Purchasing a new clothes dryer is an investment most home owners will need to consider very carefully. Many homes have laundry rooms with a choice of suitable gas or 240 V electric outlets. Even if neither is present, installing either one of them will cost approximately the same amount. The first factor to think about is therefore the comparison of gas vs electric dryer
Price Comparison
Comparing purchase prices of gas vs electric dryers reveals that gas dryers, on average, tend to cost around $50 more than comparable electric dryers. This applies to gas vs electric dryers across the whole range of prices, from the lowest price range with few extra features right up to the most advanced models. Overall, prices begin at around $300 for the most basic range and rising up to at the high end to more than $1000 for the latest high tech models. These stylish models will include features such as stainless steel drums, glass doors, additional cycles and enhanced control panels.
Comparing Running Costs
While the purchase price on gas dryers is a little more than the cost for an electric dryer, this difference is generally counteracted by lower running costs. Estimates show that over the lifetime of a dryer, which is generally assumed to be around 18 years, running costs of gas vs electric dryers amount to approximately $862 and $1465 respectively. Naturally, these figures will vary slightly according to local gas and electricity prices, as well as the actual amount of use. On average, however, home owners can expect to pay around $33.50 less per year by using a gas dryer. This means that the greater cost at the outset of the purchase is soon recouped.
Performance Comparison
When it comes to performance, the choice of gas vs electric dryers again favors gas dryers. Although all models of both types obviously perform to the highest standards, gas dryers use a specific temperature. This temperature is set to evaporate the water from the clothes more efficiently. As a result, gas dryers tend to dry clothes more quickly, meaning less time is being spent doing the laundry. This fact also means that gas dryers are easier on fabrics as a whole. Selecting a gas dryer with pilotless ignition, electronic sensor drying and automatic shut-off, which will automatically turn off the dryer once a degree of dryness has been reached, will further protect clothes.
User Reviews and Testing
At present, it appears that around 80 per cent of all dryers purchased are electric. Unfortunately, this means that there are far fewer reviews on gas dryers available than there are on electric dryers. Those reviews that can be found show that in general, there are few differences in performance and customer satisfaction between the two. Many of these reviews do state that the clothes dried in gas dryers tend to be far softer than those dried in electric dryers. This is likely to be a result of the shorter drying times. Reviewers also appreciated the cost savings of running gas dryers as well as the increased environmental friendliness of these units.
Recall Information
One thing that should be mentioned is that consumers will be wise to check out the latest information on recalls, especially when it comes to purchasing a gas dryer. It appears that over the last decade, there have been a total of three safety recalls, all of which involved gas dryers. This kind of information can be found on the Product Safety Commission for Consumer’s website, CSPC.gov. There is no reason to believe that gas dryers are not safe as a result of this, it merely indicates that there have been occasional problems in the past. These problems have obviously been resolved in the process, meaning that today’s gas dryers are as safe as any comparable electric dryers.
Ultimately, the comparison of gas vs electric dryers shows that performance-wise, there is next to no difference between these types of dryers. Although a gas dryer will require a slightly higher initial investment, this drawback is easily overcome through the lower running costs of gas dryers in the long run. Effectively, it is possible to make up for the extra expense within the first two years of usage.
