π Gas vs Electric Dryer
Per-load, monthly, and yearly cost for both dryer types.
Cheaper dryer type
How to Use This Comparison
Enter your electricity rate in cents per kWh, your natural gas rate in dollars per therm (both on your utility bills), and how many dryer loads you do per week. The calculator computes the per-load cost for a typical electric dryer (3.3 kWh) and a typical gas dryer (0.25 therms plus 0.2 kWh for the motor), then scales to monthly and yearly figures and names the winner. The defaults reflect recent US averages, but utility rates vary so much that the verdict can flip between states.
Find your electricity rate per kWh and gas rate per therm on your bills.
Count your real loads per week for a month. Most families underestimate by 2.
Hit Compare Dryers and read the per-load costs first; that is the core comparison.
Multiply the per-load savings by your loads to judge any switch's payback.
The Method: Energy Per Load Times Rate
The energy figures are typical-cycle averages: electric dryers convert about 3.3 kWh of electricity into heat and tumbling per load, while gas dryers burn about 0.25 therms for heat and still need about 0.2 kWh of electricity to turn the drum and run controls. Gas wins on operating cost almost everywhere because heat from gas costs less per unit of energy than heat from electricity at typical US rates. The worked example shows a 20-cent-per-load gap, which becomes $62 a year at 6 loads a week. Where electricity is cheap (the Pacific Northwest) or gas is pricey, the gap narrows; the calculator shows your local truth.
Worked Example
A family does 6 loads a week at 18 cents per kWh and $1.40 per therm. Electric per load = 3.3 x 0.18 = $0.594. Gas per load = (0.25 x 1.40) + (0.2 x 0.18) = 0.35 + 0.036 = $0.386. Savings per load = $0.208. Monthly loads = 6 x 4.33 = 26. Yearly electric = 0.594 x 26 x 12 = $185.33. Yearly gas = 0.386 x 26 x 12 = $120.43. Annual savings = $64.90. Enter those rates and the calculator reproduces the comparison. A $400 gas-line installation would pay back in just over 6 years at this usage; at 10 loads a week it pays back in under 4.
The Switch Decision
New purchase: if the gas line already exists, gas usually wins on lifetime cost despite the higher sticker price. If no gas line exists, get an installation quote before deciding; the line cost often exceeds years of operating savings. Replacement timing matters: replacing a working electric dryer early for gas rarely pays, but choosing gas at natural replacement time often does. Renters should not bother; the payback belongs to the landlord. And check local codes: some jurisdictions restrict new gas appliances, which settles the question regardless of the math.
Cutting Dryer Costs Whatever You Own
Clean the lint filter every load; a clogged filter can add 30 percent to drying time. Use sensor-dry instead of timed dry so the machine stops when clothes are done, not when the timer is. Dry full loads but do not overstuff; air needs to circulate. Dry similar fabrics together so everything finishes at once. Spin laundry on high in the washer first; the cheapest dryer energy is the water the washer already removed. And the ultimate hack remains the clothesline or drying rack: zero operating cost, gentler on clothes, and free sunshine.
Heat Pump Dryers: The Third Option
Heat pump dryers sidestep the gas-vs-electric debate: they use electricity but at roughly half the energy of a conventional electric dryer, with no vent needed. The trade-offs are real: cycles run longer (often 50-100 percent longer), upfront cost is higher ($300-600 premium), and they need periodic cleaning of an extra lint filter. They shine in apartments without venting, in tight homes where venting is impractical, and for energy-conscious buyers who do laundry frequently. In cold garages they struggle, since heat pumps lose efficiency in low ambient temperatures. When comparing with this calculator, model the heat pump as an electric dryer with roughly half the per-load kWh; the longer cycle time does not change the energy math much, but it changes your laundry scheduling.
Installation Costs: The Hidden Decider
The operating-cost comparison often loses to installation reality. Switching from electric to gas needs a gas line run ($300-800+ depending on distance), possibly a larger gas meter, and venting; switching from gas to electric needs a 240V 30-amp circuit ($300-600 if the panel has capacity, much more if it needs an upgrade). If the infrastructure already exists, the switch cost is just the appliance price difference. Renters usually cannot switch at all, making the calculator academic; owners should amortize the install cost over the expected ownership years before declaring a winner. Also check local utility rebates: many utilities and states rebate heat pump dryers and efficient electrics, sometimes $200-500, which can flip the purchase math even when operating costs favor gas.
A Second Worked Example: The Cheap-Electricity State
At 10 cents per kWh and $1.80 per therm: electric per load is 3.3 times 0.10, or $0.33. Gas per load is 0.25 times 1.80 plus 0.2 times 0.10, which is $0.45 plus $0.02, or $0.47. Gas still wins, but the gap shrinks to 14 cents a load. At 6 loads a week, the yearly gap is about $44 instead of $62. In places with genuinely cheap hydroelectric power and pricey gas, the verdict can get close enough that other factors decide.
This is why the calculator asks for your rates instead of declaring a universal winner. National averages produce national answers; your bills produce your answer. Re-run the comparison whenever you move or your utility changes its rate structure.
The Moisture Sensor: Free Money
The cheapest dryer upgrade is a button you already own. Sensor-dry cycles stop when the clothes are actually dry; timed cycles run until the clock says stop, which is almost always too long. The difference is routinely 10 to 20 minutes per load of pure waste heat. If your dryer has a sensor setting and you use timed dry out of habit, switching costs nothing and saves every single load.
Keep the sensor clean: fabric softener sheets coat it with residue and it starts misreading dampness, usually by over-drying. A quick wipe with rubbing alcohol every few months restores it. And separate loads by fabric weight. One heavy towel in a load of t-shirts keeps the sensor running long after the shirts are done; drying like with like is the oldest efficiency trick in the book.
Common Comparison Mistakes
First: using national averages for a local decision. The 20-cent gap at average rates can halve or double with your actual bills. Second: forgetting the electric dryer's 240-volt outlet. If the laundry area only has a standard 120-volt outlet, adding the 240-volt circuit costs real electrician money that belongs in the payback math.
Third: comparing a new gas dryer against a dying electric one, or vice versa. Compare new to new for the purchase decision; compare your actual units for the keep-or-replace decision. Fourth: ignoring venting. Both types need proper venting, and a clogged vent adds 20-plus minutes per load regardless of fuel. Clean the vent before blaming the dryer. Fifth: the "gas is always cheaper" reflex. It usually is, but heat pump dryers and cheap-electricity regions keep rewriting the exceptions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to run a gas or electric dryer?
Usually gas, but it depends on your local rates. A typical electric dryer uses about 3.3 kWh per load while a gas dryer uses about 0.25 therms plus a little electricity for the drum motor. At 18 cents per kWh and $1.40 per therm, electric costs about 63 cents a load and gas about 39 cents. Enter your rates above for your answer.
How much electricity does a dryer use per load?
About 2.5 to 4 kWh for a standard electric dryer, with 3.3 kWh a common average. At 18 cents per kWh that is roughly 45 to 72 cents per load. High-heat and extra-dry settings push toward the top of the range; sensor-dry settings that stop when clothes are done save real energy.
How much gas does a gas dryer use per load?
About 0.2 to 0.3 therms per load for the burner, plus around 0.2 kWh of electricity to tumble the drum. At $1.40 per therm and 18 cents per kWh, that is roughly 32 to 46 cents per load. Gas dryers heat up faster, which is part of why they use less total energy per load.
Should I switch from electric to gas dryer?
Do the payback math first. A gas dryer costs more upfront and may need a gas line installed, which can run several hundred dollars. If you save 25 cents a load and do 6 loads a week, that is $78 a year; a $500 conversion premium takes over 6 years to pay back. The calculator shows your per-load savings so you can compute payback.
Do gas dryers dry faster than electric?
Generally yes. Gas burners reach full heat faster than electric elements, so cycles run a bit shorter. Shorter cycles compound the savings: less run time plus cheaper heat per unit of energy. The difference is modest per load but real across hundreds of loads a year.
What is the cheapest way to dry clothes?
A clothesline: zero energy cost. After that, a heat-pump dryer uses roughly half the electricity of a conventional electric dryer. Among conventional choices, gas usually beats electric on operating cost. Whatever you own, full loads, cleaned lint filters, and sensor-dry settings cut every load's cost.
How much does a dryer add to the electric bill?
At 6 loads a week and 3.3 kWh per load, an electric dryer uses about 86 kWh a month, roughly $15.50 at 18 cents per kWh. That is often 10 percent of a household's electricity. A gas dryer's electric share is tiny; its cost shows up on the gas bill instead.
Are heat pump dryers worth it?
They use about half the energy of conventional electric dryers and need no vent, but cost significantly more upfront. For a household doing 8+ loads a week with high electricity rates, payback can land in 3 to 5 years. For 3 loads a week at cheap rates, the math rarely works. They also run longer cycles at lower heat, which is gentler on clothes.