Cost to Run an Iron in the UK (Oct to Dec 2026 Prices)

Last updated: 21 October 2026

Every figure on this page is an electricity cost worked out from the Ofgem price cap. None of them is a product price. We update these figures each quarter when the cap changes.

Quick answer: at the Ofgem price cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026 (26.32p per kWh for electricity), a 2400W steam iron costs about 63p an hour if the element ran flat out, and about 41p an hour in realistic use, because the element switches off once the soleplate is up to temperature. A 3100W iron costs about 53p for a realistic hour, a 2600W steam generator about 45p, and a 1500W handheld steamer about 39p. A weekly pile that takes 45 minutes with a steam iron costs roughly 31p, or about £16 a year. One tumble-dryer cycle costs more than a week of ironing.

This page is about electricity only. It gives the current price-cap rate, a method you can reuse when the rate changes, and worked examples for a steam iron, a steam generator and a handheld steamer. For what the appliances themselves cost, see cheap vs expensive steam irons.

What is the electricity rate right now?

Ofgem resets its price cap every three months. For 1 October to 31 December 2026, the average electricity unit rate for a household paying by Direct Debit is 26.32p per kWh, with a daily standing charge of 54.83p. We checked this on Ofgem’s unit rates page on 21 October 2026. The previous quarter was 26.11p per kWh.

26.32p is an average for England, Scotland and Wales. Regional rates differ slightly, as do prepayment and standard-credit rates. Northern Ireland is not covered by the cap.
Ofgem states that there is no VAT on electricity from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027, so 26.32p is what you pay per unit.
The standing charge is paid whether you iron or not, so it is left out of every sum below.

How do you work out what an iron costs to run?

The sum is the same for any appliance: kilowatts × hours × unit rate. A 2400W iron draws 2.4kW, so an hour at full draw uses 2.4kWh. At 26.32p per kWh that is 2.4 × 26.32 = 63.2p.

Appliance	Rated power	kWh per hour at full draw	Cost per hour at full draw
Mid-range steam iron	2400W	2.4kWh	63p
High-power steam iron	3100W	3.1kWh	82p
Steam generator	2600W	2.6kWh	68p
Handheld garment steamer	1500W	1.5kWh	39p

The rated power is printed on the base of the iron. These full-draw figures are the worst case.

Why real use costs less than the full-draw figure

An iron’s element does not run continuously. A thermostat switches it on until the soleplate reaches the set temperature, then off until the plate cools a little. Each burst of steam pulls heat out of the plate, so the element comes on more often with heavy steam and less often on a dry or low setting.

Manufacturers do not publish how much of a normal session the element is on for. A working assumption of 60 to 70% of full draw is reasonable for a mixed pile with normal steam: heat-up and heavy cotton run close to full draw, synthetics well below it. The tables on this page use 65%.

Eco mode draws less again. Philips’ eco passports for its Azur Performer steam irons give 59 to 66kWh a year, measured to IEC 60311 in eco mode for two hours of ironing a week over 52 weeks. That is roughly 0.6kWh per hour of ironing, about a quarter of the nameplate draw of a 2400W to 2600W iron.

Handheld steamers are the exception. A steamer boils water continuously while you hold the trigger, so use the full-draw figure for a steamer.

What does an ironing session cost?

Appliance	15 minutes	30 minutes	60 minutes
2400W steam iron, full draw	16p	32p	63p
2400W steam iron, realistic (65%)	10p	21p	41p
3100W steam iron, full draw	20p	41p	82p
3100W steam iron, realistic (65%)	13p	27p	53p
2600W steam generator, full draw	17p	34p	68p
2600W steam generator, realistic (65%)	11p	22p	45p
1500W handheld steamer (element mostly on)	10p	20p	39p

The gap between a 2400W and a 3100W iron is about 12p over a realistic hour: a higher-wattage iron heats and recovers faster, but it does not run for longer. Nothing in the table reaches a pound.

What does a weekly pile cost over a year?

A typical weekly pile of shirts, uniform, trousers and some bedding takes about 45 minutes with a 2400W steam iron. At 65% of full draw it uses 1.17kWh and costs about 31p. Over 52 weeks that is 61kWh, or about £16 a year.

Weekly ironing time (2400W iron, realistic)	kWh per week	Cost per week	Cost per year
15 minutes	0.39kWh	10p	about £5
30 minutes	0.78kWh	21p	about £11
45 minutes	1.17kWh	31p	about £16
60 minutes	1.56kWh	41p	about £21
2 hours	3.12kWh	82p	about £43

For a different iron, multiply by its wattage divided by 2400: a 3100W iron is 1.29 times these figures, a 2200W iron 0.92 times.

Do eco modes save much?

Eco modes cut steam output and, on some irons, soleplate temperature, so the element switches on less often. The percentages manufacturers quote are measured against the iron’s maximum setting, not normal use, so treat them as a ceiling.

Tefal states that eco mode on its Easygliss Eco uses up to 30% less energy, with the footnote “in ECO settings compared to max mode”. Expert Reviews’ review of the same iron relays Tefal’s figure of around 15% on the highest eco setting and up to 30% on the eco wool setting.
Philips states that ECO mode on its Azur irons saves energy by using less steam, but publishes no percentage.

In money, a 30% saving on a realistic hour with a 2400W iron is about 12p. Eco mode makes sense on shirts and synthetics, which do not need full steam, but ironing less saves more: hang shirts straight from the machine and skip bedding and towels.

Steam generators: more watts, shorter sessions

A steam generator heats a separate boiler, so its rated power is often higher and it has to heat a tank before you start. Per hour it looks dearer: 68p at full draw for a 2600W model against 63p for a 2400W iron.

In practice a generator finishes the same pile sooner. Philips states that its 2000 Series steam generator cuts ironing time by up to 25%, though its UK page does not say what that is compared with, and Tefal states that its Pro Express Protect cuts ironing time by up to 30 minutes “versus a traditional steam iron”. Apply the smaller claim to the 45-minute pile and it becomes about 34 minutes. At 65% of full draw the generator uses about 0.96kWh, or about 25p, against about 31p for the steam iron. Running cost is not a reason to choose one over the other.

The real differences are weight, steam output and purchase price: see steam generator vs steam iron and the best steam generator irons.

How does ironing compare with the washing machine and tumble dryer?

Which? publishes running costs for the other laundry appliances from its own lab measurements at the same October 2026 rate of 26.32p per kWh.

Tumble dryer. Which? says vented tumble dryers cost around £140 a year on average and condenser dryers around £139, while recently reviewed heat pump dryers average about £54, all on three cotton loads a week. That is roughly 90p a cycle for vented or condenser and about 35p for heat pump.
Washing machine. Which? says a washing machine costs from around £27 to almost £120 a year under the October 2026 cap, with a 7kg model averaging about £53, on four 80%-full cotton washes a week. That is roughly 25p a wash.
Iron. The 45-minute weekly pile costs about 31p, or about £16 a year.

One vented tumble-dryer cycle costs about three times a week of ironing. If you want to cut the laundry part of the bill, look at the dryer, not the iron.

Four ways to spend less on ironing

Iron in one session. Heat-up is the most expensive minute, so one 45-minute session costs less than three 15-minute ones.
Start with the coolest fabrics. Synthetics, then wool, then cotton and linen, so the iron only ever heats up.
Use eco or reduced steam on shirts and synthetics. Less steam means the element switches on less.
Switch off at the wall. An iron left on keeps cycling its element to hold temperature.

If your wardrobe is mostly knitwear, dresses and suits, a handheld steamer can replace most ironing and needs no board. See garment steamer vs iron.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to iron for an hour?

At the October to December 2026 cap of 26.32p per kWh, an hour with a 2400W steam iron costs about 41p in realistic use, or 63p if the element ran flat out. A 3100W iron costs about 53p for a realistic hour.

Does a steam generator use more electricity than an iron?

Per hour, slightly: about 45p for a realistic hour with a 2600W generator against 41p for a 2400W iron. Per pile, no, because the generator finishes sooner and the two end up within a few pence of each other.

Is it cheaper to steam clothes?

For a quick refresh, yes: a 1500W steamer costs about 39p an hour, so two garments in five minutes cost about 3p. For a pile of cotton shirts it is slower per shirt and less crisp, so it is not a cheaper substitute for ironing.

Does leaving an iron on standby use electricity?

A little. Philips gives a standby figure of 0.4W for one of its Azur irons, which is about 0.25p a day, or under 8p a month, if left plugged in permanently. An iron without auto shut-off left switched on is different: it keeps cycling its element to hold temperature, so switch it off at the wall.

How much does an iron cost to run per year?

A weekly 45-minute pile with a 2400W iron uses about 61kWh a year, which is about £16 at the current cap. An hour a week is about £21 a year.

What uses more electricity, an iron or a tumble dryer?

The tumble dryer, by a long way. Which? puts a vented dryer at around £140 a year on three loads a week, roughly 90p a cycle, which is about three times a week of ironing.

How Much Does It Cost to Run an Iron in the UK? (2026 Prices)