Martin Lewis's £1 tumble dryer warning for UK households - 'demon appliance'

Martin Lewis has issued a warning about one household appliance that could be driving up energy bills. Tumble dryers are modern appliances loved by many who appreciate the convenience of not having to hang things on an airer.

While they are certainly handy devices, they are quite expensive to run.

As energy prices are expected to rise due to the war in Iran, numerous experts have urged households to be more cautious about which appliances they use and how often.

The Money Savings Expert (MSE) described tumble dryers as "demon appliances", revealing just how much it can cost to run them just once a day. Tumble dryers help households dry their clothes faster, and they save the effort of putting out an unsightly clothes horse and hanging things up item-by-item.

But at what cost does this convenience come? Last year, the personal finance guru urged households to avoid using their tumble dryers as much as they can and use them sparingly when they deem it a necessity.

Speaking on a BBC podcast, he said: "Do you know what the real 'demon appliance' is in most people's houses - the one that you don't want to use because it's really expensive.

"Tumble dryers. You're typically paying up to a quid per load, so dry your clothes on an airer outside, to shorten the amount of time you're using your tumble dryer, or avoid using it completely."

He also suggested using dehumidifiers to help fabrics that are hanging up faster. Although these also plug into the wall and use electricity, Lewis explains that they have a lower wattage, making them more cost-effective for drying your clothes quickly.

As we enter spring, households should utilise bright, sunny days as much as they can and leave their clothes out to dry in the fresh air. If you use a tumble dryer even just twice per week, that adds up to as much as £8 per month, or around £432 per year.

He added: "Dehumidifiers take water out of the air rather than use the heating and they're much lower wattage appliances than standard heating. So if the dehumidifier works for you, it will definitely have lower electricity bills."

Other ways to help dry clothes faster, especially when you can't put them outside, is to leave them in the optimum place. Make sure your airer is in the sunniest spot in your home to help clothes and bedding dry faster.

Also, you should make sure there is plenty of air circulation in whichever room you choose to leave your clothes to dry.

For those who suffer from hayfever, drying clothes inside is always best if pollen levels are high.