About the Gas vs Electric Dryer Calculator
This calculator compares the yearly cost of running a gas clothes dryer against an electric clothes dryer, using your own laundry habits and local utility rates rather than a fixed national assumption. It then estimates how long it would take for the energy savings to pay back any extra upfront cost of choosing the gas model.
The formula
Both fuel types use the same underlying idea: annual cost = loads per week × 52 weeks × energy used per load × the price of that energy.
- Electric dryer annual cost = loads/week × 52 × kWh per load × electricity rate ($/kWh).
- Gas dryer annual cost = loads/week × 52 × [(therms per load × gas rate ($/therm)) + (0.4 kWh per load × electricity rate)]. The 0.4 kWh figure covers the small amount of electricity a gas dryer still uses for its drum motor, igniter, and electronic controls.
- Annual savings = electric annual cost − gas annual cost. A positive number means the gas dryer is cheaper to operate at your rates; a negative number means electric is cheaper to run.
- Payback period = price premium ÷ annual savings, when savings are positive. This is the number of years it takes the lower running cost to offset the extra purchase and installation cost of a gas dryer.
Typical energy use per load
Electric dryers commonly use somewhere in the range of 2.5 to 4 kWh per load, depending on load size, moisture content, and cycle settings, with roughly 3.3 kWh as a reasonable mid-range default. Gas dryers vary more widely by model and vent length, commonly landing somewhere between 0.2 and 0.5 therms per load for the burner, plus a small, fairly constant electricity draw for the motor and controls. Because these figures vary by household and appliance, the calculator lets you replace every default with your own numbers or figures from your dryer's Energy Guide label.
Why the cheaper fuel varies by location
Natural gas typically delivers heat more cheaply per unit of energy than electric resistance heating, which is why gas dryers are often marketed as cheaper to run. But the actual comparison depends entirely on your local prices: electricity rates and natural gas rates both vary significantly by region and by season. Where electricity is unusually inexpensive or natural gas is unusually expensive, an electric dryer can come out ahead. Entering your own rate in dollars per kWh and dollars per therm — both shown on a utility bill — is what makes the result specific to your situation rather than a generic claim.
What the calculator does not include
This tool covers energy costs and the stated price premium only. It does not account for whether a gas line already exists (running a new gas line can add several hundred dollars), differences in venting requirements, annual gas-appliance safety checks some utilities recommend, or differences in typical repair frequency or appliance lifespan between the two dryer types. Those are worth researching separately before a purchase decision.