PURPOSE: To predict a drying operation time by detecting a contact rate with clothes in the beginning of the start of the drying operation when it is started and the storage contents of two storage means are read by means of a time data selecting means after the detection.

CONSTITUTION: An operation time counting means stores the execution time of the drying operation in the second storage means as data. A contact rate detecting means calculates the contact rate by a value obtained by dividing the total value of time widths in a contact detecting signal Vt given from the contact detecting circuit 21 of a contact detecting means 19 by a fixed time. The first storage means previously holds prediction time data of a drying operation required time corresponding to the contact rate. The time data selecting means reads time data corresponding to the detection contact rate from the second storage means, reads data from the first storage means in the case of the absence of corresponding execution time data and a prediction time corresponding to the detection contact rate is displayed in display equipment 15 with a display driving means. The data is displayed in display equipment 15 in the case of the presence of execution time data in the second storage means.