How much does a hair dryer cost to run?

Figures on this page are calculated from typical appliance wattages and the price per kWh you enter, not looked up from a bill. See how we calculate this.

What a hair dryer costs to run: typical 1800 W, about $6 a year. Adjust the figures to your own usage and electricity price.

Wattage and running cost

Based on 0.05 h a day at $0.18/kWh, the US average. Change the hours and the price in the calculator above.

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.

What a hair dryer costs in other countries

The figures above assume $0.18/kWh, the US average. A hair dryer does not change when it crosses a border — the price of the electricity it drinks does. Here is what its 33 kWh a year cost in the 14 countries with a page here, dearest first.

Each figure is in that country's own currency at its average all-taxes-included price; the dollar column is there so they can be set against each other. Ireland to Canada is a factor of 3.8 — same appliance, same hours, 3.8 times the bill. Follow a country for its real retailer tariffs and what makes up that price, or see the full electricity price comparison by country.

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