Dryer Electricity Cost [233 Dryers Analyzed + 11 Cost Saving Tips]

Last updated: February 4, 2024.

How much does it cost to run a dryer? Find out here and get 11 effective tips that will help keep your dryer electricity cost low, reduce your overall electricity bills and carbon footprint.

Few household appliances consume more electricity than dryers. As a result, dryer electricity costs can be substantial.

Below, based on research into 233 different electric clothes dryers, you’ll see how much it costs to run a dryer in 2024, how to calculate your dryer’s electricity cost, and get 11 useful tips to keep your costs and carbon footprint low.

Spoilers:

  • On average, it costs 29 cents per load to run a dryer;
  • The most energy efficient dryer costs 7 cents per load;
  • Dryers increase US residential electricity bills by 6%, on average; and
  • To put dryer running costs into perspective, the cost of 1 dryer cycle is equivalent to the cost of washing nearly 2 loads of laundry or running a treadmill for nearly 3 weeks.

Continue reading to see how you can easily reduce your dryer electricity costs.

Note: the data used (233 dryers in total) for this post was sourced from ENERGY STAR, various manufacturer websites and other online resources. The data relates to electric tumble / clothes dryers only (i.e. not gas).

Dryer electricity cost image containing an electric clothes dryer and money

How much does it cost to run a dryer 

It costs 29 cents per load, $6.90 per month, and $82.74 per year to run a dryer, on average, in 2024.

As a result, on average electric clothes dryers increase monthly US electricity bills by 6%.

The average US monthly electricity bill is $115, so a $6.90 increase is considerable.

Below, I go into more detail about the cost to run a dryer. This includes the average costs, the most common, highest and lowest costs for various durations.

The costs assume a 15 cent cost per kWh / unit of electricity (the US average) and 283 cycles per year, which is typical. Dryer power consumption is based on 233 electric clothes dryers – see how much electricity tumble dryers use in this recent post: Dryer Wattage & Energy Usage [Most Efficient Revealed].

Dryer electricity cost per cycle / load

It costs between 7 cents and 32 cents per load to run a dryer.

On average, it costs 29 cents per load to run an electric dryer.

However, 32 cents is the most common cost per load.

Dryer electricity cost per month

The electricity cost per month to run a dryer is $6.90, on average. However, $7.61 is the most common monthly electricity cost. 

It costs between $1.56 to $7.61 per month to run a dryer.

This assumes 283 cycles annually, which is typical.

Dryer electricity cost per year

Per year, it costs $18.75 to $91.20 to run a dryer. 

The average annual cost is $82.74, with $91.20 being the most common yearly cost to run a dryer.

Again, this assumes 283 cycles per year.

Dryer electricity cost summary

The table below summarises the average, most common, highest and lowest cost to run a dryer across various durations.

Cost per load / cycleCost per month (assumes 283 cycles p/y)Cost per year (283 cycles)
Average$0.29$6.90$82.74
Most common$0.32$7.61$91.20
Highest$0.32$7.61$91.20
Lowest$0.07$1.56$18.75

Next, let’s take a look at the cost to run the most energy efficient dryers on the market.

Cost to run energy efficient dryers

Out of the 233 dryers included in the electric clothes dryer power consumption research, 11 dryers received the “ENERGY STAR Most Efficient” label.

The table below lists the cost to run these energy efficient dryers.

DryerElectricity used per load / cycleCost per month (283 cycles p/y)Electricity used per year (283 cycles)
Blomberg – DHP24400W$0.08$1.86$22.35
LG – DLHC1455*$0.07$1.66$19.95
Miele – Miele : TWF160 WP$0.07$1.66$19.95
Miele – Miele : TWI180 WP$0.07$1.66$19.95
Miele – Miele : TWB120 WP$0.07$1.66$19.95
Bosch – WTW87NH1UC$0.07$1.56$18.75
Beko – HPD24412W$0.08$1.86$22.35
Blomberg – DHP24412W$0.08$1.86$22.35
Samsung – DV22N685*H*$0.08$1.81$21.75
Miele – Miele : PDR908 HP$0.13$3.06$36.75
Samsung – DV22N680*H*$0.08$1.81$21.75

On average, it costs 8 cents per cycle, $1.86 per month and $22.35 per year to run the most energy efficient dryers on the market.

The most common cost to run the most energy efficient dryers are: 7 cents per load, $1.66 per month and $19.95 per year.

The cost to run the most energy efficient dryers ranges from 7 – 13 cents per load, $1.56 – $3.06 per month and $18.75 – $36.75 per year.

As you can see, the cost ranges considerably even for the most energy efficient dryers on the market.

Next, let’s take a look at the cost to run the most energy efficient dryer.

For more information on the most energy efficient dryers, including CEF ratings, visit: Dryer Wattage & Energy Usage [Most Efficient Revealed].

Cost to run the most energy efficient dryer

As revealed here and included in the table above, the most energy efficient dryer suited for home use is the Bosch WTW87NH1UC (see product details on Home Depot, here, or Amazon, here).

This appliance uses just 0.44 kWh of electricity per cycle – nearly 80% less than average.

The cost to run this dryer is just 7 cents per cycle, $1.56 per month and $18.75 per year.

An honorable mention has to go to the Miele PDR908 HP. This dryer has the highest CEF out of the shortlist of the most energy efficient dryers. CEF is a key indicator of energy efficiency – get more details about CEF in this previous post.

However, this tumble dryer does use more electricity than the Bosch WTW87NH1UC.

The Miele PDR908 HP appears to be better suited for commercial use – visit mieleusa.com for product details.

The cost to run the Miele PDR908 HP is 13 cents per load, $3.06 per month and $36.75 per year.

So, while it does have a higher CEF, its cost to run is nearly double that of the Bosch WTW87NH1UC.

Are clothes dryers expensive to run 

Yes, clothes dryers are expensive to run.

Very few household appliances consume more electricity than dryers. As a result, few residential devices are more expensive to run.

For perspective, let’s compare dryer running costs with the cost to run other household appliances.

The cost per cycle of a dryer (32 cents is most common) is equivalent to:

So, overall, dryers are expensive to run. But is yours different? Let’s take a look at how you can calculate the cost to run your, or any, dryer.

How to work out how much it costs to run your dryer 

Working out how much it costs to run appliances is fairly simple.

You just need to find the power consumption, in kWh, and then multiply that by the price you pay per kWh (available on your electricity bill).

However, for dryers, it’s not that simple.

This is because dryers consume various amounts of electricity during a cycle. They jump in and out of actively heating, spinning and standby.

Dryers also take various durations to dry clothes, depending on the model, the load size, the dampness of clothes, etc.

So working out how much it costs to run your dryer accurately is virtually impossible. But it will provide a good estimate.

To improve the accuracy, you could use an energy monitor, look up your tumble dryer’s power consumption online or, if available, use the kWh details listed on a label on the device. ENERGY STAR certified dryers typically have power consumption details on a label stuck to the appliance.

But without the more accurate power consumption details, you can get a rough estimate by completing the following steps.

5 steps to estimate the cost, per cycle, to run your dryer:

  1. Find your dryer wattage. The most common dryer wattage is 5,600W (source). Your dryer’s wattage may be listed on the device, it could be included in the device’s documentation or you may have to search online for the wattage. Note: dryer wattage is the max power that the appliance will consume – due to the various drying stages your dryer will not consume max power throughout its cycle. As a result, the estimated cost will be higher than the actual running cost.
  2. Identify how long, in hours, it takes your dryer to complete a cycle. On average, dryers take 64.5 minutes (i.e. 1.075 hours) to dry clothes (source: How Long Do Dryers Take? [Fastest Clothes Dryer Revealed]). Your dryer documentation will likely list drying durations for various speed settings. 
  3. Now work out your dryer’s power consumption, in kWh. To do this, we first need to convert your dryer wattage into kWh – simply divide the wattage by 1,000 (e.g. 5,600W / 1,000 = 5.6 kWh). Then just multiply this by your dryer’s drying duration (in hours). For example, 5.6 kWh x 1.075 hrs = 6.02 kWh. This result is the amount of electricity your dryer will consume. Again, this is inflated because we’re only using the max power rating. On average, electric clothes dryers consume 1.95 kWh (source).
  4. Get your unit / kWh rate. This is generally noted on your electricity bill. The average unit / kWh rate for electricity in the US is 15 cents (source: statista.com).
  5. Finally, simply multiply your kWh rate by your dryer’s power consumption, in kWh. For example, using the results in the steps above, 6.02 kWh x $0.15 = $0.90. So it costs 90 cents per cycle to run our dryer. To get your weekly, monthly, annual costs, simply estimate the number of cycles / loads that you anticipate and then multiply that by $0.90.

Again, the result will be inflated because the max power rating is used. If you can identify your power consumption more accurately (via documentation, an energy monitor, etc.), skip to Step 4.

So, now that we know how much it costs to run a dryer, let’s look at ways we can keep the costs low.

Reduce your dryer electricity costs – 11 effective tips

Few household appliances consume more power than dryers. To help you keep your electricity bills and carbon footprint low, here are 11 useful tips:

  1. Reduce usage. The most effective way to reduce the cost to run your dryer is to use it less. Only use your dryer when you have a full load and consider hanging your clothes out to dry. Electric drying racks use considerably less power than dryers and internal drying racks use no electricity at all. If you can reduce your usage, you’ll reduce your expenses and carbon footprint.
  2. Stop overloading. It takes longer to dry a load of clothes if the dryer is overloaded. As a result, you’ll need to run the dryer longer, which uses more power, ultimately increasing your electricity bill.
  3. Use the spin option on your washing machine. Make sure there is no excess water by using the spin option on your washing machine. Alternatively, spin dryers may be a good option for you. They consume considerably less electricity as they don’t use heating elements. High speed spinning can extract a considerable amount of water from clothes.
  4. Don’t go straight from the washer. Throwing clothes into a dryer immediately after washing can result in longer drying times, and therefore, higher running costs. Untangle, separate, and shake clothes before putting them into the dryer to help speed up drying time.
  5. Go straight to the dryer with another load. If you have multiple loads to dry, try not to have a gap between the loads. By not allowing the dryer to cool, you can save electricity. Removing the need for the appliance to reheat in order to start drying again will help keep your running costs low. 
  6. Consider dryer balls. Dryer balls (see example on Amazon) help increase air circulation while drying. As a result, they help speed up drying times.
  7. Use eco or auto dry modes, if available. These settings help ensure that your dryer doesn’t run longer than needed.
  8. Maintain your dryer. Make sure your vent and lint filter are clear, and the water drawer is empty. Disregarding maintenance requirements will result in your dryer being inefficient and more expensive to run.
  9. Consider moving your dryer. Dryers in cool areas need to use more power to heat, and as a result, are more expensive to run. If your dryer is in a garage, consider moving it inside. Be sure not to place a dryer next to a cooler / freezer as this will increase the power consumption requirements of both appliances.
  10. Dry at night, if you’re on an appropriate tariff. Many electricity providers offer discounted unit / kWh rates during off-peak hours. The discounted rates can cut your dryer running costs by approx. 50%. Consider getting in touch with your utility provider to see if a night-saver tariff is suitable for you.
  11. Consider switching utility provider. This is a great way to reduce your overall energy bills, not just your dryer running costs. Energy providers typically offer considerable discounts to attract new customers, so consider shopping around.

FAQs


Final thoughts

As mentioned, few household appliances consume more electricity than dryers. As a result, they are one of the most expensive devices in your home to run.

I hope that you now have a good sense of how much it costs to run a clothes dryer.

And I also hope that the 11 tips to reduce your dryer electricity costs helps keep your bills low.

They also have the added benefit of keeping your carbon footprint low.

The more people that reduce their dryer’s power consumption, the better it is for the environment and their pockets.

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