Heated Airer, Electric Blanket and Dehumidifier Running Costs (UK)
The small heaters people use to avoid putting the central heating on are cheap to run, because their power is low. At 27p per kWh, a 250 W heated airer on for 6 hours uses 1.5 kWh, about 41p a load, and a 100 W double electric blanket warming the bed for an hour a night costs about 81p a month. Check the watts on the label, then use the electricity cost calculator with your own unit rate.
Running costs by appliance
At 27p per kWh, with the hours shown each day and 30 days a month. The watts are typical examples, not a rule: read the label or the plug of your own one.
| Appliance | Power | Typical use | Per day | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric blanket, double | 100 W | warming the bed for an hour before you get in | 2.7p | 81p |
| Heated clothes airer | 250 W | drying a load of washing | 41p | £12.15 |
| Compressor dehumidifier | 200 W | running through the day in a damp room | 43p | £12.96 |
| Desiccant dehumidifier | 500 W | the same, in a cold room or garage | £1.08 | £32.40 |
| Oil-filled radiator, on its thermostat | 1,500 W | an evening in one room, at about half power once warm | 81p | £24.30 |
| Condenser tumble dryer | 2,500 W | one load, for comparison | 68p | £20.25 |
A thermostat heater switches on and off once the room is warm, so the radiator row is worked out at half its rating. The others run at full power while they are on.
Cost per hour
| Appliance | Power | Per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Single electric blanket | 60 W | 1.6p |
| Double electric blanket | 100 W | 2.7p |
| Heated airer | 250 W | 6.8p |
| Compressor dehumidifier | 200 W | 5.4p |
| Desiccant dehumidifier | 500 W | 14p |
| Fan heater | 2,000 W | 54p |
Heated airer or tumble dryer?
A 2,500 W condenser tumble dryer running for an hour uses 2.5 kWh (about 68p), against 1.5 kWh (41p) for a 250 W airer on for 6 hours. The airer is cheaper per load but slower, and the water from the washing goes into the room, so open a window or run a dehumidifier in the same room to stop condensation and mould. A heat pump tumble dryer uses much less than a condenser one: check the energy label for the kWh per cycle.
Dehumidifiers in winter
- A compressor dehumidifier of about 200 W running 8 hours a day costs about £12.96 a month. Compressor models work best in a heated room.
- A desiccant dehumidifier uses more power, here 500 W and £32.40 a month, but keeps working in a cold room, a garage or a caravan, and gives off some warmth.
- Many dehumidifiers switch off once the room reaches the humidity you set, so the real cost is often lower than running flat out.
Electric blankets
Warming the bed for an hour costs very little: about 2.7p a night for a 100 W double blanket. Left on all night at full power (8 hours) it would be about £6.48 a month, but most blankets are meant to be switched off or turned down to a low all-night setting: follow the instructions, and check an old blanket for wear before winter.
If your unit rate is different
| Unit rate | Heated airer, one 6-hour load | Double electric blanket, a month | Dehumidifier (200 W, 8 h a day), a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24p per kWh | 36p | 72p | £11.52 |
| 27p per kWh | 41p | 81p | £12.96 |
| 30p per kWh | 45p | 90p | £14.40 |
For a fan or convector heater, see the running cost of a 2 kW heater, and for everything else in the house, how much it costs to run appliances. To work out how much heat a room really needs, use the heat loss calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a heated airer cost to run?
A 250 W heated airer costs about 6.8p an hour at 27p per kWh, so about 41p for a 6-hour load.
How much does an electric blanket cost to run?
About 2.7p for an hour at 100 W and 27p per kWh, or 81p a month used an hour a night. A single blanket uses less.
How much does it cost to run a dehumidifier?
A 200 W compressor dehumidifier running 8 hours a day costs about £12.96 a month at 27p per kWh. A 500 W desiccant one costs about £32.40.
Is a heated airer cheaper than a tumble dryer?
Usually. A 250 W airer for 6 hours uses 1.5 kWh and a 2,500 W condenser dryer for an hour 2.5 kWh. A heat pump dryer can be close to the airer, so check its energy label.
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