Martin Lewis has warned Brits that using a tumble dryer is an expensive way to dry clothes and can be ditched for a cheaper alternative, which will also avoid mould and condensation
Martin Lewis, the financial guru, is advising Brits to ditch their tumble dryers, something he’s previously labelled as ‘demon appliances,’ for a more cost-effective solution. With winter on the horizon, drying clothes becomes a real headache, leading to issues like mould, condensation and that musty smell of clothes not properly aired.
But according to Martin, using a dehumidifier could be the answer, saving you pennies in these tough economic times. On The Martin Lewis Podcast, available on BBC Sounds, Spotify, and Apple Music, Martin explained: “Many dehumidifiers have different wattages – the one I checked out was 200W.”
He elaborated on the energy consumption saying, “Once we know it’s 200W and we know a kilowatt is 1,000W, which is how electricity tends to be priced, we know this is a fifth of a kilowatt.”
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He broke down the costs clearly: “And you pay roughly 34p per kilowatt per hour. A fifth is 7p, so you’re going to pay roughly 7p per hour to run a dehumidifier at 200W, assuming it uses full power the whole time.”
Factoring in recent energy cost reductions, he highlighted that running such a device would now cost approximately 5.5p an hour based on current 26p unit prices this winter, reports the Express. In comparison, energy supplier Utilita estimates that a tumble dryer can cost between 53p to £1 per hour to run, which is ten to 20 times more.
Which dehumidifier should you buy?
The Pro Breeze 12L dehumidifier comes with built-in laundry drying settings and a 12-litre tank, allowing for multiple uses before needing to empty the tray. It’s available on Amazon for £134.99. While it may seem pricey initially, it’s cheaper than running a tumble dryer and fixing mould damage in the long run.
Devola offers a larger 20L model with an integrated air purifier, improving your home’s air quality while removing moisture and drying clothes. This model costs £179.99, or you can opt for the smaller 12L size at £119.06.
Shopping writer Sam Jones purchased the Russell Hobbs 10L dehumidifier (£129 at Dunelm or £118.95 on Amazon) and it instantly made a noticeable difference. He said: “It not only eliminated the overnight window condensation, but it now allows me to dry clothes on an airer on rainy days, without having to turn on the heating.
“You simply turn it on, shut the door of the room it’s in and it starts working. It takes quite a few hours, especially with thicker items like towels, but it’s nice to have the option to save some money while energy costs are still high.
“If any thick items are really wet, I just get the remaining moisture out in the tumble dryer, but it takes much less time and saves a lot of electricity. It also means the house doesn’t have the dreaded clothes draped all over the radiators over winter which is a real pet hate of mine.”
Speaking of drawbacks, he added: “Dehumidifiers aren’t exactly a bargain to buy and this particular model is somewhat noisy.
“It does have a ‘silent’ button which reduces the noise, but calling it ‘silent’ seems an oversight as it’s far from silent. A more accurate label for that mode would be ‘quiet’, as it does reduce the noise but doesn’t completely eliminate it.
“Personally, I’m not too bothered by the noise. I sleep with a fan on in the summer and don’t mind the white noise, so it’s not vastly different to that.”
