Energy labels provide many valuable information about a product. Let's take a closer look at what kind of information is on there and what they mean.

What's an EU energy label?

EU energy labels are a standardised system of energy efficiency ratings issued by the European Union for most domestic appliances. The first EU energy label appeared on an appliance in 1994. Since then, more and more appliance categories have been included in EU Energy Regulations and the labels have been updated various times. 

The main purpose of EU energy labels is to collectively cut the energy consumption of home appliances in Europe by doing two things: 

1. Giving consumers clear comparison criteria and help them choose more energy-efficient products, and 

2. Encouraging companies to invest in developing ever-more energy-efficient products. 

Energy labels include valuable information about an appliance such as the annual energy consumption, noise level or its capacity. These little label cards are like a summary of all the things that you should take into account when looking for a new tumble dryer.

What’s on a tumble dryer energy label?

Here is what a EU energy label for tumble dryers looks like and here is what the symbols and numbers stand for: 

Read on to discover what each rating and number means in more detail. 

01.

Energy class (A+++ to D)

Tumble dryers have a bit of a bad reputation when it comes to energy efficiency. 

Most condenser tumble dryers will have an energy rating of B or C, and heat pump tumble dryers are often rated A+ or A++. ented dryers are not as efficient as condenser and heat pump models.

A+++ was introduced in May 2013 and energy class D dryers have been banned from market in November that same year.  

02.

Annual energy consumption (kWh/year)

Annual estimated energy consumption is also given on tumble dryer energy efficiency labels. This is based on 160 cycles of a combination of full and partial loads on a standard cotton drying programme. That breaks down to 3 dryings per week.

Your individual washing habits will make a big impact on the actual amount of power your tumble dryer uses. Still, multiplying the annual energy consumption of a clothes dryer with the cost of electricity per kWh in your region will give you a good estimate of how much it will cost to run that appliance year-round. 

03.

Type of dryer (gas-vented, electric-vented or electric condenser)

Tumble dryers come in 3 main types: Gas- vented, electric-vented and condenser.

Vented models carry the humid air that arises from drying to the outside through a vent. Condenser dryers, on the other hand, collect the moisture from that humid air in a water tank that needs emptying. Some models have drain hoses too.

Aside from this basic difference, type of a dryer makes a huge difference in its energy efficiency and annual energy consumption. 

04.

Cycle time for a full cotton load (min)

This shows how long it takes a standard cotton drying cycle to finish. This number would be lower on vented dryers as they go up to higher degrees than condenser models. However, for a slightly longer cycle duration, condenser dryers are gentler on laundry. 

05.

Capacity (kg)

This is how much load your tumble dryer can handle on a standard cotton drying cycle. Capacity changes depending on the selected programme.

Please check your user manual for the exact capacity of each programme. If you’re a Beko owner, you can download your user manual  with your product number. 

06.

Noise levels (dB)

Energy efficiency labels on tumble dryers also provide a noise rating, and these can range from 40 dB (a quiet library) to 80 dB (a ringing house phone). Higher-end machines tend to be quieter as they incorporate noise-reduction features such as insulation and brushless motors.

07.

Condensation efficiency class (A to G)

This rating shows how much of the humidity the dryer can condense and collect. Lower ratings mean that some of the humid air is released into the room’s air.

Excessive humidity is bad for health, not to mention, it provides a breeding ground for bacteria and mould. It increases heating costs during winter and it’s bad for buildings in the long run.

Tumble dryers need well-ventilated environments. The lower the condensation efficiency class, the more you’ll need to ventilate your laundry room. 

Why should you care about energy efficiency?

For two basic reasons: 

1. Your household budget and 

2. The environment 

It’s true that tumble dryers with higher energy ratings tend to be a bit more expensive, but they cost less to power. The European Commission  says, switching to an energy-efficient washing machine can reduce your energy bills up to 50% and repay that initial investment in a few years. 

You might be thinking “what difference will just one washing machine make?”. Well, it’s a cumulative effect. Energy-efficiency has never been more important than now where resources are running low and the effects of human life on nature is ever increasing.

If all of Europe would drop their old tumble dryers, a total of 3.3 TWh (that’s 3.300.000.000 kWh!) of electricity would be saved by 2020.