Hidden tumble dryer button that could save you £35 on your energy bills

A clever saver has uncovered a lesser-known feature on tumble dryers that could reduce energy bills by £35 annually. With the mercury falling, many homes are concerned about the lengthy and sometimes expensive task of drying clothes indoors.

Tumble dryers are a common appliance in many households, but they can be costly to operate. This is particularly true now that Ofgem's new energy price cap has been implemented, causing the average bill to increase by £149 per year.

However, there is an obscure function that could help reduce the cost of operating the machine.

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The Sun had a chat with Fiona Peake, a finance expert at Ocean Finance, who explained that using the "sensor dry" feature could save households up to 20% on costs.

Fiona stated this setting "detects" when your clothes are dry and automatically stops the machine. She elaborated: "This prevents over-drying-a common issue that wastes energy and can damage fabrics.

"By making the switch to this setting, households could save as much as 20% on their drying costs, making a noticeable difference in monthly energy expenses."

For instance, running a vented tumble dryer can cost up to £179.21 per year, according to consumer website Which But utilising the sensor dry function could cut up to 20% or £35 from the annual bill.

This would result in a household bill of £144.21. However, this could be higher or lower depending on your model and how often you use the machine.

For example, a heat pump tumble dryer is typically cheaper to operate compared to traditional vented models. On average, it costs about £76.09 annually to run one of these more efficient dryers.

Considering this, families could knock £15 off their annual energy bills by simply utilising the sensor dry function.

Fiona highlighted another savvy tip: keep the lint filter clean to max out on savings.

She said: "A blocked filter can cause your dryer to work harder and prolong drying time, wasting both energy and money."