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Dryer Electricity Cost Calculator

Find out what each load in your electric clothes dryer costs, and what drying adds to your bill over a month and a year.

Quick answer

A 3,000 W electric dryer with the heater on about 75% of a one-hour cycle uses 2.25 kWh — roughly 38¢ per load at $0.17/kWh, or $11.48 for 30 loads. Add the wash itself with the washing machine calculator.

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  • No sign-up
  • Energy
  • Updated October 2026
W

On the label or manual. 1 kW = 1000 W.

%

Share of time it actually draws full power. AC and fridges cycle on and off; lights and TVs are 100%.

Find it on your bill (cents ÷ 100).

Cost per month (30 days)

$11.48

Cost per day
$0.38
Cost per year
$139.61
Cost per hour of use
$0.38
Energy per day
2.25 kWh
Energy per month
67.5 kWh
Show the working
  1. 3,000 W × 1 h × 75% × 1 ÷ 1000 = 2.25 kWh/day
  2. 2.25 kWh × $0.17 = $0.38 per day

About the Dryer Electricity Cost calculator

Electric clothes dryers are among the most power-hungry appliances in a home: the EPA lists typical dryers at 1,800–5,000 W. Most of that goes to the heating element, which switches on and off to hold temperature, so the average draw over a cycle is lower than the label figure.

The defaults here are a 3,000 W dryer running a one-hour cycle with the element on about 75% of the time — about 2.25 kWh per load. Set hours to the number of hours you run the dryer each day; one hour a day is one load a day.

A fast washer spin, clean lint filter and drying full (not overstuffed) loads all shorten cycles. Heat-pump dryers typically use around half the energy of conventional vented models.

How to use it

  1. Find the wattage on the rating plate inside the door or in the manual.
  2. Enter the hours of drying per day (one load is usually 45–75 minutes).
  3. Keep about 75% average load for a standard heated cycle.
  4. Enter your price per kWh.

The formula

Cost per load = Watts × Cycle hours × Load ÷ 1000 × Price

  • A gas dryer still uses electricity for the drum and controls, but far less — this calculator is for electric dryers.

Worked example

A 3,000 W dryer, one load a day

  1. 3,000 W × 1 h × 75% = 2.25 kWh per load.
  2. At $0.17/kWh: about 38¢ per load.
  3. About $11.48 over 30 loads.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to run a dryer per load?

Commonly 30–60¢ per load in the US at typical electricity prices, depending on wattage, cycle length and how wet the clothes are when they go in.

Is a heat-pump dryer worth it?

It uses roughly half the electricity of a vented dryer but costs more up front and dries more slowly. It pays back fastest for large families who dry daily.

Does washing on a higher spin speed save dryer energy?

Yes. Clothes that come out of the washer drier need less time in the dryer, and the extra spin costs far less than the drying time it saves.

Results are estimates for planning — check critical figures with a professional or the official source.

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