Whirlpool WED8540FW*: running cost
The Whirlpool WED8540FW* is certified by ENERGY STAR at 608 kWh a year, about average for its category to run among clothes dryers currently certified.
That $114 is priced at 18.8¢/kWh, the average of all 51 state rates this site tracks. Your own state's rate is one click away.
How the Whirlpool WED8540FW* compares to other clothes dryers
The category average is 572 kWh/yr; this model runs 6.3% above it, ranking 399 of 639 clothes dryers tracked here for running cost. 639 certified clothes dryers, one average, about $7/year of daylight between it and this model; the full methodology has the rest.
Neighbouring models
Right next to the Whirlpool WED8540FW* on that list: Whirlpool WED8510FW* ($114/yr, 608 kWh/yr) runs slightly less, while Whirlpool WED85HEFBL* ($114/yr, 608 kWh/yr) runs slightly more.
Within the Whirlpool lineup
Ranked 42 of Whirlpool's 114 certified clothes dryers, this sits between the WHD3090G** ($43/yr, the brand's cheapest) and the WGF5727T** ($129/yr, its priciest).
Cost over its typical lifespan
Over the 12-year service life NAHB reports for this category, running the Whirlpool WED8540FW* costs roughly $1,372 in electricity, separate from the purchase price.
Shopping for a new one
Efficient as certified clothes dryers go, $114/year is a reasonable baseline if you're comparing what else is on the market.
Worth comparing a few current certified models before deciding.
If you're keeping it
Whether or not the Whirlpool WED8540FW* ever needs replacing, a repair is the more common failure for a clothes dryer, one a protection plan budgets for ahead of time.
How this was checked
Nothing here is estimated from a nameplate wattage; the 608 kWh/yr is ENERGY STAR's own certified figure for this model. Ranked 399 of 639 certified dryers for running cost, the Whirlpool WED8540FW* 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.