🩺 Personal Care & Health
How Much Does a Flat Iron / Hair Straightener Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh (July 2026), a flat iron / hair straightener costs about $0.12 per month at typical usage — 5 uses/week at 0.03 kWh each.
Per use
0.5¢
0.03 kWh per use
Per day
0.4¢
5 uses/week at 0.03 kWh each
Per month
$0.12
0.7 kWh
Per year
$1.43
7.8 kWh
Flat irons hold temperature with 50–200 watts across small plates. Regular styling costs a few cents a month; forgetting one on is a fire question, not a bill question.
Calculate it for your home
Per use
0.5¢
Per day
0.4¢
Per month
$0.12
Per year
$1.43
Uses 0.7 kWh/month at 18.3¢ per kWh.
Cheapest and most expensive states
Monthly cost at typical usage, using each state's current average residential rate.
Cost in every state
| State | Rate (¢/kWh) | Per use | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | 12.7 | 0.4¢ | 8.3¢ | $0.99 |
| Nevada | 12.8 | 0.4¢ | 8.3¢ | $1.00 |
| Utah | 13.1 | 0.4¢ | 8.5¢ | $1.02 |
| North Dakota | 13.4 | 0.4¢ | 8.7¢ | $1.05 |
| Idaho | 13.7 | 0.4¢ | 8.9¢ | $1.07 |
| Tennessee | 13.7 | 0.4¢ | 8.9¢ | $1.07 |
| Kentucky | 13.8 | 0.4¢ | 9.0¢ | $1.08 |
| Nebraska | 13.8 | 0.4¢ | 9.0¢ | $1.08 |
| Arkansas | 14.3 | 0.4¢ | 9.3¢ | $1.12 |
| Oklahoma | 14.4 | 0.4¢ | 9.4¢ | $1.13 |
| Wyoming | 14.4 | 0.4¢ | 9.4¢ | $1.13 |
| Mississippi | 14.5 | 0.4¢ | 9.4¢ | $1.13 |
| Washington | 14.7 | 0.4¢ | $0.10 | $1.15 |
| Florida | 15.0 | 0.4¢ | $0.10 | $1.17 |
| Montana | 15.0 | 0.4¢ | $0.10 | $1.17 |
| North Carolina | 15.2 | 0.5¢ | $0.10 | $1.19 |
| Kansas | 15.3 | 0.5¢ | $0.10 | $1.20 |
| Arizona | 15.4 | 0.5¢ | $0.10 | $1.20 |
| South Dakota | 15.4 | 0.5¢ | $0.10 | $1.20 |
| South Carolina | 15.5 | 0.5¢ | $0.10 | $1.21 |
| West Virginia | 15.8 | 0.5¢ | $0.10 | $1.24 |
| Texas | 15.9 | 0.5¢ | $0.10 | $1.24 |
| Iowa | 16.0 | 0.5¢ | $0.10 | $1.25 |
| Oregon | 16.0 | 0.5¢ | $0.10 | $1.25 |
| Missouri | 16.1 | 0.5¢ | $0.10 | $1.26 |
| New Mexico | 16.1 | 0.5¢ | $0.10 | $1.26 |
| Georgia | 16.3 | 0.5¢ | $0.11 | $1.27 |
| Alabama | 16.4 | 0.5¢ | $0.11 | $1.28 |
| Indiana | 16.7 | 0.5¢ | $0.11 | $1.31 |
| Colorado | 17.0 | 0.5¢ | $0.11 | $1.33 |
| Minnesota | 17.5 | 0.5¢ | $0.11 | $1.37 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | 0.5¢ | $0.11 | $1.38 |
| Delaware | 18.5 | 0.6¢ | $0.12 | $1.45 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1 | 0.6¢ | $0.12 | $1.49 |
| Illinois | 19.2 | 0.6¢ | $0.13 | $1.50 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 0.6¢ | $0.13 | $1.53 |
| Maryland | 21.4 | 0.6¢ | $0.14 | $1.67 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7 | 0.7¢ | $0.14 | $1.70 |
| Michigan | 23.1 | 0.7¢ | $0.15 | $1.81 |
| Vermont | 23.8 | 0.7¢ | $0.16 | $1.86 |
| Connecticut | 24.2 | 0.7¢ | $0.16 | $1.89 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.2 | 0.8¢ | $0.16 | $1.97 |
| New Jersey | 25.2 | 0.8¢ | $0.16 | $1.97 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6 | 0.8¢ | $0.17 | $2.08 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 0.8¢ | $0.18 | $2.21 |
| Alaska | 28.8 | 0.9¢ | $0.19 | $2.25 |
| New York | 29.9 | 0.9¢ | $0.19 | $2.34 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5 | 0.9¢ | $0.20 | $2.39 |
| Maine | 32.4 | 1.0¢ | $0.21 | $2.53 |
| California | 33.6 | 1.0¢ | $0.22 | $2.63 |
| Hawaii | 48.0 | 1.4¢ | $0.31 | $3.75 |
How to lower the cost
- Heat-producing devices (dryers, irons, beds) dominate this category — minutes of use, not watts, drive cost.
- Medical devices that run all night or all day may qualify for utility medical-rate discounts — ask your provider.
- Chargers left plugged in draw almost nothing on modern hardware; focus on bigger loads.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a flat iron / hair straightener use?
A typical flat iron / hair straightener uses about 0.03 kWh per use. At 5 uses per week, that's roughly 0.7 kWh per month.
How much does one use of a flat iron / hair straightener cost?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh, each use costs about 0.5¢. That ranges from 0.4¢ in Louisiana to 1.4¢ in Hawaii.
How much does a flat iron / hair straightener cost to run per month?
With typical usage (5 uses/week at 0.03 kWh each), expect about $0.12 per month at the U.S. average rate — from 8.3¢ in Louisiana up to $0.31 in Hawaii. Rates are as of July 2026.
Does a flat iron / hair straightener use a lot of electricity?
Not really — at typical usage it's under 1% of an average home's monthly consumption. Heating, cooling, hot water, and drying are the loads that move bills.