If your monthly electricity bills have been creeping higher, the culprit may be more surprising than you think. It’s easy to suspect devices that are constantly plugged in, like phone chargers, televisions, or even your refrigerator. Yet in many homes, one appliance stands out for quietly driving energy costs upward: the electric clothes dryer.
Electric dryers consume a remarkable amount of electricity in a short period, often surpassing the combined usage of several other household devices over hours. While we take their convenience for granted, the cost of drying clothes can be substantial.
Why Electric Dryers Use So Much Energy
The main reason is heat.
Electric dryers rely on powerful heating elements to rapidly raise the temperature of the air inside the drum. This heat is essential to evaporate moisture from wet clothing efficiently. Maintaining such high temperatures requires a significant amount of electricity, far more than most other appliances in the home.
On average, an electric dryer uses 2,000 to 5,000 watts per hour. For comparison:
