How many watts does a hair dryer use?
A hair dryer uses 1,200–1,875 watts while running, which is 10–15.6 amps at 120 V.
Hair dryer watts, amps and circuit
| Running watts | 1,200–1,875 W |
|---|---|
| Voltage | 120 V |
| Running amps | 10–15.6 A |
| Circuit | 20 A, 120 V outlet circuit (draws more than 15 A) |
Also called: blow dryer.
What size generator runs a hair dryer?
A hair dryer needs a generator that supplies at least 1,875 running watts. A 2,000 W generator covers it with its running rating alone; add the watts of anything else you run at the same time.
How long a portable power station runs a hair dryer
| Battery capacity, Wh | At 1,875 W, h | At 1,200 W, h |
|---|---|---|
| 500 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| 1,000 | 0.5 | 0.7 |
| 2,000 | 0.9 | 1.4 |
| 3,600 | 1.6 | 2.6 |
A 500 Wh portable power station runs a hair dryer drawing 1,875 W for about 0.2 hours at 85% inverter efficiency. Runtime = capacity × 85% ÷ watts; the 85% efficiency is an assumption. The power station's AC output must be at least 1,875 W.
What it costs to run a hair dryer
Running a hair dryer at 1,538 W, the middle of its 1,200–1,875 W range, for one hour a day uses 561.4 kWh a year. That costs about $101 a year at $0.18 per kWh, the US average residential price for August 2026.
Your bill's total ÷ kWh used. 0.18 is the US residential average.
- Per day
- $0.28
- Per year
- $101
- Energy per day
- 1.54 kWh
- Energy per month
- 46.8 kWh
How it is calculated
- kWh per day = 1,538 W × 1 h ÷ 1,000 = 1.538
- Per month = 1.538 kWh × 30.4 days × $0.18 = $8.42
What affects hair dryer power use
Full-size hair dryers such as Conair's 1875-watt models are rated 1,875 W, the top of the range. The heating coil uses most of the power; the cool setting draws far less. Travel and mini dryers are smaller, rated around 1,200 W.
How the amps are calculated
Amps = watts ÷ volts. For 1,875 W at 120 V that is 15.6 A. The 1,200–1,875 W range covers typical models; the nameplate on a hair dryer gives the exact figure.