3,000-Watt vs 5,000-Watt Clothes Dryer: Running Cost Compared
A 5,000-watt clothes dryer costs $10.50 more per month than a 3,000-watt clothes dryer ($127.75 per year), assuming 1 hours a day at $0.175/kWh. Per hour the difference is $0.35.
Side by side
| 3,000-watt Clothes Dryer | 5,000-watt Clothes Dryer | |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 3,000 W | 5,000 W |
| Hours per day | 1 | 1 |
| Cost per hour | $0.525 | $0.875 |
| Cost per day | $0.525 | $0.875 |
| Cost per week | $3.68 | $6.13 |
| Cost per month | $15.75 | $26.25 |
| Cost per year | $191.63 | $319.38 |
| Energy per year | 1,095 kWh | 1,825 kWh |
Based on $0.175 per kWh (US average).
Which should you choose?
Higher wattage does not always mean more heat or output per dollar, and it does not always mean it runs longer. A bigger unit may reach the target temperature faster and then cycle off. Compare size to your room or job before you decide.
Want your own numbers? Open either calculator and enter your hours and rate: 3,000-watt Clothes Dryer or 5,000-watt Clothes Dryer.