- A heated clothes airer costs 7.9p an hour at 300 W and 5.2p at 198 W, or 31.6p for 4 hours at 300 W.
- Prices from the Ofgem price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026: the average for England, Scotland and Wales is 26.32p per kWh by Direct Debit. Your region and tariff change it, so use the calculator below.1
- Last checked: 28 October 2026.
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How much does a heated airer cost per hour?
Costs for published airer ratings, for 1, 4 and 8 hours.
| Power | 1 hour | 4 hours | 8 hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 198 W | 5.2p | 20.8p | 41.7p |
| 300 W | 7.9p | 31.6p | 63.2p |
How to work out the cost
Multiply the power in kilowatts by the hours it runs, then by your electricity unit rate. If the power is in watts, divide by 1,000 first.
For example: 300 W x 4 hours x 26.32p per kWh = 31.6p.1
That is the cost at full rated power. If a thermostat switches the appliance off once the room is warm, it uses less. Standing charges are paid whatever you use, so they are not part of the cost of switching it on.
Typical heated airer power
Lakeland lists its Dry:Soon Pod and Mini at 198 W and its Standard and Deluxe at 300 W.2 Models are named only as examples of published ratings, not recommendations.
Some product pages quote a cost per hour. Those figures depend on the unit rate used and when they were written, so work it out at today's rate instead.
Drying indoors and damp
GOV.UK guidance for rented housing providers in England explains: “Moisture from normal occupant activities, such as showering, drying laundry and cooking, builds up in the air around a home if it cannot be removed.”3 Drying clothes indoors adds moisture to the air, so give it a way out of the room.
Next steps
1. Check the airer's wattage.
2. Spread clothes out so they dry in fewer hours.
3. Work out a full load with the calculator above.
Heated airer or tumble dryer?
A 300 W airer for 8 hours uses 2.4 kWh: 63.2p. A 9 kg heat pump tumble dryer uses 2.16 kWh a full load (56.9p); a vented one 5.34 kWh (£1.41), on Hoover's labels.
A 300 W airer uses the same energy as one heat pump load in 7.2 hours. That compares energy only: how long clothes take to dry on an airer depends on the load and the room.
Drying indoors adds moisture. GOV.UK: “Without effective ventilation, this moisture can be trapped in the home and turn into condensation”.5 The Home Office: “Keep heaters away from curtains and furniture and never use them for drying clothes.”6
Help with energy bills
If you are struggling with energy bills, check the help you may be able to get. These checkers are free and need no account.
Who these figures cover
The prices are from Ofgem's price cap for England, Scotland and Wales, 1 October to 31 December 2026.1 In Northern Ireland, use the unit rate on your bill in the calculator.
There is no VAT on household electricity in England, Scotland and Wales, and the rates above already reflect this.1 HMRC: “The temporary zero rate applies from 1 October 2026 to 30 June 2027.” The Budget on 28 October 2026 extended it from 31 March (announced; the legislation is due in early 2027). Gas stays at 5% VAT.7