How much does it cost to run a clothes iron?
A clothes iron drawing 1,100 watts, used about 15 minutes a day, uses about 0.28 kWh per day and costs about $0.05 per day, $1.62 per month, and $19.48 per year at the US average residential rate of 19.4¢/kWh. Enter your own wattage, hours, and state below for an exact figure.
Estimates only — based on typical wattages and average state rates, not your actual bill.
What drives the cost
An iron draws around 1,100 watts while its element is on, but thermostatic cycling means average draw is lower than nameplate. Typical household use is short enough that cost is minor.
Cost at different daily usage
Same clothes iron at 1,100 watts, run for different amounts of time, at 19.4¢/kWh.
| Usage | kWh/day | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 min/day | 0.13 kWh | $0.03 | $0.78 | $9.35 |
| 15 min/day | 0.28 kWh | $0.05 | $1.62 | $19.48 |
| 30 min/day | 0.55 kWh | $0.11 | $3.25 | $38.97 |
| 1 h/day | 1.10 kWh | $0.21 | $6.50 | $77.93 |
Cost by model power draw
Not all models are equal. At 15 min/day, here is what the range costs.
| Model | Power | kWh/day | Per day | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low-draw model | 800 W | 0.20 kWh | $0.04 | $1.18 |
| Typical | 1,100 W | 0.28 kWh | $0.05 | $1.62 |
| High-draw model | 1,800 W | 0.45 kWh | $0.09 | $2.66 |
Cost by state
A clothes iron at 1,100 W for 15 min/day, priced at each state's average residential rate.
| State | Rate | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16.8¢ | $0.05 | $1.40 | $16.83 |
| Alaska | 28.2¢ | $0.08 | $2.36 | $28.34 |
| Arizona | 15.2¢ | $0.04 | $1.27 | $15.29 |
| Arkansas | 14.4¢ | $0.04 | $1.20 | $14.41 |
| California | 33.2¢ | $0.09 | $2.78 | $33.37 |
| Colorado | 16.2¢ | $0.04 | $1.35 | $16.22 |
| Connecticut | 27.4¢ | $0.08 | $2.29 | $27.47 |
| Delaware | 19.4¢ | $0.05 | $1.62 | $19.45 |
| District of Columbia | 25.4¢ | $0.07 | $2.13 | $25.50 |
| Florida | 15.2¢ | $0.04 | $1.27 | $15.23 |
| Georgia | 15.8¢ | $0.04 | $1.33 | $15.90 |
| Hawaii | 52.0¢ | $0.14 | $4.35 | $52.20 |
| Idaho | 12.3¢ | $0.03 | $1.03 | $12.40 |
| Illinois | 23.9¢ | $0.07 | $2.00 | $23.94 |
| Indiana | 18.1¢ | $0.05 | $1.52 | $18.22 |
| Iowa | 14.1¢ | $0.04 | $1.18 | $14.19 |
| Kansas | 15.1¢ | $0.04 | $1.27 | $15.19 |
| Kentucky | 15.0¢ | $0.04 | $1.25 | $15.04 |
| Louisiana | 14.2¢ | $0.04 | $1.18 | $14.20 |
| Maine | 28.6¢ | $0.08 | $2.40 | $28.74 |
| Maryland | 21.8¢ | $0.06 | $1.82 | $21.85 |
| Massachusetts | 28.8¢ | $0.08 | $2.41 | $28.93 |
| Michigan | 22.0¢ | $0.06 | $1.84 | $22.09 |
| Minnesota | 16.9¢ | $0.05 | $1.42 | $17.01 |
| Mississippi | 16.2¢ | $0.04 | $1.35 | $16.22 |
| Missouri | 13.7¢ | $0.04 | $1.15 | $13.73 |
| Montana | 14.7¢ | $0.04 | $1.23 | $14.73 |
| Nebraska | 13.6¢ | $0.04 | $1.14 | $13.64 |
| Nevada | 13.6¢ | $0.04 | $1.14 | $13.65 |
| New Hampshire | 27.3¢ | $0.08 | $2.29 | $27.43 |
| New Jersey | 23.3¢ | $0.06 | $1.95 | $23.36 |
| New Mexico | 14.1¢ | $0.04 | $1.18 | $14.17 |
| New York | 29.9¢ | $0.08 | $2.51 | $30.04 |
| North Carolina | 15.1¢ | $0.04 | $1.26 | $15.15 |
| North Dakota | 13.6¢ | $0.04 | $1.14 | $13.66 |
| Ohio | 19.5¢ | $0.05 | $1.63 | $19.59 |
| Oklahoma | 13.4¢ | $0.04 | $1.12 | $13.43 |
| Oregon | 16.3¢ | $0.04 | $1.36 | $16.33 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.6¢ | $0.06 | $1.80 | $21.63 |
| Rhode Island | 29.5¢ | $0.08 | $2.47 | $29.57 |
| South Carolina | 16.2¢ | $0.04 | $1.35 | $16.24 |
| South Dakota | 15.7¢ | $0.04 | $1.32 | $15.79 |
| Tennessee | 14.5¢ | $0.04 | $1.21 | $14.52 |
| Texas | 16.4¢ | $0.05 | $1.38 | $16.50 |
| Utah | 13.0¢ | $0.04 | $1.08 | $13.01 |
| Vermont | 24.9¢ | $0.07 | $2.08 | $24.98 |
| Virginia | 17.6¢ | $0.05 | $1.47 | $17.68 |
| Washington | 14.9¢ | $0.04 | $1.25 | $15.01 |
| West Virginia | 16.8¢ | $0.05 | $1.41 | $16.86 |
| Wisconsin | 19.7¢ | $0.05 | $1.65 | $19.81 |
| Wyoming | 14.8¢ | $0.04 | $1.24 | $14.86 |
How to cut the cost
- Iron several items in one session rather than heating up repeatedly.
- Start with fabrics needing lower temperatures and work up.
- Unplug when finished — irons are a fire risk more than an energy one.
Compare with related appliances
Monthly cost at typical usage and 19.4¢/kWh.
Questions
Does ironing use much electricity?
Not much in total. The wattage is high but sessions are short and the thermostat cycles the element off frequently.
How do you calculate what a clothes iron costs to run?
Multiply its wattage by the hours it runs per day, divide by 1,000 to get kilowatt-hours, then multiply by your electricity rate. For a clothes iron: 1,100 W × 0.25 h ÷ 1,000 = 0.28 kWh per day, which at 19.4¢/kWh is $0.05 per day.
How many watts does a clothes iron use?
Typically 1,100 watts, with most models falling between 800 and 1,800 watts. The label on the appliance or its power supply gives the figure for your specific unit.