Will using eco mode on your tumble dryer save you money?
It's common for dishwashers and washing machines to have an energy-saving eco mode, but only a handful of tumble dryers have this option. We tested a selection of 12 tumble dryers to find out what effect the eco setting has on both your laundry and your bills.
Eco programs can be useful if you want to cut costs and reduce energy use, but it's only worth using if it's still able to do the core job well, which in this case would be drying.
We tested tumble dryers from leading brands including AEG, Bosch, Beko, Hoover, Miele, LG and Zanussi. Find out what we discovered, as well as our tips and advice to help you spend less when drying your clothes.
Go to our tumble dryer reviews to compare the energy use of more than 100 tumble dryers we've tested
Our tumble dryer eco mode test
We tested the eco setting and the standard cotton program on 12 tumble dryers.
We measured:
- How well they dried the clothes in the drum
- How long the drying program took
- How much energy they used to get the job done.
Of the dryers on test, 10 were energy-saving heat-pump machines, and we also included one vented and one condenser dryer, too.
These tests meant we could directly compare drying, speed and energy between the standard and eco drying programs.
Find out more about the best energy-efficient tumble dryers and which ones we recommend
Tumble dryer eco mode vs standard cottons program
As we expected, selecting the eco option saved energy on all but two tumble dryers tested.
But in most cases the amount of energy saved was small, and it came at quite a cost in terms of the dryness of the clothes in the drum, as well as increased drying times with most machines.
We found that the dryers on test typically reduced energy use by just 2%, although one slashed energy use by 18%.
The overall average energy saving was 3.7% across all of the machines we tested. But this is likely to be a false economy in most cases.
The clothes in almost every machine were noticeably wetter when the buzzer sounded than with the standard cottons programme. This means that you could ultimately end up having to run your machine again - using more energy - to get your damp clothes properly dry.
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What's the cheapest way to dry clothes?
These five steps will ensure you use your tumble dryer as efficiently as possible, which will help you save money.
Make sure to:
- Fill it up - a full dryer is the most efficient dryer.
- Separate cottons from synthetics - it’s not convenient, but different fabrics dry at different speeds.
- Remember to clean the lint filter after every use - this allows air to flow freely through the machine.
- Clean out the heat exchanger every month - if you forget to do this, it can become clogged with dust, fluff and hair, which makes it harder for air to move around the machine.
- Check the vent and hose for vented tumble dryers - removing kinks and any blockages will help air flow through the machine.
Hanging clothes on a washing line outdoors or on a basic clothes airer is free, but it does depend on whether you have outside space or room indoors for an airer.
We’re testing heated airers (with heated bars) and drying pods (airers with fans) at the moment and we’ll publish reviews of the best and worst later this month.
If you’re using an airer, remember to use it in a well-ventilated and sunny room with a window open, to avoid the growth of mould.
Avoid drying clothes on a radiator - this releases moisture into your home, which could again lead to mould.
In addition, cold wet laundry on radiators acts as a barrier between the heat they give off and your home's ambient air, which means the radiators have to work harder to remedy the temperature drop, so your bills will rise.
A dehumidifier can also speed up drying because it collects moisture from the air to stop it forming condensation. Many have a laundry mode, which increases the fan speed forcing drier air over the wet clothes.
If your dehumidifier doesn’t have this program, it can still help with drying if you place it close to your garments on an airer.
But keep the windows closed – if they’re open, the dehumidifier will have to work harder to get the job done.
Find out more about how dehumidifers work and take a look at our dehumidifier reviews.
Find out what our tests uncovered about the most cost-effective way to use your tumble dryer
Eco modes on other appliances
Eco modes on dishwashers and washing machines use lower water temperatures and wash for longer.
Less energy is used to heat the water, and the machine needs to take more time to get the job done.
But, somewhat counterintuitively, some of the eco settings on the dryers we tested actually reduce the drying time.
The buzzer sounded sooner in our eco mode tests, but that’s pretty meaningless if your clothes are still noticeably damp and the energy savings are small.
A better way to save energy when drying clothes would be to buy an energy-saving heat-pump dryer when you’re next in the market for a new machine, this will save you between £76 and £88 per year in running costs.
Read our guide to find the best heat-pump dryers
