It’s one of the most familiar appliances in any home — yet it may be consuming far more energy than you imagine. Recent research has revealed that the household clothes dryer, often seen as an unremarkable convenience, can use as much electricity as 65 refrigerators running simultaneously. The finding has sparked concern among energy experts, shining a light on a major but largely overlooked source of energy waste.
Published in the University of North Texas (UNT) digital library, the new analysis shows just how significant dryers are in overall residential power use. While many focus on lighting, air conditioning, or refrigerators, the clothes dryer quietly ranks among the biggest electricity guzzlers in modern homes.
The Overlooked Giant in Home Energy Use
Refrigerators are often blamed for being energy hogs — they run 24/7 to keep food cool. But dryers are more deceptive. Though they operate for shorter periods, their power demand is enormous. Over time, those high-wattage bursts add up to a surprising share of total household consumption.
According to estimates from the U.S. Department of Energy, dryers can make up about 6% of a home’s total energy use, depending on efficiency and frequency of use. In countries where air-drying clothes is uncommon, the impact is even greater. One energy consultant described it succinctly: “Dryers are the hidden giants of home energy use — few realize how much they add to the power bill.”
Why the Comparison Matters
The UNT report puts this into perspective. A refrigerator typically consumes between 100 and 800 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year, while a standard electric dryer can exceed 1,000 kWh annually. When multiplied across hundreds of millions of households, that energy demand represents an enormous load on national power systems.
Unlike refrigerators, which draw energy steadily throughout the day, dryers create intense, short-lived spikes when operating. Grid managers call these “load cliffs” — sudden jumps in demand that force utilities to activate backup power sources, often less efficient and more polluting. These peaks not only drive up electricity costs but also increase carbon emissions.
The Hidden Cost of Standby Power
Dryers may dominate active energy consumption, but there’s another culprit quietly adding to the problem — standby power. Devices left plugged in, even when “off,” continue drawing small but persistent amounts of electricity. Data from the UNT study reveals how these “vampire loads” accumulate.
| Appliance (standby) | Average Load (W) | Minimum (W) | Maximum (W) | Number Measured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TV | 6.4 | 2.5 | 12 | 16 |
| Set-top box | 10.2 | 1.5 | 23 | 3 |
| Fax | 5.0 | 3.1 | 6.6 | 5 |
| Laptop charger | 4.5 | 1.1 | 19.6 | 7 |
| Telephone system | 24.5 | 24.5 | 24.5 | 1 |
| Microwave | 2.8 | 1.6 | 3.9 | 7 |
| Clock | 1.0 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 13 |
The data shows that some household devices draw more power in standby than expected — for instance, one telephone system consumed a constant 24.5 watts, and set-top boxes used up to 23 watts when idle. Combined, these hidden loads can match the annual consumption of a small refrigerator.
Financial and Environmental Cost
For families, this hidden power drain translates directly into higher energy bills. A typical American household that uses a conventional dryer four or five times per week could spend more than $150 per year just drying clothes. Multiplied worldwide, the cost — and carbon impact — becomes staggering.
From an environmental perspective, the concern is just as serious. In regions still reliant on fossil fuels, each drying cycle contributes to CO₂ emissions. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned that household appliances — dryers in particular — are a major but often underestimated source of residential emissions.
What Households Can Do
Experts say reducing dryer energy use doesn’t require radical change. A few adjustments can make a big difference:
- Air dry when possible: Line-drying or using drying racks can drastically cut energy use.
- Upgrade smartly: Consider a heat pump dryer, which can use up to 60% less energy than traditional models.
- Dry consecutively: Run multiple loads back-to-back to use the heat already built up in the drum.
While these steps may seem small, their cumulative effect could ease pressure on national grids and reduce emissions significantly. As one energy analyst noted, “The energy transition isn’t just about building new power plants — it’s about changing habits in millions of homes.”
From the laundry room to the global grid, the humble clothes dryer reminds us that real climate solutions often start with the everyday choices we make.