Brief
Martin Lewis urges households to use dehumidifiers for cheaper laundry drying
Lewis says a 200W dehumidifier can cost as little as 6p an hour to run, far cheaper than a tumble dryer.
By Felo News Desk · Published
MoneySavingExpert founder Martin Lewis recommends using dehumidifiers to dry clothes, calling tumble dryers a “demon appliance” and highlighting the lower electricity use of the alternative.
What happened
Lewis explained on his podcast that a typical 200‑watt dehumidifier consumes a fifth of a kilowatt. At the January 2026 electricity rate of 28p per kilowatt‑hour, running the unit continuously would cost roughly 6p per hour, compared with up to £1 an hour for a tumble dryer. Some models can run for as little as 30p an hour, while the most efficient use less than 10p per hour.
What the report adds
The Independent notes that dehumidifiers pull moisture from the air rather than heating the room, which speeds indoor drying and reduces energy use. In tests, the Dryzone 12 L model achieved a six‑hour drying time at about 4p an hour, and the Duux Bora smart dehumidifier can extract up to 20 L of water per day, making it suitable for larger spaces. Both units also feature HEPA or carbon‑fibre filters that improve indoor air quality.
What was said
“Many dehumidifiers have different wattages – the one I checked out was 200W,” Lewis told the Martin Lewis Podcast. “Once we know it’s 200W and we know a kilowatt is 1,000W, which is how electricity tends to be priced, we know this is a fifth of a kilowatt.”
Joanne Lewsley, the Independent’s dehumidifier tester, said of the Dryzone 12 L: “The laundry mode speeds up indoor clothes drying to around six hours – and at 4p an hour, that’s much cheaper to run than a tumble dryer.”
How it came about
Lewis has previously warned about the high cost of tumble dryers in 2023, labeling them a “demon appliance.” His latest recommendation follows a broader push for energy‑saving household changes, such as swapping ovens for air fryers, highlighted in recent Felo News coverage on dehumidifiers for laundry.
Key facts
- A 200W dehumidifier costs about 6p per hour to run at the January 2026 electricity rate of 28p/kWh. (independent.co.uk)
- Dryzone 12 L dehumidifier can dry clothes in around six hours at roughly 4p per hour. (independent.co.uk)
- Dehumidifiers pull moisture from the air, reducing the need for heating and lowering energy consumption compared with tumble dryers. (independent.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] independent.co.uk — originally reported as “Martin Lewis recommends dehumidifiers for drying clothes”
