What does a dryer load cost to run?

Answer

An electric dryer costs nameplate watts × hours ÷ 1,000 × your price per kWh for each load. A 5,000 W dryer heating for a full hour at $0.15 per kWh uses 5.00 kWh and costs $0.75, or $0.75 an hour. A gas dryer costs Btu per hour × hours ÷ 100,000 × your price per therm, plus a little electricity for the drum motor.

Worked example

Electric: 5,000 W × 1 hour ÷ 1,000 = 5.00 kWh, × $0.15 = $0.75 per load. At 5 loads a week that is $3.75 a week and $195.00 a year. Gas: 22,000 Btu per hour × 1 hour = 22,000 Btu = 0.22 therm, × $1.20 = $0.26, plus 300 W × 1 hour = 0.30 kWh × $0.15 = $0.04, so $0.31 per load and $80.34 a year at 5 loads a week.

Formulas and notes

• Electric cost per load = nameplate watts × hours × heating share ÷ 1,000 × price per kWh (the DOE formula, kWh = watts × hours ÷ 1,000).
• Gas cost per load = Btu per hour × hours × heating share ÷ Btu per unit × gas price, plus motor watts × hours ÷ 1,000 × price per kWh. 1 therm = 100,000 Btu; 1 GJ = about 947,778 Btu (derived from the EIA figure of 3,412 Btu per kWh).
• DOE notes the wattage stamped on an appliance is the maximum power it draws, and that large appliances such as clothes dryers run on 240 volts. A heating element or burner cycles, so lower the heating share, or use a plug-in meter reading for a closer number.
• The starting values are illustrations, not typical figures. Replace each with your dryer's plate and your own bill.

Planning estimate only, not professional advice. Sources, checked 2026-10-08: U.S. Department of Energy, Estimating Appliance and Home Electronic Energy Use (archived copy, 2024-12-31) · U.S. Energy Information Administration, British thermal units (Btu)