What the LG DLG3181* costs to run
ENERGY STAR certifies the LG DLG3181* at 685 kWh/yr, more expensive than most models in its category to run for its category.
The $129 figure above uses the simple average of all 51 published state rates. Pick your state for the real number.
Where this ranks
That's 19.8% above the clothes dryer category average of 572 kWh/yr, and ranks 459 of 639 certified clothes dryers for annual running cost, 1 being cheapest. Every one of the 639 currently-certified clothes dryers feeds that average, putting this model about $21/year over it. See how it's calculated on the how it is calculated page.
The closest alternatives by cost
Sorted by running cost among clothes dryers, one step cheaper is LG DLG3171* ($129/yr, 685 kWh/yr), and one step pricier is LG DLG3401* ($129/yr, 685 kWh/yr).
Comparing LG's own models
LG makes 144 ENERGY STAR certified clothes dryers; this one ranks 85 of 144 for running cost, between the brand's cheapest, the DLHC1455* at $25/yr, and its priciest, the WSGX201H*A at $129/yr.
What this adds up to over time
Over the 12-year service life NAHB reports for this category, running the LG DLG3181* costs roughly $1,545 in electricity, separate from the purchase price.
Is it worth replacing?
The LG DLG3181* runs above its category average. If the clothes dryer you actually own is older still, likely well past ENERGY STAR's efficiency baseline when it was made, a current certified model could cost meaningfully less than this model's $129/year every year.
Compare current ENERGY STAR certified clothes dryers before buying.
Protecting what you have
A clothes dryer like the LG DLG3181* is a real household expense whether or not it needs replacing yet; a protection plan is one way to budget for a repair rather than a full replacement.
The data behind this page
Nothing here is estimated from a nameplate wattage; the 685 kWh/yr is ENERGY STAR's own certified figure for this model. Ranked 459 of 639 certified dryers for running cost, the LG DLG3181* is also worth reading with a caveat specific to this category: the methodology page explains why ENERGY STAR's own combined-energy figure for dryers can overstate the electric bill impact of a gas model.