What an electric clothes dryer costs to run per year
Bottom line
A typical ENERGY STAR clothes dryer costs about $46–$111 a year to run at the US average electricity price (middle 80% of 489 certified models; median $111).
Size and type matter more than brand: the median runs from $24 (Compact ventless, 120V) to $111 (Standard vented).
Within one group, the spread is widest for Standard ventless: about $72 a year between the more efficient and less efficient models (10th vs 90th percentile).
Typical cost by dryer type
| Dryer type | Models | Median kWh/yr | Median $/yr | Middle 80% $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compact ventless, 120V | 10 | 133 | $24 | $24–$24 |
| Compact ventless, 240V | 58 | 317 | $58 | $24–$58 |
| Standard ventless | 53 | 380 | $69 | $39–$111 |
| Standard vented | 362 | 608 | $111 | $110–$111 |
483 of 489 models fall in the groups above (groups with too few models are left out of this table but counted in the bottom line).
Lowest-energy certified models
The 49 models below have the lowest rated annual energy use in their group. Model numbers with * cover a family of variants (color, trim). Listed by rated kWh, not reviewed or tested by us.
Compact ventless, 120V
| Brand | Model | Vent | Drum | kWh/yr | $/yr | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LG | DLHC1455*B | Ventless | 4.2 cu ft | 133 | $24 | Check on Amazon |
| Miele | TWB120 WP | Ventless | 4.1 cu ft | 133 | $24 | Check on Amazon |
| Miele | TWD160WP | Ventless | 4.1 cu ft | 133 | $24 | Check on Amazon |
| Miele | TWD360WP | Ventless | 4.1 cu ft | 133 | $24 | Check on Amazon |
| Miele | TWF160 WP | Ventless | 4.1 cu ft | 133 | $24 | Check on Amazon |
| Miele | TWI180 WP | Ventless | 4.1 cu ft | 133 | $24 | Check on Amazon |
| Miele | TWI680WP | Ventless | 4.1 cu ft | 133 | $24 | Check on Amazon |
| Miele | TXD160WP | Ventless | 4.1 cu ft | 133 | $24 | Check on Amazon |
| Miele | TXI680WP | Ventless | 4.1 cu ft | 133 | $24 | Check on Amazon |
| Miele | TXR860WP | Ventless | 4.1 cu ft | 133 | $24 | Check on Amazon |
Compact ventless, 240V
| Brand | Model | Vent | Drum | kWh/yr | $/yr | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bosch | WQB245AXUC | Ventless | 3.9 cu ft | 122 | $22 | Check on Amazon |
| Bosch | WTW87NH1UC | Ventless | 4.0 cu ft | 125 | $23 | Check on Amazon |
| Samsung | DV25B69**H* | Ventless | 4.0 cu ft | 125 | $23 | Check on Amazon |
| Samsung | DV25FG50*0** | Ventless | 4.0 cu ft | 125 | $23 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | DLHC1455* | Ventless | 4.2 cu ft | 133 | $24 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | WKHC152H*A | Ventless | 4.2 cu ft | 133 | $24 | Check on Amazon |
| Asko | T3HW.U | Ventless | 4.2 cu ft | 142 | $26 | Check on Amazon |
| Samsung | DV22N680*H* | Ventless | 4.0 cu ft | 145 | $26 | Check on Amazon |
| Samsung | DV22N685*H* | Ventless | 4.0 cu ft | 145 | $26 | Check on Amazon |
| Beko | HPD24412W | Ventless | 4.1 cu ft | 149 | $27 | Check on Amazon |
| Blomberg | DHP24400W | Ventless | 4.1 cu ft | 149 | $27 | Check on Amazon |
| Blomberg | DHP24412W | Ventless | 4.1 cu ft | 149 | $27 | Check on Amazon |
| Samsung | DV25B68**H* | Ventless | 4.0 cu ft | 154 | $28 | Check on Amazon |
Standard ventless
| Brand | Model | Vent | Drum | kWh/yr | $/yr | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asko | T5HXLG.U | Ventless | 5.2 cu ft | 208 | $38 | Check on Amazon |
| Asko | T5HXLT.U | Ventless | 5.2 cu ft | 208 | $38 | Check on Amazon |
| Asko | T5HXLW.U | Ventless | 5.2 cu ft | 208 | $38 | Check on Amazon |
| Asko | T7HXLW.U | Ventless | 5.2 cu ft | 208 | $38 | Check on Amazon |
| Beko | HPD24414W | Ventless | 4.5 cu ft | 217 | $39 | Check on Amazon |
| Beko | HPD24414W3 | Ventless | 4.5 cu ft | 217 | $39 | Check on Amazon |
| Blomberg | DHP24404W | Ventless | 4.5 cu ft | 217 | $39 | Check on Amazon |
| Blomberg | DHP24404W3 | Ventless | 4.5 cu ft | 217 | $39 | Check on Amazon |
| Summit | LDHP24W3 | Ventless | 4.5 cu ft | 217 | $39 | Check on Amazon |
| Summit | SLDHP24W3 | Ventless | 4.5 cu ft | 217 | $39 | Check on Amazon |
| Smeg | DH24UWH | Ventless | 4.5 cu ft | 228 | $41 | Check on Amazon |
| Insignia | NS-FDRE44W1-C | Ventless | 4.5 cu ft | 236 | $43 | Check on Amazon |
| Midea | MLE27N5AWWC | Ventless | 4.5 cu ft | 236 | $43 | Check on Amazon |
Standard vented
| Brand | Model | Vent | Drum | kWh/yr | $/yr | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whirlpool | YWED7990FW* | Vented | 7.4 cu ft | 531 | $97 | Check on Amazon |
| Whirlpool | YWED9290FC* | Vented | 7.4 cu ft | 531 | $97 | Check on Amazon |
| Whirlpool | YWED9290FW* | Vented | 7.4 cu ft | 531 | $97 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | DLHX4372* | Vented | 7.3 cu ft | 556 | $101 | Check on Amazon |
| Kenmore | 592-8966* | Vented | 7.5 cu ft | 607 | $110 | Check on Amazon |
| Kenmore | 592-8967* | Vented | 7.5 cu ft | 607 | $110 | Check on Amazon |
| Kenmore | 592-8968* | Vented | 7.5 cu ft | 607 | $110 | Check on Amazon |
| Kenmore | 592-8969* | Vented | 7.5 cu ft | 607 | $110 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | DLE3090* | Vented | 7.4 cu ft | 607 | $110 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | DLE3095* | Vented | 7.4 cu ft | 607 | $110 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | DLE3400* | Vented | 7.4 cu ft | 607 | $110 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | DLE3400** | Vented | 7.4 cu ft | 607 | $110 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | DLE3400*L | Vented | 7.4 cu ft | 607 | $110 | Check on Amazon |
Notes
- Ventless electric dryers include heat-pump and condenser models; the dataset has no separate heat-pump flag.
- Standard vented electric dryers are listed at almost the same figure (about 608 kWh/yr), so the type of dryer matters more than the brand.
- Compact 120V dryers have small drums; more loads may be needed for the same laundry.
- Electric models only. Gas dryers are left out of all costs: their kWh figure is gas energy converted to kWh, not electricity.
Work it out for your rate
Annual kWh ÷ 5.5 ≈ dollars per year
At the US average price of 18.19¢ per kWh, every 5.5 kWh costs about $1 (1 ÷ 0.1819 = 5.50). A refrigerator rated at 550 kWh a year costs about $100 a year to run.
Multiply the kWh figure by your own price per kWh from your bill. Your state's price may be far from the average: see rates by state.
Source: ENERGY STAR certified clothes dryers (dataset t9u7-4d2j), retrieved 2026-10-30. Rate: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.B, residential, January-August 2026 year-to-date (released 2026-10-23). How we calculate.