How Much Does It Cost to Run a Clothes Iron in New York? (2026)
A steam iron draws 1,500 to 2,400 watts while heating, then cycles to hold temperature. The real draw over an ironing session is around half the rated figure.
A typical clothes iron (1,500 W) costs $0.44 per hour, or about $3.32 per month at 0.25 hours a day in New York. Cheap to run
| Wattage | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low 1,000 W | $0.29 | $0.074 | $2.21 | $26.91 |
| Typical 1,500 W | $0.44 | $0.11 | $3.32 | $40.36 |
| High 2,400 W | $0.71 | $0.18 | $5.31 | $64.58 |
Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 0.25 h/day ≈ 137 kWh per year.
One hour of a clothes iron (1.5 kWh) is the same electricity as
- 8.3km in an electric car
- 15hours of TV
- 33hours of a laptop
- 167hours of an LED bulb
In New York, with electricity at 29.5¢ per kWh (source: EIA Table 5.6.A, 2026-06), a typical clothes iron costs $0.44 per hour and about $40.36 per year at 0.25 hours a day. That is about 61% more than the national average for the US ($2.06 per month), because electricity in New York costs 29.5¢ per kWh against 18.3¢ nationally. Each $1.00 of electricity buys roughly 2.3 hours of use.
How to lower the cost of running a clothes iron
- Iron in one session while the iron is hot rather than heating it up repeatedly.
- Iron heavier fabrics first while it is hottest, then lighter ones as it cools.
- Take clothes out of the dryer slightly damp to cut ironing time.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to iron for an hour?
About 0.75 to 1 kWh once it cycles. Check the hourly figure above.
Do steam generators use more electricity?
Yes, typically 2,000 to 3,000 watts, but they iron faster.
Does an iron use electricity when plugged in but off?
No.
Cost by region
US states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Canadian provinces
Related appliances
- Heat Pump Dryer900 W typical
- Vacuum Cleaner1,000 W typical
- Robot Vacuum30 W typical
- Clothes Dryer3,000 W typical
Use the generic electricity cost calculator · Which uses more? Take the quiz