Running cost comes down to wattage, hours and your rate. In Texas the rate is 16.44 cents per kWh, which is 10.8 percent below the national average. Here is what that means for a electric clothes dryer.
A electric clothes dryer drawing 3,000 W costs $0.49 per hour in Texas. Run 1 hours a day that is $0.49 daily, $14.80 a month and $180 a year, which is $21.90 less than the same appliance at the US average rate.
Cost by hours used per day in Texas
| Hours/day | Energy | Per day | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 h | 3.00 kWh | $0.49 | $14.80 |
| 2 h | 6.00 kWh | $0.99 | $29.59 |
| 4 h | 12.00 kWh | $1.97 | $59.18 |
| 6 h | 18.00 kWh | $2.96 | $88.78 |
| 8 h | 24.00 kWh | $3.95 | $118 |
| 12 h | 36.00 kWh | $5.92 | $178 |
| 24 h | 72.00 kWh | $11.84 | $355 |
Cost by wattage at 16.44 cents
| Rated power | Per hour | Per day | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,800 W | $0.30 | $0.30 | $8.88 |
| 2,400 W | $0.39 | $0.39 | $11.84 |
| 3,000 W | $0.49 | $0.49 | $14.80 |
| 4,000 W | $0.66 | $0.66 | $19.73 |
| 5,000 W | $0.82 | $0.82 | $24.66 |
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 Texas
This appliance runs on much the same schedule regardless of climate, so the figure above is a reasonable year-round estimate for Texas. What changes it is your own usage pattern rather than the weather.
Why Texas pays what it does
Texas has a competitive retail electricity market, so the rate used here blends households on the utility default with households on shopped supply plans. If you have never switched supplier you are probably on the default, which is usually the more expensive side of that blend. Only the generation portion of your bill changes when you switch; delivery and outage response do not.
At 16.44 cents, Texas ranks 27 of 51 from cheapest to most expensive. The South Central regional average is 14.73 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 |
| Texas | 16.44¢ | $14.80 | $180 |
| California | 33.25¢ | $29.93 | $364 |
| Hawaii | 52.00¢ | $46.80 | $569 |
Lowering the number in Texas
- 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 Texas
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 16.44 cents rather than the national 18.44 cents, the same array is worth less 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.
Questions people actually ask
[hed_faq]How much does it cost to run a electric clothes dryer in Texas?About $0.49 per hour and $14.80 a month at 1 hours a day, using the Texas average rate of 16.44 cents per kWh.
How many watts does a electric clothes dryer use?Around 3,000 W while running, with a range of roughly 1,800 to 5,000 W depending on model and setting.
Is that expensive for Texas?Texas electricity runs 10.8 percent below the national average, so this appliance costs $21.90 less per year here than it would at the US average rate.
Can I lower this without replacing the appliance?Usually yes. Run time is the variable you control, and the hours table above shows exactly what each hour costs. In Texas you can also shop for a cheaper supply rate, which lowers every figure on this page proportionally.[/hed_faq]