Dry your clothes with free energy from nature
Clothes dryers are power hungry. Use a washing line or rack under a covered verandah, garage or carport, then use a clothes dryer only to finish them off, or if it’s raining.
Choosing a clothes dryer
There are three types of dryer technology to check out – vented, condenser and heat pump. Whichever you go for, make sure it’s powered by our 80% renewable electricity rather than gas.
- Look for more stars. The Energy Rating Label shows which dryers run on less energy, generating fewer emissions.
- Get the right size for your household. As a guide, up to 5kg capacity suits 1-2 people, 5-7kg for 3-4 people, and at least 7kg for 4 or more.
- An auto-sensing feature is really helpful. This tells the dryer to switch off once the clothes are dry, and prevent over drying.
- Always vent to the outside. Only get a vented dryer if you can duct the moisture outside, or it will make your house damp and harder to heat.
A dryer with 10 stars on the Energy Rating Label emits 77% less emissions than a similar dryer with only 1 star.
Get more for less
Reduce the amount of energy it takes to dry your clothes:
- Give clothes a good spin in the washing machine. It takes a lot less energy to spin than to heat.
- Dry clothes outside first. Use the dryer to finish them or as a wet-day back-up.
- Don’t stuff it full. Clothes should be able to tumble to dry properly.
- Dry clothes of similar weight together. Jeans need a lot longer than t-shirts.
- Clean the lint filter after each load. If the screen is blocked, clothes take longer to dry.
Your checklist for smarter shopping
By making clever appliance purchases, you can lower your cost of living while reducing your household emissions (and new appliances look pretty good too) – it's a win-win-win!
Before you walk into the shop, it pays to consider costs beyond the price tag. We’ve crunched the numbers and developed a checklist for you – to help you buy smarter.