Energy label explained · Tumble dryers
How to read the tumble dryer energy label
Since 1 July 2025 tumble dryers carry an A–G label under Regulation (EU) 2023/2534. It gives the energy for 100 cycles of the eco programme, the rated capacity, the programme duration, a noise class and, for condenser and heat pump dryers, a condensation class.
What changed with the 2025 label?
The old A+++ to D label was replaced by the A–G scale, and the yearly figure by a figure per 100 cycles. The previous label stated kWh per year based on 160 drying cycles; the new one leaves the number of cycles to you.
The icon for the energy source has gone, because gas-fired dryers have become rare. Condensation efficiency now has four classes instead of seven, with higher thresholds, and the noise value has gained a class from A to D, as on washing machines and dishwashers.
What does each pictogram mean?
Each pictogram stands for one result of the eco programme: condensation, noise, capacity and duration.
| On the label | What it means |
|---|---|
| XYZ kWh / circle with 100 | Weighted energy use for 100 eco cycles, rounded to whole kWh |
| Basin with falling drops, A–D and % | Condensation class and the share of moisture the dryer collects; only on condenser and heat pump dryers |
| Loudspeaker, dB and A–D | Noise of the drying cycle as sound power, with noise class |
| Laundry basket, kg | Rated capacity of the eco programme at full load |
| Clock, h:min | Duration of the eco programme at full load |
| 2023/2534 | The regulation that defines the label and its test |
Vented dryers, which blow the moist air out of the room or the house, have no condensation pictogram. The label does not name the drying technology; the product information sheet behind the QR code states whether a model is air-vented or a condenser dryer and, for heat pump models, names the refrigerant.
How is the energy figure measured?
The dryer runs its eco programme, defined as drying cotton from 60 % moisture down to 0 %, three times with a full load and four times with a half load. The results are weighted 24 % full load and 76 % half load, then multiplied by 100.
The heavy weight on half loads matters: a dryer that is efficient only when full scores worse than one that handles small loads well. The eco programme must be rated for at least as much laundry as the largest cotton programme on the machine.
How is the energy class worked out?
The class comes from the energy efficiency index: the weighted energy per cycle as a percentage of a standard consumption that grows with rated capacity. For vented dryers the standard is slightly reduced according to programme duration.
| Class | Index (energy as % of standard) |
|---|---|
| A | 43 or less |
| B | over 43 to 50 |
| C | over 50 to 60 |
| D | over 60 to 70 |
| E | over 70 to 85 |
| F | over 85 to 100 |
| G | over 100 |
Worked through the formula, class A for an 8 kg condenser or heat pump dryer means at most about 73 kWh per 100 cycles. The distribution below shows how the registered models spread across the classes; compare heat pump, condenser and vented models separately on our tumble dryer pages.
A: 5% · B: 8% · C: 36% · D: 20% · E: 23% · F: 1% · G: 7%
What does the condensation class mean?
It grades how much of the water taken out of the laundry the dryer collects in its container instead of releasing it into the room as vapour. The figure is a weighted average of full and half loads.
| Class | Weighted condensation efficiency |
|---|---|
| A | 94 % or more |
| B | 88 to under 94 % |
| C | 82 to under 88 % |
| D | below 82 % |
In a small, poorly ventilated room a lower class means more humidity on walls and windows.
How is the noise value measured?
It is the weighted sound power of the drying cycle on the eco programme at full load, in dB(A). The classes are A up to 60 dB, B over 60 to 64 dB, C over 64 to 68 dB and D above 68 dB. Our list of the quietest tumble dryers sorts by this value.
What does the tumble dryer label leave out?
It leaves out the drying technology, the refrigerant of heat pump models and anything about programmes other than eco.
- Durations and energy at half load; the label shows the full-load duration only.
- The remaining moisture actually reached, power in standby and off mode, and the minimum guarantee.
- Repairability: the regulation required the Commission to prepare a repairability score for dryers separately, and none appears on the label.
- Your yearly consumption; our default is 160 cycles a year, the figure of the old label, and you can change it.
The tumble dryer buying guide explains the three technologies, and the general label explainer covers what all A–G labels share.
Questions
Since when do tumble dryers have the A–G label?
Since 1 July 2025, under Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2534, which replaced the A+++ to D label of Regulation (EU) No 392/2012. The new label states energy per 100 drying cycles instead of per year and adds noise classes.
Why do vented dryers have no condensation class?
Because they do not collect the water: they blow the warm, moist air out through a hose, ideally to the outside. The condensation pictogram appears only on condenser and heat pump dryers, which keep the water in a container or pump it away.
How do I turn kWh per 100 cycles into a yearly cost?
Divide the label value by 100, multiply by the number of loads you dry in a year and then by your electricity price. A dryer rated at 60 kWh per 100 cycles uses about 96 kWh over 160 cycles. Drying mostly half loads or using other programmes changes the result.