Gas dryer versus electric?

[TBH]

I just bought a new clothes dryer last night. The electric model cost $279, but the equivalent gas model cost $339. I bought gas, because all our appliances are natural gas.

But then I got to thinking. Which one is cheaper to run? Which one is "greener"?

Anybody know how I'd find out?

Thanks in advance.


PS. It's an Admiral dryer and I bought it at Home Despot. My washer is GE, but who cares about matching appliances, right?

[disneysteve]

The general rule of thumb is that gas is cheaper to operate and more efficient, but I've heard people contest that based on rates in their local area.

As for which is "greener" I would tend to think gas would win there, as well, but that would partly depend on how the electricity was being generated. If it was coming from burning coal, that's one thing, but if it was coming from solar panels on your roof or a windmill in your backyard, that would change things.

[TBH]

We pay a premium to our electric company so that they're buying energy from the windfarms to replace the electricity we're using. Natural gas is certainly getting pricey. Our gas bills are higher than our electric bills every month. But I'm not sure how easy it is to stop up the gas line to our dryer and switch to electric.

Either way, we're planning to buy a couple more clothes racks so we have room to dry a whole load with no dryer. Also gotta clear some floor space in the basement to make room for them, but if we start drying at least a load or two a week with no dryer at all that will help.

[davlat]

To make things hot (dryer, heater .. whatever).. gas is way to go....
Gas(coal or fuel.. any) heating always over 90% efficiency...
Electrical generation wast lotz of heat energy at power plant.. so it can't be cheaper than gas to make thing hot...

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

I might as well remind to use clothes lines outdoors if you have space for it. I dried three loads using my "solar dryer" today. I can't even remember the last time I used our gas dryer. Could've been a year or more.

[leggzz66]

I would say that the gas is the best option. It dries much quicker then electric, therefore making it more efficient and greener if you will, of course nothings more greener then line drying, something i need to do more of myself, but all the construction that took place this year, was too nasty to try to hang outside. Both electric and gas are things that take from the environment, so i would say gas is better cause its quicker.

[puppypal]

I have had both. Generally speaking for me in my state it seems gas wins over electric. Not counting the dollar amount but since time is a factor when compiling informations and numbers. Gas dryers dry a load of 12 towels way faster than electric. I had an electric. It kicked the bucket some time ago. Dad had a great electric. So when I found a great Kenmore dryer and washer for that matter in the paper used for 200.00 I jumped on it. It was an older model wood grain that had whirpoolcodes on it. I knew that my electric was the same model and had way bunches of dryer drying days under it's belt. But I wondered if the gas dryer would dry at the same rate as an electric. So to calm my wondering mind I set off to dads to dry a load of towels. (reminding it does cost to do this but doesn't everything. Placed twelve just washed towels into his dryer. Knowing timers do not fair 100% exact I set a stove timer...........
Then after they were dry I re-washed them and did the same with my gas dryer.........
The gas one won hands down! LOL it took a whooping twenty two minute YES! Twenty two minutes extra in the electric vs the gas dryer. So even if gas is more costly you have to figure in the time factor. I went with gas.......
Also teehhheee have a back up washer if mine gones out!

[Snave]

We have a gas dryer and had one in our home before that. We also have a plumber in the family and he was the one that told us to go with gas. Typically, they are less expensive to run.

[sweeps]

Gas has shot way up in our area. We've saved a lot of money by switching to an electric dryer a while ago.