How much does a hair dryer cost to run?
What a hair dryer costs to run: typical 1800 W, about $22 a year. Adjust the figures to your own usage and electricity price.
Your Hair dryer running cost
Costs about
/ month
- Per day
- Per year
- Energy per day
Change the hours and price to match your case.
Typical wattage
| Low | 1200 W |
|---|---|
| Typical | 1800 W |
| High | 2400 W |
| Typical use | 0.2 h/day |
A hair dryer is a high-power appliance — typically 1,200 to 2,400 watts, as much as a small heater — but it is used for only a few minutes at a time, so its yearly cost stays modest despite the big wattage. Almost all of that power goes into the heating element that warms the airflow; the motor that blows the air uses relatively little. This page uses a small hours-per-day average; even a household drying hair daily only runs the dryer for a fraction of an hour, so enter a realistic figure and your price.
Because the appliance is so powerful, the cost per minute is what stands out rather than the cost per year. Running a 2,000 W dryer for ten minutes uses about a third of a kilowatt-hour — noticeable if several people dry their hair every morning, negligible for occasional use. The high wattage is also why running a dryer at the same time as other heavy appliances can trip a circuit; it draws close to the limit of a normal socket on its hottest setting.
There is little to optimise in the dryer itself, since heat is heat, but habits help. Towel-drying thoroughly first means less time under the dryer, using a lower heat setting for finishing rather than full blast trims the draw, and simply drying for less time is the direct saving. Compared with genuinely expensive daily loads like heating, hot water and drying clothes, though, a hair dryer is a minor line on the bill for most homes.
How to cut hair dryer running costs
- Towel-dry hair thoroughly first so you need less time under the dryer.
- Use a lower heat setting to finish rather than the hottest, highest-power mode.
- Simply drying for less time is the most direct saving with a high-power appliance.
- Avoid running it alongside other heavy appliances on the same circuit.
- For occasional use the yearly cost is tiny — don't lose sleep over this one.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a hair dryer cost to use?
A 2,000 W dryer for ten minutes uses about 0.33 kWh — roughly $0.06 at $0.17/kWh. Daily use by one person adds up to only a few dollars a year; several users every morning costs more.
Do more expensive hair dryers cost less to run?
Not really. At the same wattage they cost the same per minute. Pricier models may dry faster or feel gentler on hair, which can mean less time running, but the energy per minute is set by the watts.
Why does the dryer sometimes trip the electrics?
On its hottest setting it draws close to the limit of a normal socket. Running it at the same time as another high-power appliance on the same circuit can exceed that limit and trip the breaker.