🍳 Kitchen
How Much Does a Food Dehydrator Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.8¢/kWh (April 2026), a food dehydrator costs about $22.86 per month at typical usage — 8 hours/day.
Per hour
9.4¢
at 300–1,000 W
Per day
$0.75
8 hours/day
Per month
$22.86
122 kWh
Per year
$274
1,460 kWh
Dehydrators run low wattage for very long stretches — 8 to 24 hours per batch is normal — so a jerky run can quietly use several kilowatt-hours. Batch size and runtime, not rated watts, decide whether homemade dried food is a bargain.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
9.4¢
Per day
$0.75
Per month
$22.86
Per year
$274
Uses 122 kWh/month at 18.8¢ 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 hour | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | 12.4 | 6.2¢ | $15.08 | $181 |
| Idaho | 12.7 | 6.3¢ | $15.44 | $185 |
| Nebraska | 13.3 | 6.7¢ | $16.17 | $194 |
| Oklahoma | 13.3 | 6.7¢ | $16.17 | $194 |
| Utah | 13.3 | 6.7¢ | $16.17 | $194 |
| Iowa | 13.9 | 7.0¢ | $16.90 | $203 |
| Montana | 13.9 | 7.0¢ | $16.90 | $203 |
| Missouri | 14.0 | 7.0¢ | $17.02 | $204 |
| Arkansas | 14.2 | 7.1¢ | $17.27 | $207 |
| Nevada | 14.3 | 7.2¢ | $17.39 | $209 |
| Louisiana | 14.4 | 7.2¢ | $17.51 | $210 |
| Washington | 14.4 | 7.2¢ | $17.51 | $210 |
| South Dakota | 14.5 | 7.2¢ | $17.63 | $212 |
| Wyoming | 14.7 | 7.3¢ | $17.88 | $215 |
| Tennessee | 14.9 | 7.4¢ | $18.12 | $218 |
| Kentucky | 15.0 | 7.5¢ | $18.24 | $219 |
| New Mexico | 15.2 | 7.6¢ | $18.48 | $222 |
| Florida | 15.4 | 7.7¢ | $18.73 | $225 |
| Georgia | 15.4 | 7.7¢ | $18.73 | $225 |
| Arizona | 15.5 | 7.8¢ | $18.85 | $226 |
| Kansas | 15.8 | 7.9¢ | $19.21 | $231 |
| Oregon | 15.8 | 7.9¢ | $19.21 | $231 |
| West Virginia | 16.1 | 8.1¢ | $19.58 | $235 |
| North Carolina | 16.3 | 8.2¢ | $19.82 | $238 |
| Minnesota | 16.4 | 8.2¢ | $19.94 | $239 |
| Colorado | 16.5 | 8.3¢ | $20.06 | $241 |
| Mississippi | 16.8 | 8.4¢ | $20.43 | $245 |
| Texas | 17.0 | 8.5¢ | $20.67 | $248 |
| South Carolina | 17.1 | 8.6¢ | $20.79 | $250 |
| Alabama | 17.4 | 8.7¢ | $21.16 | $254 |
| Virginia | 17.4 | 8.7¢ | $21.16 | $254 |
| Indiana | 17.9 | 8.9¢ | $21.77 | $261 |
| Delaware | 18.8 | 9.4¢ | $22.86 | $274 |
| Wisconsin | 19.2 | $0.10 | $23.35 | $280 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | $0.10 | $23.71 | $285 |
| Illinois | 20.5 | $0.10 | $24.93 | $299 |
| Michigan | 21.4 | $0.11 | $26.02 | $312 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.5 | $0.11 | $26.14 | $314 |
| Maryland | 22.1 | $0.11 | $26.87 | $323 |
| New Jersey | 23.5 | $0.12 | $28.58 | $343 |
| Vermont | 24.6 | $0.12 | $29.91 | $359 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.4 | $0.13 | $30.89 | $371 |
| New Hampshire | 27.2 | $0.14 | $33.08 | $397 |
| Alaska | 27.4 | $0.14 | $33.32 | $400 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | $0.14 | $34.41 | $413 |
| Maine | 28.4 | $0.14 | $34.53 | $415 |
| Massachusetts | 29.5 | $0.15 | $35.87 | $431 |
| New York | 29.5 | $0.15 | $35.87 | $431 |
| Connecticut | 32.2 | $0.16 | $39.16 | $470 |
| California | 35.3 | $0.18 | $42.92 | $515 |
| Hawaii | 46.6 | $0.23 | $56.67 | $680 |
How to lower the cost
- Match the appliance to the portion: microwave and air fryer beat the big oven for anything small.
- Keep refrigerator coils clean and gaskets tight — it runs 24/7, so small inefficiencies compound.
- Run the dishwasher full and skip heated dry.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a food dehydrator use?
A typical food dehydrator draws about 500 watts in use. At 8 hours/day, that works out to roughly 4.0 kWh per day, or 122 kWh per month.
How much does it cost to run a food dehydrator for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.8¢/kWh, one hour costs about 9.4¢. In North Dakota (12.4¢/kWh) it's 6.2¢, while in Hawaii (46.6¢/kWh) it's $0.23.
How much does a food dehydrator cost to run per month?
With typical usage (8 hours/day), expect about $22.86 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $15.08 in North Dakota up to $56.67 in Hawaii. Rates are as of April 2026.
Does a food dehydrator use a lot of electricity?
Yes — at typical usage it accounts for roughly 14% of an average U.S. home's monthly consumption (885 kWh), which makes it one of the larger loads in the house.