ryancorner
New member
What is the difference between gas and electric dryers? Which better?
Gas or electric dryer?
- Thread starter ryancorner
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one heat source is a glowing coil, the other a blue flame...
both heat about the same, basically it is a matter of which is cheaper to operate...
both heat about the same, basically it is a matter of which is cheaper to operate...
Gas units connect to a 120v electric circuit and require a natural gas or propane supply (typically are factory-configured for natural gas, require a modification kit to adapt the burner for propane).
Electric units connect to a 240v electric circuit and no gas is involved.
Natural Gas Vs Electric Dryers
Natural gas fired gas dryers are almost always cheaper to operate by 2-4 times saving between 12 through 50 cents per load dried.
NG dryers are a litter easier on clothing because they tend not to over dry because NG puts off moisture as it burns.
NG dryers produce about 1/3 the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere so they are far more environmentally responsible to use.
The reliability of the dryers are pretty similar, electric dryers are a little more reliable in light use, gas dryers catch up and out live electric dryers in heavy use situations.
John L.
Natural gas fired gas dryers are almost always cheaper to operate by 2-4 times saving between 12 through 50 cents per load dried.
NG dryers are a litter easier on clothing because they tend not to over dry because NG puts off moisture as it burns.
NG dryers produce about 1/3 the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere so they are far more environmentally responsible to use.
The reliability of the dryers are pretty similar, electric dryers are a little more reliable in light use, gas dryers catch up and out live electric dryers in heavy use situations.
John L.
Gas heated dryers are noticeably faster too. Can't fathom choosing an electric dryer if you have natural gas to the home.
jerrod_six
Well-known member
I have a Gas Electrolux dryer and before that a gas Miele dryer. The main reason I use it is because it is far cheaper to operate than an electric dryer would be. There is no smell or no turning things yellow either, and it's fast. The Miele could do a load in 30 minutes, the Electrolux takes a bit longer, but in the end it is cheaper to operate.
gusherb
Well-known member
We've only ever had gas dryers. I wouldn't consider electric as long as gas is available.
My sister used to live in an all electric duplex and the PoCo uses smart meters and lets you monitor your daily usage down to the hour and the Kwh's required to do laundry was shockingly high between the electric dryer and electric water heater. We could do laundry all day here and the most noticeable increase would be the water bill, doesn't even make a dent in the gas bill.
My sister used to live in an all electric duplex and the PoCo uses smart meters and lets you monitor your daily usage down to the hour and the Kwh's required to do laundry was shockingly high between the electric dryer and electric water heater. We could do laundry all day here and the most noticeable increase would be the water bill, doesn't even make a dent in the gas bill.
eurekastar
Well-known member
For some reason "Total Electric" homes were all the rage in the 70s and 80s here in Texas, where natural gas is so plentiful. That's why I'm reluctant to buy a gas dryer. I move with my job more than most people do. Electricity is always available but gas isn't.
Bill, it's why my next older sister and I have always had electric dryers. And the house I bought January 1986 is all electric. My first two houses in Houston had gas, but I had bought my washer & dryer in 1978 and the apartment was electric only.
Not so much which is "better" performance wise
But often things come down do what is cheaper to use and what home can accomodate.
Gas dryers outnumber electric in much of downstate NY because many homes have piped natural gas (for heating, cooking, hot water, etc...). Given this state's insanely high electric rates, people will look to gas whenever possible.
OTOH areas where natural gas isn't piped and you find homes with oil for heat/hot water then you'll also likely find electric dryers. People would love to get natural gas, but the companies then nor now will run piping to an area for just one or two homes. If an entire street or area signs up that is another story.
Commercial/industrial wise gas dryers dominate here, again electric rates are just too high for making it work.
Of course there were people then and still today who won't have natural or propane gas out of fears it will "blow up" their home.... They stick to oil for heating/hot water and use electric for cooking. This is becoming less and less of an option as oil tanks become a liability in selling a home.
Apartment wise people rarely have a choice. It is either a small 120v or full powered 208v-240v dryer if their place is wired for the latter.
Big push in last few years with heat pump dryers for new construction is that unlike condenser or regular electric dryers they can be run on 120v power.
But often things come down do what is cheaper to use and what home can accomodate.
Gas dryers outnumber electric in much of downstate NY because many homes have piped natural gas (for heating, cooking, hot water, etc...). Given this state's insanely high electric rates, people will look to gas whenever possible.
OTOH areas where natural gas isn't piped and you find homes with oil for heat/hot water then you'll also likely find electric dryers. People would love to get natural gas, but the companies then nor now will run piping to an area for just one or two homes. If an entire street or area signs up that is another story.
Commercial/industrial wise gas dryers dominate here, again electric rates are just too high for making it work.
Of course there were people then and still today who won't have natural or propane gas out of fears it will "blow up" their home.... They stick to oil for heating/hot water and use electric for cooking. This is becoming less and less of an option as oil tanks become a liability in selling a home.
Apartment wise people rarely have a choice. It is either a small 120v or full powered 208v-240v dryer if their place is wired for the latter.
Big push in last few years with heat pump dryers for new construction is that unlike condenser or regular electric dryers they can be run on 120v power.
I've never had a gas dryer, or any other gas appliances. Family house built in 1964 was all electric, and the next one ... and the first one I bought, and the next one I bought. One aunt had gas prior to the house they built in the mid 1970s, then electric for all the rest.
panasonicvac
Well-known member
We had a Maytag Neptune (One of the touch screen versions) that was gas. It was our only gas dryer we've ever had in our house. From what my mom told me when they bought the Neptune, the salesperson said that gas was better than electric which was one of the reasons why we got it. Unfortunately for my mom, it was quite the opposite way around. She said that it never was as good and it took longer to dry than our electric dryers. To me, I couldn't really tell what dried better than the other. After our Neptune died, we could've had our repair technician fix the Neptune since it was cheaper than buying a new dryer but he talked to us into replacing the dryer with a new one. He said that those Neptunes were fire hazards especially with the gas versions which was one of the reasons why Maytag went bankrupt. Not sure if that part was true or not. My parents eventually agreed to replace the dryer instead and that was when we bought our first LG electric dryer almost 6 years ago. Since switching back over to electric, my mom said that she would never own a gas dryer ever again.
I'll never have an electric dryer again. We got our first gas dryer in 1994...a Maytag stacked set for my mother (she's still using it by the way). When I got my own house in 1998 I bought a GE gas dryer that was super fast even on low heat. All my towels are white and have never turned yellow. The only time there is a strange smell is when I've painted something in the house with oil paint and it hasn't fully cured yet.
No choice for me-electric-no gas line going into my house-a street gaspipe is available-just not connected to it.My place was never connected to gas.Probably the gas pipe came after my place was built in '72.
Meanwhile... our local laundromat has ten stacked Huebsch dryers, 18 Miele Professional washers and one 30-something lbs. Wascator. All electric. All cold-fill.
Pretty much grew up with gas dryers. The dryer that was left behind at my old house was a 1987 Kenmore 29” electric dryer, and the dryer that was bought when I moved in 2006 was a 2006 Kenmore front load gas dryer in charcoal but it was never used on any of the automatic dry settings since it never got things completely dried on those settings and was only used on timed drying. The set that replaced that was my Maytag A810 set and the Maytag DG810 always worked well and always got a large load of towels completely dried. Had to take the A810 set out of service since it developed a leak in the tub to pump hose and I decided to put my A606 set in it’s place. The Maytag DG306 dryer isn’t fast nor slow but average and it seems to dry much faster with larger loads with the new 120F thermostat I put in it since it’s able to hold a steady temperature. That’s my experience with gas dryers.
ryancorner
New member
I researched some blogs and sites and found this comparison article about https://differencebtwn.com/difference-between-gas-and-electric-dryer
Reply #16
I don't know where these articles come from but about nothing is correct in this article, most of all Gasoline is not used to heat Gas dryers, it might be fun though and very fast.
Other mistakes, gas dryers are only $30-40 more, they do not take up any more space, they are not less expensive to maintain, they do not operate on 110 volts but rather 120 volts and there is not a big speed difference [ unless you try powering it with gasoline, ] LOL
John L.
I don't know where these articles come from but about nothing is correct in this article, most of all Gasoline is not used to heat Gas dryers, it might be fun though and very fast.
Other mistakes, gas dryers are only $30-40 more, they do not take up any more space, they are not less expensive to maintain, they do not operate on 110 volts but rather 120 volts and there is not a big speed difference [ unless you try powering it with gasoline, ] LOL
John L.
Gas dryer are NOT the norm over here
We have always had electric dryers and they always did the job pretty well, Electricity prices having gone up of late are making people switch to heat pump which are super economy wise but lack speed, Well this year I bought a Huesbch/Originator gas dryer and it took months to get the gas line installed due to Covid19......
If I had known about them I would have had one years ago it is the best ever dryer I have encountered apart from the ones in the laundries I have worked in.
The heat pump is used for gentle small loads the rest in the gas dryer as its all done in 30/40 minutes and that includes those really thick cotton bath mats.
Austin
We have always had electric dryers and they always did the job pretty well, Electricity prices having gone up of late are making people switch to heat pump which are super economy wise but lack speed, Well this year I bought a Huesbch/Originator gas dryer and it took months to get the gas line installed due to Covid19......
If I had known about them I would have had one years ago it is the best ever dryer I have encountered apart from the ones in the laundries I have worked in.
The heat pump is used for gentle small loads the rest in the gas dryer as its all done in 30/40 minutes and that includes those really thick cotton bath mats.
Austin
