Buying guide · Tumble dryers
How to choose a tumble dryer
Choose the technology first: a heat pump dryer uses far less electricity per load than a condenser or vented dryer, a gap larger than any difference within one technology.
Heat pump, condenser or vented: what is the difference?
All three blow warm air through tumbling laundry; they differ in how they heat that air and where the moisture goes, and that decides the running cost.
| Type | How it works | Where the moisture goes | Installation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat pump | A small refrigeration circuit heats the air and recovers the heat for the next pass | Collected in a tank or pumped to a drain | Anywhere with a socket; check the room temperature range in the manual |
| Condenser | An electric heating element heats the air; the moist air is cooled and the water collected | Tank or drain; what is not condensed escapes into the room | Anywhere with a socket |
| Vented | An electric heating element heats fresh air once and blows it out | Outside through a hose | Needs a window, wall opening or vent |
When the current EU rules were adopted, the Commission listed the best 7 kg models on the market as benchmarks: a heat pump dryer at 0.85 kWh per eco cycle, a condenser dryer with a heating element at 2.73 kWh and a vented one at 2.58 kWh. The heat pump models took 134 minutes, the others 76. Those are the best of each kind, not averages. The table shows how typical models compare per type and size; the tumble dryer overview links each cell to its ranking.
| Type | < 8 kg | 8 kg | 9 kg | 10+ kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat pump dryers | €52 346 | €53 2,109 | €50 1,670 | €62 551 |
| Condenser dryers | €125 63 | €139 155 | €152 55 | €165 48 |
| Vented dryers | €63 111 | €145 11 | €158 10 | €170 4 |
Small figure: number of models. Each cell opens the ranking of that group.
What changed on the dryer label in July 2025?
Since 1 July 2025 tumble dryers carry a new A–G label under Regulation (EU) 2023/2534, replacing the A+++ to D label that had applied since 2012.
- Energy per 100 cycles replaces the old yearly figure, which assumed 160 drying cycles of the standard cotton programme.
- The eco programme is now the reference. It must be the default or directly selectable, and only it may carry the name “eco”. It is tested drying cotton from 60 % moisture to cupboard-dry, at full and partial load.
- Noise now gets a class from A to D next to the dB figure.
- Condensation efficiency is shown as a class from A to D on condenser and heat pump models.
The ecodesign rules that started on the same date set an efficiency floor that keeps new dryers out of classes F and G, and require condenser dryers to collect at least 80 % of the water. Heat pump models must also show the refrigerant type on the appliance. Classes on the old and new labels cannot be compared; our dryer label explainer covers every field.
A: 5% · B: 8% · C: 36% · D: 20% · E: 23% · F: 1% · G: 7%
Which drum size should a dryer have?
Match the dryer to your washing machine’s usual load, not to its maximum, so that one wash goes into one dry.
Laundry needs room to tumble, so a dryer filled to the brim dries slowly and creases. The label capacity refers to the eco programme, which must be at least as large as the biggest capacity of any cotton programme on the machine. Because the test includes partial loads, the kWh figure already reflects that not every load is full.
How dry the laundry arrives matters as much: the label test starts at 60 % moisture. A washing machine with a better spin class hands over less water, and the dryer runs shorter.
What does a load cost, and how many will you dry?
Cost per load is the dryer’s kWh per cycle times your electricity price; the yearly bill is that times the loads you actually dry.
Our yearly figures use 160 cycles, the basis of the previous EU label; set your own number in the bar at the top of each page. Every model page shows the cost of a single cycle in your country.
Electricity prices by country has the current Eurostat figure for yours.
- Türkiye
- €12
- European Union
- €53
- Ireland
- €72
Household prices including taxes, Eurostat. All countries
For the lowest running cost within each type and size, see the most efficient tumble dryers.
Where can it stand: noise and moisture?
A vented dryer needs a way outside; a condenser or heat pump dryer can stand anywhere, but its condensation class and noise level decide how pleasant that is.
Condensation efficiency is the share of water from the laundry that ends up in the tank rather than in the room: class A collects at least 94 %, B at least 88 %, C at least 82 %, D less. In a small room without a window, a higher class means less moisture in the air.
Noise is given as sound power in the eco programme: class A is 60 dB or less, B up to 64, C up to 68 and D above. The quietest tumble dryers are ranked within each type and size.
How do you keep a dryer efficient, and what can be repaired?
Clean the lint filter after every load and the other filters as the manual says; a dryer with clogged filters runs longer and uses more.
Heat pump dryers often have a second filter or a heat exchanger that needs regular rinsing. The manual must state how often to clean each filter and what happens if you do not, and it must tell you to put lint in the bin rather than down the drain. For every model still being placed on the market from 1 July 2025, Regulation (EU) 2023/2533 requires spare parts for at least ten years after the last unit is sold:
- Available to you: doors, door seals, handles, locks and hinges, lint and air filters, plastic parts and the condensate tank.
- Available to professional repairers: seals, switches, the condensate pump, motor, drive, fans, drum and bearings, hoses and valves, electronics, sensors, heating elements, shock absorbers and the software.
Parts must arrive within 15 working days, and manufacturers have to publish indicative prices for them. Software and firmware updates must be offered free of charge for ten years after the last unit is sold. EU countries must also apply the right-to-repair directive (EU) 2024/1799 from 31 July 2026, which obliges the manufacturer to repair on request, free or at a reasonable price, after the legal guarantee as well.
Does it pay to swap an old dryer for a heat pump model?
It depends on how much you dry: the more loads a year, the sooner the lower running cost offsets a higher price.
- Measure one typical full load on the old dryer with a plug-in energy meter.
- Take the new model’s kWh per 100 cycles from its label and divide by 100.
- Multiply the difference by the loads you dry in a year and by your electricity price.
- Set that yearly saving against the price difference over the years you expect to use the dryer in the total cost of ownership calculator.
An old label in kWh per year assumed 160 cycles. Divide it by 160 to get a rough figure per cycle, but a measurement is more reliable.
Questions
How much less electricity does a heat pump dryer use?
Far less: the EU’s benchmarks for the best 7 kg models list 0.85 kWh per eco cycle for a heat pump dryer and 2.73 kWh for a condenser dryer with a heating element. In exchange, a heat pump cycle takes longer.
Why does the new dryer label show kWh per 100 cycles?
Since 1 July 2025 the label states energy for 100 cycles of the eco programme instead of a yearly figure based on 160 cycles.
What does the condensation class mean?
It shows what share of the water removed from the laundry the dryer collects instead of releasing into the room. Class A means at least 94 %; the ecodesign minimum for condenser dryers is 80 %. Vented dryers have no condensation class.
Can I use a vented dryer in a rented flat?
Only if the exhaust can go outside, through a window or a wall vent. Making a wall opening usually needs the landlord’s permission. A heat pump or condenser dryer avoids the issue.
How long must spare parts for a tumble dryer be available?
For every model still placed on the market from 1 July 2025, at least ten years after the last unit is sold, under Regulation (EU) 2023/2533. Filters, doors, seals and the condensate tank can be ordered by you directly.