squeeze out as much water as possible before hanging them up.”
Find out how you could save with Uswitch in the new cost-of-living hub here.
For further information, please contact:
Prisca Simango, Uswitch.com on 07971 093 512 / a-prisca.simango@rvu.co.uk
Sarah Robinson, Rhizome Media on 07545 895 404 / sarah@rhizomemediagroup.com
Notes
Research conducted online by Opinium, 29th April to 3rd May 2022, among 2,000 UK residents, weighted to be nationally representative.
1. Respondents were asked, ‘Which of the following do you have?’ 39% said they had a tumble dryer. 39% of 28.1 million UK households = 11 million homes.
Respondents were asked ‘Do you regularly do any of the following?’ 25% of tumble dryer owners said they ran the appliance when it is not full, 18% of tumble dryer owners said they use it when it’s a hot day outside, 156% of tumble dryer owners said they do not use an eco setting on a tumble dryer.
18% of 11 million = 2 million use the tumble dryer on a hot day.
2 million x 1.97 hours use a week x 2.5kW average power x 28p/kWh x 16 weeks = £44 million.
2. Respondents were asked, ‘For how long per week do you use each of these appliances?’ Tumble dryer owners said 118 minutes a week on average. 118 minutes / 60 minutes in an hour = 1.97 hours.
118 minutes x 2.5kW x 28p/kWh = £1.37 per week per house. Cost per week for the country = £15,061,319.
3. See table in release for breakdown.
4. A+++ tumble dryer and C tumble dryer.
About Uswitch - saving you money for 20 years
Uswitch is the UK’s top comparison website for home services switching. We’ve saved consumers £2.5 billion off their energy bills since we launched in September 2000, and also help people find a better deal on their broadband, mobile and TV.
Uswitch is part of RVU, a global group of online brands with a mission to empower consumers to make more confident home services, insurance and financial decisions.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION
Prisca Simango
Phone: 07971 093 512
Email: prisca.simango@rvu.co.uk
Twitter: @UswitchPR
About Uswitch
Uswitch is one of the UK’s top comparison websites for home services switching, including energy, broadband and mobiles.
More people go to Uswitch to switch their energy, broadband and mobile than any other site, and we have saved consumers over £2.7 billion off their bills since we launched in September 2000.
Free mobile app Utrack also helps households manage their home energy usage and make potential savings.
Uswitch is part of RVU, a group of online brands with a mission to empower consumers to make more confident home services, insurance and financial decisions.
