Quick answer: a heated clothes airer usually costs between about 4p and 11p an hour to run. A 300W airer drying a load for 6 hours uses 1.8 kWh, which is about 47p per load at 26.32p per kWh.
Heated Clothes Airer Running Cost Calculator
Results update as you type. Default price: 26.32p/kWh, the Ofgem cap for October to December 2026.
The heated airer cost formula
Cost per load = (watts ÷ 1,000) × hours per load × price per kWh
A 300W airer on for 6 hours: 0.3 kW × 6 h = 1.8 kWh, and 1.8 × 26.32p = 47.4p. Three loads a week is about £1.42 a week, or £73.91 over a whole year. Prices here use 26.32p per kWh, the Ofgem price cap unit rate for electricity paid by direct debit from 1 October to 31 December 2026. Your own rate is on your bill and may be higher or lower, especially on a fixed or Economy 7 tariff, so change it in the calculator.
Heated airer running costs by wattage
| Wattage | Per hour | Per 6-hour load | Per year (3 loads a week) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 150W | 3.9p | 23.7p | £36.95 |
| 230W | 6.1p | 36.3p | £56.66 |
| 300W | 7.9p | 47.4p | £73.91 |
| 400W | 10.5p | 63.2p | £98.54 |
Heated airer vs tumble dryer
The fair comparison is cost per load, not cost per hour. An airer draws far less power than a tumble dryer, but it takes much longer. Work out your airer’s cost per load above, then put your dryer’s figures into our tumble dryer running cost calculator and compare the two numbers.
How to dry clothes faster on a heated airer
- Spin clothes on the fastest safe setting in the washing machine first, so there is less water to remove.
- Leave space between items so warm air can move around them.
- Use the airer’s cover if it has one, or put it in a small room with the door closed.
- Turn thick items like jeans and hoodies halfway through.
- Open a window a little or run a dehumidifier so the moisture has somewhere to go, which also helps prevent damp and mould.
Worked examples
- Family laundry: a 230W airer drying four loads a week for 8 hours each uses 1.84 kWh per load. That is about 48p a load and £1.94 a week.
- Small loads: a 150W airer for 5 hours uses 0.75 kWh, about 20p a load.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a heated airer cost to run?
A 300W heated airer costs about 7.9p an hour at 26.32p per kWh. Drying one load over 6 hours costs about 47p.
Is a heated airer cheaper than a tumble dryer?
Often per hour, because airers use a few hundred watts while a tumble dryer heater uses well over a thousand. But an airer runs much longer per load, so compare the cost per load. Our tumble dryer calculator shows the other side.
How long does a heated airer take to dry clothes?
Usually several hours, depending on the fabric, how full it is and how warm the room is. A cover, if your airer has one, holds the heat in and can shorten drying time.
Can I leave a heated airer on overnight?
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Many people prefer to use a timer plug so it switches off after a set number of hours.
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