Running cost comes down to wattage, hours and your rate. In California the rate is 33.25 cents per kWh, which is 80.3 percent above the national average. Here is what that means for a electric clothes dryer.
A electric clothes dryer drawing 3,000 W costs $1.00 per hour in California. Run 1 hours a day that is $1.00 daily, $29.93 a month and $364 a year, which is $162 more than the same appliance at the US average rate.
Electric clothes dryer cost at California rates
Change any box. The result updates as you type.
Planning estimate. The rate box is prefilled with a regional average; the figure on your own bill is the one that matters. Power is draw while running, not while switched on.
Cost by hours used per day in California
| Hours/day | Energy | Per day | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 h | 3.00 kWh | $1.00 | $29.93 |
| 2 h | 6.00 kWh | $2.00 | $59.85 |
| 4 h | 12.00 kWh | $3.99 | $120 |
| 6 h | 18.00 kWh | $5.99 | $180 |
| 8 h | 24.00 kWh | $7.98 | $239 |
| 12 h | 36.00 kWh | $11.97 | $359 |
| 24 h | 72.00 kWh | $23.94 | $718 |
Cost by wattage at 33.25 cents
| Rated power | Per hour | Per day | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,800 W | $0.60 | $0.60 | $17.96 |
| 2,400 W | $0.80 | $0.80 | $23.94 |
| 3,000 W | $1.00 | $1.00 | $29.93 |
| 4,000 W | $1.33 | $1.33 | $39.90 |
| 5,000 W | $1.66 | $1.66 | $49.88 |
Find the row matching the nameplate on your own unit. Within a single appliance category the spread is often wider than the difference between categories, so the label is worth reading.
What this means in California
This appliance runs on much the same schedule regardless of climate, so the figure above is a reasonable year-round estimate for California. What changes it is your own usage pattern rather than the weather.
Why California pays what it does
California is a regulated market, so your utility is the only supplier and the rate is set through the state commission rather than by competition. Pricing tends to be steadier than in deregulated states, and there is no switching decision available. The levers are all on your side of the meter.
At 33.25 cents, California ranks 50 of 51 from cheapest to most expensive. The West regional average is 19.65 cents. Roughly half of any residential bill is transmission and distribution rather than generation, which is why rates keep climbing even when fuel prices fall.
How this compares across the country
The same electric clothes dryer on the same schedule, in the cheapest and dearest states:
| State | Rate | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | 12.35¢ | $11.12 | $135 |
| Utah | 12.96¢ | $11.66 | $142 |
| California | 33.25¢ | $29.93 | $364 |
| California | 33.25¢ | $29.93 | $364 |
| Hawaii | 52.00¢ | $46.80 | $569 |
Lowering the number in California
- Use the moisture sensor cycle, not timed dry. Timed drying keeps heating after the clothes are dry.
- Clean the lint filter every load and the vent duct yearly. Restricted airflow lengthens every cycle and causes fires.
- Spin twice for towels and jeans. Water removed in the washer is water the dryer does not evaporate.
- Run consecutive loads. A drum already hot does not need reheating.
- Line dry what you easily can. Sheets and towels dry outdoors for nothing.
Offsetting it with solar in California
This load uses about 3.00 kWh a day. Covering that would take roughly 3 standard 400 W panels at typical sun hours, an array of about 1.20 kW. Because it offsets electricity worth 33.25 cents rather than the national 18.44 cents, the same array is worth more here than the national payback figures suggest.
A dryer is a short, enormous load. Running one on solar means either a very large array or accepting that it only runs on bright afternoons. Full sizing, including battery and inverter requirements, is on the solar sizing page for this appliance.