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Tumble dryer power consumption and electricity cost

How much electricity a dryer use may vary considerably depending on the efficiency and age of the appliance.

Newer and more efficient models are most probably going to be more economical. 

Still, if you have a tumble dryer at home or are considering buying one, it is worth spending a little time determining the electricity usage and cost.

How much power and electricity does a tumble dryer use

A tumble dryer uses between 1800 and 5000 Watts of power.

The electricity usage, or the power consumption, should be displayed or easily on the appliance itself or easily accessible online.

tumble dryer power consumption

Still, this is not always the case. 

If the electricity consumption is low, the power consumption details are easy to find. 

And the opposite is the electricity consumption is higher than other similar tumble dryers; the power consumption details may be hidden.

As shown in the picture above, the specification describes that this tumble dryer consumes 243 Kilowatt hours (kWh) per year. 

As we are paying our electricity provider 0,217 euros per every kWh we consume, it would add 52 euros per year to our electricity bill.

243 kWh x 0,217 euro per kWh = 52,73 euro

How to calculate power from voltage and current

If you only know the voltage and current of your dryer, you can calculate the power consumption in Watts using the calculator below.

 

For more information about Power, Voltage, and Current, scroll down to the ‘Electricity Measurement Units’ section.

Tumble dryer electricity cost calculator

We have chosen a random tumble dryer and searched for its ‘datasheet.’ Out of the results, we have been able to find its power consumption both at Amazon and on the manufacturer’s website.

Tumble dryer datasheet

Once we know the yearly power consumption, the calculator below can estimate a tumble dryer’s power and cost consumption.

You need to adjust the values in the PARAMETERS section to your requirements, and the calculator will automatically display the RESULTS section.

 

For example:

> If a dryer has a yearly power consumption of 243 kWh

> If you are paying 0,217 euros (or dollars or pounds) per every kWh you consume 

You will pay around 53 euros (or dollars, pounds, or…) per year in electricity costs.

How much does electricity cost

If you don’t know how much you are paying per kWh, you should be able to find the cost per kWh on your electricity contract or in one of the electricity bills.

how much does electricity cost

Alternatively, if you don’t have access to your contract or your electricity bills, this website does show the electricity cost per country.

Home appliances and devices electricity calculators

Here are a few other examples from our ‘Electricity usage and electricity cost calculators‘ page that may be of your interest:

Tumble dryer electricity usage monitor

If you want to know the exact electricity usage of a tumble dryer, your best option is to use a plug-in power meter to measure the exact power consumption and electricity cost. 

Clicking on the image below will redirect you to the Amazon page, where you can look at the specifications of the power meter we use for our measurements.

plug in power meter

Our house appliances and devices like the washing machine, the dishwasher, the TV, or the printer are plugged into a wall socket. 

So, with a power consumption meter, we can determine how much electricity our appliances or devices are using, and, more importantly, we can measure the electricity usage over time.

If you want to learn how to use a plug-in power meter to measure your electricity usage and cost, watch this YouTube video.

Plug in power meter

How to lower the electricity bill of a tumble dryer

If you think that your tumble dryer uses too much electricity, here some tips should help you decrease the electricity usage and the electricity cost:

1.- Use tumble dryer balls

The tumble dryer balls accelerate the drying process because the laundry balls prevent the laundry from sticking together, so the warm air can circulate more easily.

By adding dryer balls to the load, it may be possible to reduce the drying time and the electricity costs by up to 20%. 

Tumble dryer balls are an eco-friendly alternative to dryer sheets and liquid fabric softener, and they come in two variants, wool, and rubber.

tumble dryer balls

2.- Place the dryer in a well-ventilated room

The tumble dryer in a damp room will lead to higher condensation and an increased drying time. If possible, place your tumble dryer in a warm and well-ventilated room.

3.- Keep the tumble dryer filters clean

It is recommended to clean the filter after every use. Otherwise, the tumble dryer will have to work harder, increasing electricity usage.

Tumble dryer electricity usage FAQ

Does a dryer use a lot electricity?

The electricity usage will depend on the efficiency of the dryer.

In general, a tumble dryer is a home appliance that uses a lot of electricity. For more details, see the video ‘Proven ways to save electricity’ at the bottom of this page.

How much electricity does a dryer use per load?

You can use the calculator from the ‘Electricity cost calculator’ to estimate how much electricity a dryer use per day.

On the calculator, we assume that the dryer is used an average of once a day. This is, the daily electricity cost corresponds to the cost per load.

Still, note that this is only an estimation. The electricity usage may vary depending on factors like adequate maintenance, the correct usage of the tumble dryer, or the cycle settings.

How much electricity does a dryer use per month?

You can use the calculator from the ‘Electricity cost calculator’ section to estimate how much electricity a dryer uses monthly.

Still, note that this is only an estimation. The electricity usage may vary depending on factors like adequate maintenance, the correct usage of the tumble dryer, or the cycle settings.

How many watts does a clothes dryer use?

How many watts a clothes dryer use will depend on the model.

As shown in the picture at the top of this page, this specific tumble dyer model uses 1.97 kWh for a full load using the standard cotton program.

Of course, the power consumption will vary depending on the program setting.

If you want to know your dryer’s power consumption, search the internet for the ‘technical specifications’ of your specific model.

Electricity measurement units

Not everybody is familiar with terms like Watts, Kilowatts, or Kilowatt hours, so if you would learn more about them, look at this YouTube video we have prepared about this topic.

What is a Kilowatt hour (kWh)

Electricity measurement units calculators

Or you can have a look at this electricity measurement units calculators to get a better understanding of:

> What is a Watt (W), and how to transform Watts into Kilowatts

> What is a Kilowatt (kW), and how to transform Kilowatts into Kilowatts hour

> What is a Kilowatt hour (kWh), and how to transform Kilowatts hours into other units

> What are Power (P), Voltage (V), and Current (I)

Watt (W)
Watt (W) wattage calculator
Kilowatt (kW)
Kilowatt (kW) calculator
Kilowatt hour (kWh)
Kilowatt hour (kWh) calculator
Power, voltage, current
Power, voltage, current calculator

Tumble dryers and energy conservation

Energy conservation can be defined as the decision and the act of using less energy.

Energy conservation both benefit you and the environment

The act of saving and conserving electricity does benefit you because you will be paying less for your energy bills. 

And it also benefits the environment because conserving electricity prevents unnecessary waste of natural resources.

At the individual level, it may not look worth trying to save a few watts here or there. 

Still, every little one counts, and if hundreds or thousands of us save a little every time, it will make an important contribution towards conserving our natural resources.

Energy conservation calculator

Reducing our tumble dryers’ usage, even a very small amount, would greatly impact preserving our natural resources.

 

For example, if 9000 households save as little as 10 Watts per day (0,01 kWh) on tumble dryers’ electricity usage, that would add to 32850 Kilowatt hours (kWh) saved per year. 

9000 households x 0,01 kWh per day x 365 days per year 

32,850 kWh saved per year

That is a considerable amount of electricity, but let’s add additional perspectives for clarity:

> Assuming an average cost of 0,18 euros (or dollars, pounds, or any other currency) per kWh, we would collectively save nearly 6000 euros annually.

> To produce 32,850 kWh of electricity, it is necessary to use around 17 metric tons of coal or 56 barrels of residual fuel oil.

Look at this page for more information about the number of resources needed to produce electricity.
 

In any case, small energy savings do count when looking into the bigger picture.

Proven ways to save electricity at home

Suppose you are looking for ideas to save electricity at home; look at this YouTube video. We show some useful tips for reducing electricity usage at home and decreasing the electricity bill. 

How to save electricity at home
How to save
How to save
How to earn
How to earn

Calculators

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