Kitchen appliances
Dishwasher Heated Dry: How to Check the Extra Cost
Compare dishwasher heated-dry and other drying settings using complete-cycle energy. Check model instructions, cycle settings, and drying results.
Compare otherwise similar complete cycles with the drying option changed. Multiply the energy difference by your rate. Drying systems vary, so use model-specific instructions.
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A heated-dry setting can add electricity use, but the cost is not a fixed amount for every dishwasher. Different machines use different drying systems and controls.
ENERGY STAR dishwasher guidance discusses disabling heated dry where appropriate. First check what your model's option actually changes and whether an alternative gives acceptable results.
Identify the drying system
Read the exact manual. A drying option may use a heater, a fan, residual heat, automatic door opening, or another system. An option's label does not always explain the full mechanism.
Do not stop a program at an invented time to imitate air drying. Do not force an automatically controlled door. Follow the manufacturer's approved settings and finishing instructions.
The DOE Energy Saver guide includes general air-drying advice. It is dated guidance, and the appliance's current instructions remain the better source for a specific action.
Compare one changed setting
Use the same wash program and broadly comparable loads. Keep other options unchanged. If the load contains different materials, drying results may differ even without an energy change.
For a safely compatible appliance, cumulative kWh can capture a whole cycle. The P3 monitor manual describes its energy-reading function. Do not use that meter if the appliance or connection exceeds its limits.
Record the energy for both complete cycles. If measurement is unsuitable, use reliable model-specific program data and state that it is a standardized estimate.
Work through the cost difference
Suppose two hypothetical complete cycles use 1.0 kWh with one setting and 0.8 kWh with another. The difference is 0.2 kWh.
At an illustrative $0.20/kWh, that difference costs $0.04 per cycle. Thirty comparable cycles produce an electricity difference of $1.20.
Repeat the comparison with your model and comparable loads. Use the measured average difference and your usual cycle count to calculate the yearly electricity cost.
Check the result as well as the meter
Look for wet items, pooling, and any need for a repeat cycle. A lower-energy setting may require more drying time or manual handling.
If a particular cleaning or sanitizing program is required, follow its instructions. Do not assume a general drying change preserves every program's intended performance.
Also check kitchen moisture and safe unloading. Follow warnings about steam and hot dishes. Do not open a door during an unsafe stage to reduce a few watt-hours.
Use a sensible decision record
- Record the program and exact drying option.
- Keep comparable loads and other settings unchanged.
- Use whole-cycle kWh rather than a brief watt reading.
- Note whether dishes are acceptably clean and dry.
- Price the energy difference at your actual tariff.
Electricity is only one part of the decision. If external hot-water use differs, account for it separately. If the option changes cycle time, check whether a time-of-use boundary affects the comparison.
Use cycle mode in the electricity calculator for each result. Subtract the two costs and keep the assumptions alongside the saving.