Choosing a dryer: the difference between a $400 and $1,200 power bill

The prolonged wet weather over much of Australia has got us focused more on drying than washing, and how we can dry cloth nappies and get them back on the bum.

One of the fastest ways to dry nappies and clothing is a dryer. But not all dryers are created equal, and some can cause a serious bill shock when the power bill arrives.

Choosing your next dryer: what cloth nappy families need to know

When you are shopping for an appliance, it can be difficult to weigh up the cost of the dryer itself with the long-term usage cost.

Almost all vented dryers have a 2-star energy rating. By comparison, heat pump dryers have energy ratings of between 6 and 10 energy stars.

Upgrading from a standard 2-star vented dryer to a higher-star heat pump dryer can cut energy usage by 60–70%. But what do those savings really look like over the course of a year?

What Energy Star ratings actually tell you when choosing a dryer

Australia and New Zealand’s Energy Rating Labels are designed to simplify these decisions. Other countries have similar systems, but because the majority of our members live in Australia, this post focuses on Australian electricity costs.

The rule of thumb is easy: more stars = less electricity.

• The more stars, the more efficient the appliance.
• More efficiency means less electricity is used to get the same job done.

Why the Energy Rating Label doesn’t match cloth nappy use

Appliances like fridges and freezers have fairly consistent energy usage because they are permanently running. This means a 3.5-star fridge that claims to use 400 kWh per year is going to be pretty accurate. 

Dryers are a different story. The estimated annual energy consumption on the Energy Rating Label is based on using the dryer once a week. Most online articles and blogs repeat this use case, or make other assumptions, for example, that you are using only 30% of the rated load capacity. This makes the conclusions on monetary and energy savings kinda useless for our members.

When you have a child or children in full-time cloth you might use the dryer for nappy inserts three times a week. Then there are sheets, towels and regular clothing to dry. Instead of using the dryer once a week, you might use it every single day. Or even two or three times a day when you are catching up on laundry. This means your annual usage diverges considerably from the Energy Rating Label.

Comparing dryer options using real-world usage

During a deep dive on the Energy Rating website, we noticed you can shortlist models, update the average number of cycles you run each week, and select your jurisdiction for a more accurate cost estimate. You can even enter your own electrical tariff, which is super handy if you are on an off-peak plan and are able to use the dryer during a lower-priced time.

This gives a far more accurate cost comparison than what you’ll find in most publications.

We chose three dryers at random to create a cost comparison. These figures are based on the VIC electrical tariff of 34.77c/kWh provided on the Energy Rating website in September 2025.

Dryer running costs comparison (VIC electricity tariff, 34.77c/kWh)

Running a 7-star dryer 10 times a week can save over $670 per year compared to a 2-star model. Upgrade to a 9-star dryer, and the savings jump to more than $800 annually. For households with frequent laundry, a high-efficiency dryer can pay for itself in just two years.

Which dryer saves the most if you run frequent cycles

Using this model, running 10 cycles per week with a 7-star heat pump saves over $670 a year compared to a 2-star vented clothes dryer. Upgrading to a 9-star model, and the savings increase to over $800. If you use your dryer frequently, a higher star model will pay for itself within two years. 

These costs will vary based on your electricity tariff and whether you have solar installed. How full the dryer is, and how much water the items are holding, will also affect how much electricity it uses.

As always, the first step to drying your nappies starts with the wash cycle. Using the highest spin speed on your machine removes as much water as possible. This means items come out of the machine dryer and take less time to fully dry. And remember: spin speeds over 800 RPM will not damage your nappies 🙂

Making a smarter choice for your next dryer

You will get the most accurate results by going to 👉 Clothes dryers | Energy Rating Calculator. There you can shortlist your favourite models, select how many uses per week and input your own tariff.

If you already own a dryer, you can look it up on the Energy Rating Calculator to get an estimate of how much it costs to run using your current tariff rate.