How Much Electricity Does a Clothes Dryer Use per Load?

The median certified electric clothes dryer in WattCost's current dataset uses about 2.15 kWh per load, or roughly 40¢ per load at the April 2026 U.S. average residential price. The calculation divides the 607 kWh/year median by the DOE's 283-cycle annual test basis.

Key takeaways

• The current certified electric-dryer median is 607 kWh/year across 318 models.
• 607 kWh/year ÷ 283 test cycles equals about 2.15 kWh per load.
• At 18.83¢/kWh, that is about $0.40 per test-basis load.
• Certified models range from 122 to 687 kWh/year, so dryer technology can make a large difference.

What does it cost to dry one load of laundry?

For the current certified-model median, the electricity portion is about 40¢ per test-basis load at the cited U.S. average rate. A specific dryer may come in much lower or higher, and a real cycle changes with fabric weight, remaining moisture, load size, selected program, and the condition of the venting path.

How the calculation works

The standardized comparison is 607 kWh/year ÷ 283 cycles/year = 2.15 kWh per load. Then 2.15 kWh × $0.1883/kWh = about $0.40. This article covers electric dryers; a gas dryer's running cost is primarily fuel rather than the electric kWh figure used here.

The site uses the same transparent calculation in its methodology.

Why do dryer costs per load vary so much?

Heat-pump dryers, vented dryers, sensor settings, and the physical load all change energy use. The wide certified annual-kWh range shows why an appliance category average alone is not enough for a purchase decision. A blocked vent or repeatedly overdrying clothes can also make real-world operation less efficient than the standardized comparison.

How to get a more useful number

Compare the exact electric models' annual kWh first, then divide by 283 only if a per-load test-basis comparison helps. Use the annual label figure and your local rate for the yearly number that appears on a bill.

Start with WattCost's certified electric-dryer rankings.

For the related buying decision, see the heat-pump versus vented-dryer cost comparison.

FAQ

How much does it cost to run a dryer for one hour? Hourly cost depends on the dryer's actual watt draw and how often the heater cycles, so it is not interchangeable with a per-load figure. The certified annual kWh divided by 283 cycles is the cleaner comparison for electric dryer models.

Do heat-pump dryers use less electricity per load? The current certified dataset includes much lower annual-kWh models than the category median, and heat-pump technology is the key reason. Compare exact models because capacity and program design still matter.

Does a dryer cost more in a high-rate state? Yes. The kWh used by the cycle does not change, but every kWh costs more at a higher residential electricity rate. The same 2.15 kWh test-basis load costs more wherever the price per kWh is higher.

Are gas dryers included in this estimate? No. WattCost's clothes-dryer dataset and the calculation in this guide are for electric dryers. Gas dryers have electricity use for controls and motors, but their main operating fuel is gas.

Data notes & sources

The per-load estimate uses WattCost's July 2026 certified electric-dryer snapshot, the DOE 283-cycle test basis, and EIA's April 2026 U.S. average residential price.

Product-test context: ENERGY STAR clothes-dryer product data.

Electricity-rate context: U.S. EIA April 2026 residential electricity-price table.