Tumble dryer running costs - advice please

**Nicolab** · 06-11-2010, 10:07am

We're thinking of buying a tumble dryer since we're having to dry washing in our spare room which is going to increase ridiculously when DS2 finally makes an appearance!

However I have no idea about the running costs for a family of 4 - are they really worth it or a ridiculously expensive luxury?

**minime** · 06-11-2010, 10:10am

Oh, I would love to know this as well. Am getting fed up of my house smelling of drying clothes. Esp. during winter when it takes about two days for clothes to dry properly even in front of the storage heaters.

***kate*** · 06-11-2010, 10:12am

Well someone told me last year it was £1.74 an hour to run a tumble drier (maybe on here actually?) I tried hard not to use ours last year and my lecky bill was substantially lower than it had been the previous winter.

I know £1.74 doesn't sound *that* much, but mine takes ages to dry if it's full/has heavy items so I end up splitting loads up - I think it must really mount up/or £1.74 is a conservative estimate.

I try to dry as much as I can outside and finish off in the tumble drier/on radiators, or only put light stuff in there. Having said that, I think they are a necessity in a family, esp if you work/have littlies. But yes, there's no doubt they eat lecky!

**Lilacgirl** · 06-11-2010, 10:18am

I don't know but we succombed to one just before Emilia was born. It's been great as she was such a sicky baby. Also she's very clingy so I can just bung it in there and be back with her in a sec.
I justify it a bit in that I would've had to buy more clothes for the kids (especially E) as they would take days to dry otherwises. She was known to get through 5 or 6 outfits a day!

**shining star** · 06-11-2010, 10:26am

We use our tumble dryer quite a lot, and our electricity bills are never overly high. But we've always had a tumble dryer so I don't know what the bill would be without it!

**Elvisola** · 06-11-2010, 10:37am

I can't honestly say I have noticed a dramatic increase in my electricity bill, certainly my monthly direct debit has stayed the same since we bought it a year ago.

To be honest now I have one I would keep it even if it was expensive, it's invaluable in this weather, especially for towels and bed sheets.

**Sam** · 06-11-2010, 10:42am

Originally Posted by Elvisola

To be honest now I have one I would keep it even if it was expensive, it's invaluable in this weather, especially for towels and bed sheets.

That's exactly how I feel, with 3 children it probably is a bit expensive but also priceless - I'd rather try and save money elsewhere. I only use mine a few times a week but it really helps me catch up

**Faith** · 06-11-2010, 11:57am

I have a very small one (3kg). I only use it to soften towels (inc. nappies) when we were using them, or in "emergencies" if I needed things dry quickly.

It is very handy to have

, but I wouldn't use it to dry everything like some people do as it does cost alot. If I put mine one I can see the leccy meter ticking over at quadruple the speed!

***Holly*** · 06-11-2010, 01:06pm

I dont think ours costs a lot to run, but as someone else said above, I have always had one so wouldnt really know. There are only 2 of us but I do all the washing at the weekend and nothing in the week, I would never be bothered to keep up with the shirts and towels otherwise, if I had a family I wouldnt want to live without one!

I am very good about saving electric elsewhere though, turning lights off etc and I mainly have it on during the night so this probs makes a difference to the cost too

**calfee** · 06-11-2010, 01:10pm

My tumble drier cost pretty much balance the costs for keeping my heating on and the radiators on full blast to dry stuff over IYSWIM.

**ChelseaHarvey** · 06-11-2010, 03:10pm

I have no idea but my tumble dryer is on about 2 x a day & i wouldnt say i notice a massive hike through the winter with it?? I even used it through the summer alot this year as well

**MoominMaiden** · 06-11-2010, 03:28pm

As i still have a chavtastic electric key meter which the previous owners had put in and i cannot find a company willing to remove the flipping thing without charging me £89 for the privilege!!! I have just done an experiment. Have just dried a load in my washer dryer which is a modern AEG one. It cost 89p on the 'leccy

meter I had everything else turned off bar a light in the utility room and a laptop charger. Therefore i scientifically conclude its not quite so expensive as i thought it was

**Nicolab** · 06-11-2010, 04:07pm

Originally Posted by MoominMaiden

As i still have a chavtastic electric key meter which the previous owners had put in and i cannot find a company willing to remove the flipping thing without charging me £89 for the privilege!!! I have just done an experiment. Have just dried a load in my washer dryer which is a modern AEG one. It cost 89p on the 'leccy

meter I had everything else turned off bar a light in the utility room and a laptop charger. Therefore i scientifically conclude its not quite so expensive as i thought it was

Moominmaiden

So in reading replies here sounds like we should def investigate buying one and I guess if we do find it's pricey to use we can just limit the usage but I am getting seriously fed up of our spare room permanently being set up as a laundry and this is the only way I can see to remedy that