How do I work out what my own heated clothes airer costs?

Multiply its power in kilowatts by the hours you use it and by your unit rate. A 1 kW appliance running for an hour uses 1 kWh, which costs 26p at the Great Britain average. Appliances with a thermostat use less than their rating over an hour.

Does it cost more in some parts of the country?

Slightly. The electricity unit rate under the cap runs from 25.36p a kWh in East Midlands to 27.86p in Merseyside and North Wales, so the same use costs about 10% more in the dearest region. Pick yours in the calculator.

Running costs

How much does it cost to run a heated clothes airer?

About 7p an hour, at the price cap for 1 October 2026 to 31 December 2026. Used 5 hours, 3 times a week, that’s about £58 a year.

Which? measured an average of 6p an hour for winged airers and 8p for tower airers at 24.67p a kWh (March 2026).

Verified: 23 October 2026 from Ofgem price cap rates

Work out yours

Your electricity price

Average power while in use

watts

Hours each time

Times a week

An hour

7.5p

A week

£1.12

A month

£4.87

A year

£58

222 kWh a year. Unit rate only: the standing charge is paid whether or not anything is switched on.

A heated airer warms its rails to dry clothes slowly, using a few hundred watts. In Which?’s tests a small cotton load took four to six hours, so the cost per load comes from the hours more than the power.

Against a tumble dryer, a heated airer is usually cheaper than a vented or condenser dryer, but a heat pump tumble dryer can be cheaper again for big loads, and it’s much quicker. Drying indoors adds moisture to the air, so open a window or run an extractor or dehumidifier nearby.

Ways to spend less

Spread clothes thinly: a crowded airer takes much longer.
A cover traps the heat and cuts drying time, if your airer has one.
Spin clothes at the highest speed they can take before hanging them.

Compared with

Appliance	Typical cost	A year, used as shown
Heated clothes airer	7p an hour	£58 (5 hours, 3 times a week)
Tumble dryer	£1.33 a load	£209 (3 loads a week)
Dehumidifier	6p an hour	£166 (8 hours a day)

At the Great Britain average electricity rate of 26.32p a kWh.

Common questions

How much does it cost to run a heated clothes airer?: About 7p an hour, at the price cap for 1 October 2026 to 31 December 2026. Used 5 hours, 3 times a week, that’s about £58 a year. Which? measured an average of 6p an hour for winged airers and 8p for tower airers at 24.67p a kWh (March 2026).
How do I work out what my own heated clothes airer costs?: Multiply its power in kilowatts by the hours you use it and by your unit rate. A 1 kW appliance running for an hour uses 1 kWh, which costs 26p at the Great Britain average. Appliances with a thermostat use less than their rating over an hour.
Does it cost more in some parts of the country?: Slightly. The electricity unit rate under the cap runs from 25.36p a kWh in East Midlands to 27.86p in Merseyside and North Wales, so the same use costs about 10% more in the dearest region. Pick yours in the calculator.

Other appliances

Add up several appliances in the electricity cost calculator, or see what your own home uses with the smart meter analyser.