Drying methods ranked by cost
| Method | Energy | Cost a load | Three loads a week, a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clothesline or rack outdoorsFree, weather permitting | 0 kWh | 0c | $0 |
| Rack indoors with a dehumidifier, 200 W for 4 hoursGood winter option | 0.8 kWh | 27c | $41 |
| Heat pump dryer, 6 kg loadSA Government figure for a 6-star condenser model | 1.4 kWh | 46c | $72 |
| Vented dryer, 4 kg loadSA Government figure | 2.7 kWh | 89c | $140 |
| Vented dryer, 6 kg loadSA Government figure | 3.3 kWh | 109c | $171 |
Drying clothes in winter without the dryer
Spin at the highest speed
Less water left in the clothes means faster drying on any method.
Use a covered outdoor area
Clothes dry under a verandah or carport on breezy days even without sun.
Pair a rack with a dehumidifier
Close the door of a small room and run a dehumidifier. See our dehumidifier running costs.
Hang near warmth you already pay for
A rack in a room you are heating anyway uses heat that is already on.
Ventilation matters
Drying clothes indoors adds moisture to the air. Without a dehumidifier or some ventilation, it can lead to condensation and mould in cold homes.
If you need a dryer
A heat pump dryer saves about 1.9 kWh a load over a vented model at 6 kg, which is around $98 a year at three loads a week on the Ausgrid reference rate. Use the moisture sensor setting, clean the lint filter every load, and run it in cheaper hours on a time-of-use plan. Our dryer running costs page has a calculator.
Questions about drying clothes cheaply
A clothesline or rack, which costs nothing. In winter, a rack in a closed room with a small dehumidifier is the next cheapest.
On the Ausgrid reference rate, about 109c for a 6 kg load in a vented dryer and 46c in a heat pump dryer.
Usually. A 200 W dehumidifier running four hours uses 0.8 kWh, about 27c, against about 3.3 kWh for a vented dryer load.
For households that dry often, yes. They use roughly half the energy of a vented dryer or less. The saving pays back faster the more loads you dry.
Sources
Every rate on this page comes from the regulator or the regulated retailer. Last checked October 2026. Prices include GST unless we say otherwise.