I have been told that the dry cycle of the dishwasher is the energy hog
so I quit using it.

I was going to use something I had just washed in the dishwasher. When
I opened the door it was still warm inside.

My question is will the dishes dry faster if I leave them inside with
the door closed (while warm) or open the door and let the water
evaporate?

Typically, door open. And yes, skipping the heated drying cycle
will normally save a significant amount of energy. However, it
could be different for your dishwasher/kitchen so I'd suggest
you conduct your own experiment versus believing everything you
read on Usenet ;-)


Of course that'll only work if you don't use AC. In the summer you'll
heat
the room with all that escaping heated water vapor and raise your cooling
bill.


Yes, but in the winter you would be adding heat and moisture to the living
space
;-)