Calculate your cost
Start with the example below, then replace the wattage, daily runtime, and rate with the numbers for your electric clothes dryer.
This setup uses about 68 kWh in a 30-day month.
Please enter valid values within the ranges shown.
| Schedule | Hours/day | Cost/month |
|---|---|---|
| Half runtime | 0.38 | $6.36 |
| Page example | 0.75 | $12.71 |
| Longer runtime | 1.13 | $19.07 |
Same 3,000-watt input and 18.83¢/kWh rate; only runtime changes.
Formula for the page example
3 kW × 0.75 hr × $0.1883 = $0.42 per day
Convert watts to kilowatts, multiply by the active hours used each day, then multiply by the electricity price in dollars per kWh. Multiply the daily result by 30 for the monthly estimate shown above.
How to read this estimate
An electric dryer powers both a large heating element and the motor that turns the drum. A wet, slow-drying load costs more than a lighter one, and letting a cycle run after the clothes are dry wastes heating time.
Use this as a baseline until you can check the label or measure the electric clothes dryer directly. Model, settings, condition, climate, and household routine can all change the result.
What changes the cost?
- 01
Heating element size and cycle temperature
- 02
Load moisture, spin speed, and sensor accuracy
- 03
Vent restriction, load size, and cycle duration
Ways to spend less
- Use the washer's fastest suitable spin cycle first.
- Clean the lint screen and keep the exhaust vent clear.
- Use moisture sensing instead of a long timed cycle.