laundry · 1200W typical

Running a clothes iron costs about $0.36/month.

That's the typical clothes iron at 1200W, run 0.1 hours a day at the US-average rate of 16.5¢/kWh. Change any of those and the number moves — use the calculator below to see yours.

Estimated cost

$0.36/month

$0.01 per day$4.34 per year2.16 kWh monthly

Wattage

Hours / day

Your rate

A clothes iron draws full power only while the thermostat/compressor is running — about 0.1 effective hours at 1200W across your 0.1-hour window.

How you use it

Cost shifts with how long it's on.

The same clothes iron can cost very different amounts depending on usage patterns. Three common scenarios, at the US-average rate.

weekly ironing

$0.36

per month

45 min on Sunday averaged over a week

0.1 hrs/day·$4.34/yr

daily shirts

$0.53

per month

ironing dress shirts each morning

0.15 hrs/day·$6.50/yr

Where you live

$0.65 spread between the cheapest and priciest states.

Same appliance, same hours of use, different zip code — the monthly cost varies this much.

State	Rate	Monthly	Yearly
Hawaii	41.2¢	$0.89	$10.83
California	31.4¢	$0.68	$8.25
Massachusetts	30.8¢	$0.67	$8.09
Connecticut	28.7¢	$0.62	$7.54
Rhode Island	27.9¢	$0.60	$7.33
New Hampshire	24.6¢	$0.53	$6.46
Alaska	24.3¢	$0.52	$6.39
New York	22.3¢	$0.48	$5.86
Maine	22.1¢	$0.48	$5.81
Vermont	21.5¢	$0.46	$5.65
Michigan	19.3¢	$0.42	$5.07
New Jersey	19.1¢	$0.41	$5.02
Maryland	18.4¢	$0.40	$4.84
Pennsylvania	18.1¢	$0.39	$4.76
District of Columbia	17.8¢	$0.38	$4.68
Wisconsin	17.4¢	$0.38	$4.57
Delaware	17.2¢	$0.37	$4.52
Illinois	16.9¢	$0.37	$4.44
Ohio	16.6¢	$0.36	$4.36
Nevada	16.3¢	$0.35	$4.28
Indiana	15.8¢	$0.34	$4.15
Virginia	15.7¢	$0.34	$4.13
Minnesota	15.6¢	$0.34	$4.10
Colorado	15.4¢	$0.33	$4.05
Alabama	15.2¢	$0.33	$3.99
West Virginia	15.2¢	$0.33	$3.99
Florida	15.1¢	$0.33	$3.97
New Mexico	14.8¢	$0.32	$3.89
Texas	14.8¢	$0.32	$3.89
Arizona	14.7¢	$0.32	$3.86
South Carolina	14.7¢	$0.32	$3.86
Kansas	14.6¢	$0.32	$3.84
Georgia	14.2¢	$0.31	$3.73
Iowa	14.1¢	$0.30	$3.71
North Carolina	13.9¢	$0.30	$3.65
Missouri	13.6¢	$0.29	$3.57
Oregon	13.4¢	$0.29	$3.52
Tennessee	13.3¢	$0.29	$3.50
Kentucky	13.2¢	$0.29	$3.47
Mississippi	13.1¢	$0.28	$3.44
Oklahoma	13.1¢	$0.28	$3.44
South Dakota	12.7¢	$0.27	$3.34
Montana	12.4¢	$0.27	$3.26
Nebraska	12.2¢	$0.26	$3.21
Arkansas	12.1¢	$0.26	$3.18
Washington	12.1¢	$0.26	$3.18
Louisiana	11.9¢	$0.26	$3.13
Wyoming	11.6¢	$0.25	$3.05
North Dakota	11.5¢	$0.25	$3.02
Utah	11.4¢	$0.25	$3.00
Idaho	11.3¢	$0.24	$2.97

Efficient vs. inefficient

A $3.61/year difference across the wattage range.

Swapping a high-draw model for an efficient one pays for itself. Here's what that looks like annually at typical usage.

Most efficient

800W

$0.24 per month

$2.89 per year

Typical

1200W

$0.36 per month

$4.34 per year

High draw

1800W

$0.53 per month

$6.50 per year

When it hits hardest

year-round peak

Steady use year-round.

Ways to cut the cost

1
Iron multiple items in one session — heat-up is the biggest energy cost
Saves 30-40% vs. per-item sessions
2
Iron damp or use steam — cuts effort and time
Reduces iron time 30-50%
3
Use auto-shutoff models; never leave on while multitasking
Avoids wasted heat cycles

Real-world wattages

Pulled from actual spec sheets.

Brand	Model	Watts
Rowenta	DW5080	1700W
Black+Decker	D2030	1500W
Shark	GI505	1500W

Picks that actually move the needle

Three products worth comparing if you're thinking about upgrading or supplementing what you have.

Some links below are affiliate links. If you buy, we may earn a small commission — it never changes the price you pay, and we only recommend picks we would stand behind.

Rowenta DW5080 Focus Iron

Fast heat-up reduces wasted watts on idle

$75-100

Ironing Board with Heat-Reflective Cover

Reflects heat back; cuts ironing time 20%

$45-65

Distilled Water Bottle (for steam iron)

Prevents scale buildup that reduces heating efficiency

$8-12