Should you replace your old clothes dryer?

Compare what your current clothes dryer costs to run with a new ENERGY STAR model. Enter the energy your old one uses, your electricity price and a new model, and see the yearly and ten-year savings. This counts electricity only.

Old clothes dryer: annual energy use (kWh per year)

Enter how much energy your old one uses a year.

Look for the yellow EnergyGuide label on the dryer: it lists the estimated yearly electricity use in kWh. If it is gone, run a typical load with a plug-in energy meter (a 240 V dryer needs a meter made for it, so ask an electrician) and multiply by the number of loads you dry a year.

Your state Or your own rate (cents per kWh) New clothes dryer Or enter its annual energy use (kWh per year) Purchase price of the new one, in dollars (optional, for the payback time)

What this calculator does not tell you

It counts electricity only. Purchase price, repair costs, delivery, and whether your current clothes dryer still works well are separate parts of the decision.
The ENERGY STAR figure for a new model is a standardized value. Your own use will differ with how the appliance is used and where it stands.
Your old figure may be a guess. If you can, measure it.

Typical numbers for each type and state are on the cost to run a clothes dryer by state page. Browse all clothes dryers.

Should you replace your old clothes dryer?

What this calculator does not tell you

Learn more