How much does an iron cost to run?
At the current price cap, an iron costs about 31.6p per 30-minute ironing session, or around £16.47 a year with typical use.
Iron
- An hour
- 63.2p
- A day used
- 31.6p
- A week
- 31.6p
- A month
- £1.37
- Energy a year
- 62.6 kWh
2,400 W for 30 minutes a day, once a week, at 26.32p per kWh.
Excludes the daily standing charge, which you pay whatever you use.
How it compares
Yearly cost with typical use, at your unit rate.
Iron running costs
At 26.32p per kWh, with typical use of 30 minutes a day, 1 days a week.
| Period | Energy | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Per 30-minute ironing session | 1.2 kWh | 31.6p |
| Per hour in use | 2.4 kWh | 63.2p |
| Per week | 1.2 kWh | 31.6p |
| Per month | 5.21 kWh | £1.37 |
| Per year | 62.6 kWh | £16.47 |
How the cost varies
A 1,200 W basic iron to a 3,000 W steam generator iron, for 30 minutes.
| Energy use | Per 30-minute ironing session | Per year (typical use) |
|---|---|---|
| Lower | 15.8p | £8.23 |
| Typical | 31.6p | £16.47 |
| Higher | 39.5p | £20.59 |
Laundry appliances compared
Yearly cost with typical use, at 26.32p per kWh.
| Appliance | Per hour | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Tumble dryer (vented) | 63.2p | £148.22 |
| Dehumidifier (compressor) | 5.3p | £115.28 |
| Tumble dryer (heat pump) | 18.4p | £72.05 |
| Washing machine (40°C) | 15.8p | £49.41 |
| Heated clothes airer | 7.9p | £49.41 |
| Iron (this page) | 63.2p | £16.47 |
Ways to spend less
- Iron in one go rather than a few items at a time, so you only heat the iron up once.
- Start with clothes that need a cool setting and finish with hotter ones such as cotton and linen.
- Switch off a few minutes before you finish. The soleplate stays hot enough for light items.
- Taking clothes off the line or out of the dryer while slightly damp, and hanging them straight away, cuts down how much needs ironing.
How we calculate this
We take a typical iron at 2,400 watts (an average, as it switches on and off while running), used 30 minutes a day, 1 days a week, and multiply the energy it uses by the Ofgem price cap unit rate of 26.32p per kWh.
One 30-minute ironing session uses about 1.2 kWh. Use the calculator above with your own appliance’s power and how you use it for a closer figure.
Questions people ask
How much does an iron cost to run a year?
With typical use (30 minutes a day, 1 days a week), about £16.47 a year at the current price cap, or £1.37 a month.
Is a steam generator iron more expensive to run?
Usually a little. Steam generators often have heaters of 2,400 to 3,000 W, against about 2,000 to 2,400 W for a standard steam iron. They can get through a pile faster, though, so the cost per load may be similar.
Does an iron use full power all the time?
No. The thermostat switches the heater on and off to hold the temperature, so the real use is often below the figure on the label. Our figure assumes the higher end, so your cost may be lower.
Does this include the standing charge?
No. The standing charge (54.83p a day under the current cap, about £200.13 a year) is a fixed daily cost for being connected. It does not change with how much you use any appliance.
Related calculators
- Washing machine running costCosts per use and per year.
- Vented tumble dryer running costCosts per use and per year.
- Heat pump tumble dryer running costCosts per use and per year.
- Heated clothes airer running costCosts per use and per year.
- Appliance running cost calculatorCompare any appliance, at your own rate.
- Energy bill calculatorYour whole yearly bill at the price cap.