★ COMPARISONS · HOME · ENERGY
Gas wins by $80.88 over 10 years. Gas costs $0.35 a load against $0.43 for electric at 6 loads a week — $1,845.12 against $1,926.00 once the purchase price is in. Enter your energy prices and loads to see which dryer really costs less.
A gas dryer burns gas for the heat and still uses electricity for the drum motor; an electric dryer uses electricity for everything. This calculator prices both sides on your energy prices and loads a week, adds the purchase price, and shows which dryer costs less over the horizon — and the price that flips the answer.
The two dryers are priced on the same laundry: the same loads a week, the same energy prices, the same horizon. A gas dryer burns gas for the heat and still uses electricity for the drum motor: 0.20 therms of gas plus 0.30 kWh of electricity per load. An electric dryer uses 2.50 kWh per load and no gas at all. The cost per load is the energy per load times the price, the weekly cost is the cost per load times the loads a week, the annual cost is the weekly cost times 52, and the 10-year total is the annual cost times the years plus the purchase price. The winner is whichever 10-year total is lower — the purchase price matters as much as the running cost, because the gas dryer usually costs more to buy and less to run. Real dryers vary by size and age, so change the energy use to match yours if you know it.
At the defaults — gas $1.50 a therm, electricity $0.17 a kWh, 6 loads a week, gas dryer $750, electric dryer $600, horizon 10 years — the gas cost per load is 0.20 × $1.50 + 0.30 × $0.17 = $0.30 + $0.05 = $0.35, and the electric cost per load is 2.50 × $0.17 = $0.43 (the exact figure is $0.425, which rounds to $0.43). Gas costs $2.11 a week and $109.51 a year; electric costs $2.55 a week and $132.60 a year. Over 10 years the gas energy is $1,095.12 and the electric energy is $1,326.00, so the gas total is $1,095.12 + $750 = $1,845.12 and the electric total is $1,326.00 + $600 = $1,926.00. Gas wins by $80.88.
| Case | Gas 10-year total | Electric 10-year total | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Default ($1.50/therm, $0.17/kWh, 6 loads/wk, $750 vs $600, 10 yrs) | $1,845.12 | $1,926.00 | Gas by $80.88 |
| Electricity $0.25/kWh | $1,920.00 | $2,550.00 | Gas by $630.00 |
| Electricity $0.10/kWh | $1,779.60 | $1,380.00 | Electric by $399.60 |
| Gas $2.50/therm | $2,469.12 | $1,926.00 | Electric by $543.12 |
| Gas $1.00/therm | $1,533.12 | $1,926.00 | Gas by $392.88 |
| 3 loads/week | $1,297.56 | $1,263.00 | Electric by $34.56 |
| 10 loads/week | $2,575.20 | $2,810.00 | Gas by $234.80 |
| 12 loads/week | $2,940.24 | $3,252.00 | Gas by $311.76 |
| 15-year horizon | $2,392.68 | $2,589.00 | Gas by $196.32 |
| 5-year horizon | $1,297.56 | $1,263.00 | Electric by $34.56 |
| Gas dryer $900 | $1,995.12 | $1,926.00 | Electric by $69.12 |
| Electric dryer $450 | $1,845.12 | $1,776.00 | Electric by $69.12 |
| Electricity $0.30/kWh | $1,966.80 | $2,940.00 | Gas by $973.20 |
Setup: gas $1.50 a therm, electricity $0.17 a kWh, 6 loads a week, gas dryer $750, electric dryer $600, horizon 10 years.
Line 1 — the gas cost per load. 0.20 × $1.50 + 0.30 × $0.17 = $0.30 + $0.05 = $0.35.
Line 2 — the electric cost per load. 2.50 × $0.17 = $0.43 (exact $0.425).
Line 3 — the weekly costs. Gas $0.351 × 6 = $2.11 a week; electric $0.425 × 6 = $2.55 a week.
Line 4 — the annual costs. Gas $2.106 × 52 = $109.51; electric $2.55 × 52 = $132.60.
Line 5 — the 10-year energy. Gas $109.512 × 10 = $1,095.12; electric $132.60 × 10 = $1,326.00.
Line 6 — the 10-year totals. Gas $1,095.12 + $750 = $1,845.12; electric $1,326.00 + $600 = $1,926.00.
Line 7 — the winner. $1,926.00 − $1,845.12 = $80.88, so gas wins by $80.88.
Reverse: the break-even electricity price is $0.16 a kWh (exact $0.1582); the break-even gas price is $1.63 a therm (exact $1.6296); the break-even loads are 3.90 a week (exact 3.8981); the break-even electric dryer price is $519.12; the break-even gas dryer price is $830.88.
Electricity $0.25/kWh: the gas cost per load is 0.20 × $1.50 + 0.30 × $0.25 = $0.38 and the electric cost per load is 2.50 × $0.25 = $0.63. Gas $1,920.00 vs electric $2,550.00 — gas wins by $630.00. Dear electricity is the gas dryer’s best friend.
Electricity $0.10/kWh: the gas cost per load is $0.33 and the electric cost per load is $0.25. Gas $1,779.60 vs electric $1,380.00 — electric wins by $399.60. This is the flip: cheap electricity turns the answer over.
Gas $2.50/therm: the gas cost per load is 0.20 × $2.50 + 0.30 × $0.17 = $0.55. Gas $2,469.12 vs electric $1,926.00 — electric wins by $543.12. This is the flip: dear gas turns the answer over.
Gas $1.00/therm: the gas cost per load is $0.25. Gas $1,533.12 vs electric $1,926.00 — gas wins by $392.88. Cheap gas is worth almost $400 over 10 years.
3 loads/week: the gas total is $1,297.56 and the electric total is $1,263.00 — electric wins by $34.56. This is the flip: low use favours the cheaper dryer, because the $150 purchase gap is worth more than the $0.08 a load the gas dryer saves.
10 loads/week: the gas total is $2,575.20 and the electric total is $2,810.00 — gas wins by $234.80. Heavy use is where the gas dryer earns its keep.
12 loads/week: the gas total is $2,940.24 and the electric total is $3,252.00 — gas wins by $311.76. The gap grows with every load.
15-year horizon: the gas total is $2,392.68 and the electric total is $2,589.00 — gas wins by $196.32. A longer horizon favours the cheaper runner, because the purchase price is spread thinner.
5-year horizon: the gas total is $1,297.56 and the electric total is $1,263.00 — electric wins by $34.56. This is the flip: a short horizon favours the cheaper dryer, for the same reason as low use.
Gas dryer $900: the gas total is $1,995.12 and the electric total is $1,926.00 — electric wins by $69.12. This is the flip: $150 more on the purchase price is enough to turn the answer over at 6 loads a week.
Electric dryer $450: the gas total is $1,845.12 and the electric total is $1,776.00 — electric wins by $69.12. This is the flip: $150 less on the purchase price is enough to turn the answer over too.
Electricity $0.30/kWh: the gas cost per load is $0.39 and the electric cost per load is $0.75. Gas $1,966.80 vs electric $2,940.00 — gas wins by $973.20, the widest margin on the page.
Reverse — the lines that matter: the break-even electricity price is $0.16 a kWh (exact $0.1582 — at $0.16 gas still wins by $12.24); the break-even gas price is $1.63 a therm (exact $1.6296 — at $1.63 electric wins by $0.24); the break-even loads are 3.90 a week (exact 3.8981 — at 3.90 loads gas wins by $0.07); the break-even electric dryer price is $519.12 and the break-even gas dryer price is $830.88.
The model assumes the gas and electricity prices, loads a week, dryer prices and horizon you enter, and the energy use on the page: a gas dryer uses 0.20 therms of gas and 0.30 kWh of electricity per load, and an electric dryer uses 2.50 kWh per load. It assumes the same loads every week for the whole horizon, and it assumes the dryer lasts the horizon with no repairs. It leaves out installation (a gas line costs more than a plug), venting, maintenance, the value of drying time, and any difference in how well the two dryers dry — the $80.88 at the defaults is the energy-and-purchase gap only, not the whole decision. The gap is the difference of the two cent-rounded 10-year totals, so the numbers on the page always subtract exactly. Rounding convention: money is rounded to cents, the break-even prices to two decimals with the exact value to four, and all figures are computed from unrounded values, rounded only for display.
| Output | Formula | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Gas cost per load | 0.20 × gas price + 0.30 × electricity price | $0.35. |
| Electric cost per load | 2.50 × electricity price | $0.43. |
| Gas cost per week | gas cost/load × loads/week | $2.11. |
| Electric cost per week | electric cost/load × loads/week | $2.55. |
| Gas cost per year | gas weekly × 52 | $109.51. |
| Electric cost per year | electric weekly × 52 | $132.60. |
| Gas energy over 10 years | gas annual × years | $1,095.12. |
| Electric energy over 10 years | electric annual × years | $1,326.00. |
| Gas 10-year total | gas energy + gas dryer price | $1,845.12. |
| Electric 10-year total | electric energy + electric dryer price | $1,926.00. |
| Winner | lower 10-year total | Gas wins by $80.88. |
| Gap | difference of the two rounded totals | $80.88. |
| Break-even electricity price | gas total = electric total, solved for electricity | $0.16 a kWh (exact 0.1582). |
| Break-even gas price | gas total = electric total, solved for gas | $1.63 a therm (exact 1.6296). |
| Break-even loads per week | gas total = electric total, solved for loads | 3.90 a week (exact 3.8981). |
| Break-even electric dryer price | gas total − electric energy | $519.12. |
| Break-even gas dryer price | electric total − gas energy | $830.88. |
| Electricity $0.25/kWh | same model, $0.25/kWh | Gas $0.38 a load, electric $0.63 a load, gas $1,920.00 vs electric $2,550.00, Gas wins by $630.00 ($630.00). |
| Electricity $0.10/kWh | same model, $0.10/kWh | Gas $0.33 a load, electric $0.25 a load, gas $1,779.60 vs electric $1,380.00, Electric wins by $399.60 ($399.60). |
| Gas $2.50/therm | same model, $2.50/therm | Gas $0.55 a load, electric $0.43 a load, gas $2,469.12 vs electric $1,926.00, Electric wins by $543.12 ($543.12). |
| Gas $1.00/therm | same model, $1.00/therm | Gas $0.25 a load, electric $0.43 a load, gas $1,533.12 vs electric $1,926.00, Gas wins by $392.88 ($392.88). |
| 3 loads/week | same model, 3 loads/week | Gas $0.35 a load, electric $0.43 a load, gas $1,297.56 vs electric $1,263.00, Electric wins by $34.56 ($34.56). |
| 10 loads/week | same model, 10 loads/week | Gas $0.35 a load, electric $0.43 a load, gas $2,575.20 vs electric $2,810.00, Gas wins by $234.80 ($234.80). |
| 12 loads/week | same model, 12 loads/week | Gas $0.35 a load, electric $0.43 a load, gas $2,940.24 vs electric $3,252.00, Gas wins by $311.76 ($311.76). |
| 15-year horizon | same model, 15 years | Gas $0.35 a load, electric $0.43 a load, gas $2,392.68 vs electric $2,589.00, Gas wins by $196.32 ($196.32). |
| 5-year horizon | same model, 5 years | Gas $0.35 a load, electric $0.43 a load, gas $1,297.56 vs electric $1,263.00, Electric wins by $34.56 ($34.56). |
| Gas dryer $900 | same model, $900 gas dryer | Gas $0.35 a load, electric $0.43 a load, gas $1,995.12 vs electric $1,926.00, Electric wins by $69.12 ($69.12). |
| Electric dryer $450 | same model, $450 electric dryer | Gas $0.35 a load, electric $0.43 a load, gas $1,845.12 vs electric $1,776.00, Electric wins by $69.12 ($69.12). |
| Electricity $0.30/kWh | same model, $0.30/kWh | Gas $0.39 a load, electric $0.75 a load, gas $1,966.80 vs electric $2,940.00, Gas wins by $973.20 ($973.20). |
The math is exact for the numbers you enter: the gas cost per load is 0.20 times the gas price plus 0.30 times the electricity price, the electric cost per load is 2.50 times the electricity price, and the totals are the energy over the horizon plus the purchase price. What the model cannot do is measure your dryer: check the energy use, because real dryers vary by size and age, and a big old electric dryer can use more than 2.50 kWh a load. It assumes the same loads every week and leaves out installation, venting, maintenance and drying time. For the car version of the same question, see gas vs electric car; for drying without a dryer at all, see clothesline vs dryer.
Bright Side Kit. "Gas vs Electric Dryer Calculator: Cost Per Load 2026." https://brightoolbox.com/gas-vs-electric-dryer-calculator/ Accessed October 25, 2026.At the defaults, gas — by $80.88 over 10 years. Gas costs $0.35 a load against $0.43 for electric, so over 10 years at 6 loads a week the gas dryer costs $1,845.12 in total ($1,095.12 of energy + $750 to buy) and the electric dryer costs $1,926.00 ($1,326.00 of energy + $600 to buy). The gas dryer costs more to buy and less to run, and over 10 years the running cost wins.
$0.35 a load at the defaults. A gas dryer uses 0.20 therms of gas and 0.30 kWh of electricity per load (the drum motor still runs on electricity). At $1.50 a therm and $0.17 a kWh that is 0.20 × $1.50 + 0.30 × $0.17 = $0.30 + $0.05 = $0.35. At $2.50 a therm the same load costs $0.55; at $1.00 a therm it costs $0.25.
$0.43 a load at the defaults. An electric dryer uses 2.50 kWh per load, and at $0.17 a kWh that is 2.50 × $0.17 = $0.43. The exact figure is $0.425, which rounds to $0.43. At $0.25 a kWh the same load costs $0.63; at $0.10 a kWh it costs $0.25.
$0.16 a kWh. The break-even electricity price is $0.16 a kWh (exact $0.1582). Above $0.16 a kWh gas wins; below it electric wins. At $0.25 a kWh gas wins by $630.00 over 10 years; at $0.10 a kWh electric wins by $399.60.
Because the purchase price matters more than the running cost when you barely use the machine. At 3 loads a week the gas dryer’s $0.08-a-load advantage is only worth $12.48 a year, so over 10 years it saves $124.80 of energy — less than the $150 extra it costs to buy. The electric dryer wins by $34.56. At 10 loads a week the same advantage is worth $41.60 a year, so gas wins by $234.80.
The electric dryer costs $0 a load. At $0 a kWh the electric dryer uses 2.50 kWh of nothing, so it costs $0.00 a load and the 10-year total is just the $600 purchase price. The gas dryer still pays for its therms: 0.20 × $1.50 = $0.30 a load, so it costs $750 + $936.00 of gas = $1,686.00 over 10 years. Free electricity always wins.
About 3.9 loads a week is the line, not a number of years. The gas dryer costs $150 more to buy and saves $0.08 a load, so at 6 loads a week it saves $24.96 a year and pays back the $150 in about 6 years. At 3 loads a week it never pays back inside 10 years — the break-even is 3.90 loads a week, and below that the electric dryer wins.