If your electricity bill keeps rising, the problem may not be obvious appliances. As the article explains, “the single appliance that quietly drives energy costs through the roof is the electric clothes dryer.” It may not run all day, but when it does, “an electric dryer can use as much electricity in just a few minutes as other household appliances consume in hours.”

The main reason is heat. Electric dryers rely on powerful heating elements to evaporate moisture quickly, which demands a lot of energy. On average, “an electric dryer uses 2,000 to 5,000 watts per hour,” far more than refrigerators, TVs, or laptops. Because of this, “10 minutes of dryer use can equal several hours of electricity used by smaller appliances.”

Dryer costs also add up quietly. A routine of “5 loads per week” becomes “20 loads per month,” with each cycle lasting 40–60 minutes. Over time, this can mean dozens of kilowatt-hours, and in large households, frequent use “can double electricity costs without anyone noticing,” especially when drying heavy items like towels or blankets.

Everyday habits make the problem worse. Overloading the drum, clogged lint filters, old or inefficient models, high-heat settings, and long vent ducts all reduce efficiency. As noted, “each extra minute your dryer runs translates directly into higher energy consumption.”

Savings don’t require giving up clean clothes. Air-drying occasionally, cleaning the lint filter every load, using lower heat, and drying similar fabrics together all help. For bigger savings, “upgrade to a heat pump dryer,” which “use up to 50% less energy.” Often, lowering your bill means using one powerful appliance more wisely.