Appliance Energy Use
Learn the costs to operate typical appliances
The cost calculations below are intended as examples for common household items and are based on the approximate prices in place in January 2021. Prices used include:
- A per-kilowatt-hour rate of 10.84¢ for firm service.
- An off-peak water-heating rate of 8¢ per kilowatt-hour.
- An off-peak heating rate of 4.76¢ per kilowatt-hour.
Your actual price may vary by your state, season, and rate. All cost calculations are rounded to the nearest kilowatt-hour and penny.
Use this formula to calculate the cost to operate any appliance
Appliance wattage ÷ 1,000 × the hours the appliance is used
× the price per kilowatt-hour of electricity = cost of operation
Seasonal use calculations
Heating and cooling |
Approx. wattage | Cooling season kWh | Heating season kWh | Cooling cost | Heating cost |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cold-climate heat pump (3-ton operating to 0°F) | 3700 | 1473 | 6685 | $159.67 | $724.65 |
Cold-climate heat pump (3-ton operating to 0°F) off-peak | 3700 | 1473 | 6685 | $70.11 | $318.21 |
Cold-climate heat pumps provide 100% of cooling and 82% or more of heating requirements with energy efficiency of 200% or higher!
Cooling only |
Approx. wattage | Low hours of use | High hours of use | Low kWh | High kWh | Low cost | High cost |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A/C room - 9,000 Btu | 1050 | 120 | 720 | 126 | 756 | $13.66 | $81.95 |
A/C central - 15 SEER 2.5 tons | 2000 | 240 | 860 | 480 | 1720 | $52.03 | $186.45 |
Air-source heat pump 15 SEER 2.5 tons off-peak | 2000 | 240 | 860 | 480 | 1720 | $22.85 | $81.87 |
Monthly use calculations
Heating and cooling | Approx. wattage | Low hours of use | High hours of use | Low kWh | High kWh | Low cost |
High cost |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Baseboard heater - 4 ft., 250 watts/ft. | 1000 | 100 | 200 | 100 | 200 | $10.84 | $21.68 |
Fan - ceiling | 60 | 15 | 330 | 1 | 20 | $0.11 | $2.15 |
Fan - portable | 115 | 18 | 52 | 2 | 6 | $0.22 | $0.65 |
Furnace fan motor - intermittent | 350 | 160 | 415 | 56 | 145 | $6.07 | $15.75 |
Furnace fan motor - continuous | 350 | 720 | 720 | 252 | 252 | $27.32 | $27.32 |
Heat recovery air exchanger | 125 | 300 | 720 | 38 | 90 | $4.07 | $9.76 |
Portable heater | 1500 | 30 | 300 | 45 | 450 | $4.88 | $48.78 |
Water heating | Approx. wattage | Low kWh | High kWh | Low cost | High cost | ||
Water heating on off-peak water heating rate: $0.08/kWh | |||||||
family of 6 off-peak | 4500 | 540 | 725 | $43.20 | $58.00 | ||
family of 4 off-peak | 4500 | 360 | 485 | $28.80 | $38.80 | ||
family of 2 off-peak | 4500 | 180 | 245 | $14.40 | $19.60 | ||
Water heating on off-peak heating rate: $0.0476/kWh | |||||||
family of 6 off-peak | 4500 | 540 | 725 | $25.70 | $34.51 | ||
family of 4 off-peak | 4500 | 360 | 485 | $17.14 | $23.09 | ||
family of 2 off-peak | 4500 | 180 | 245 | $8.57 | $11.66 | ||
Heat pump water heater 3.24 EF; heat pump mode | 500 | 77 | 112 | $8.35 | $12.14 | ||
Hot tub |
Approx. wattage | Low hours of use | High hours of use | Low kWh | High kWh | Low cost | High cost |
4-person, circulating pump | 1500 | 30 | 45 | 45 | 68 | $4.88 | $7.32 |
4-person inside, 120-volt heater | 1500 | 120 | 180 | 180 | 270 | $19.51 | $29.27 |
4-person outside, 120-volt heater | 1500 | 90 | 540 | 135 | 810 | $14.63 | $87.80 |
4-person inside, 240-volt heater | 6000 | 30 | 45 | 180 | 270 | $19.51 | $29.27 |
4-person outside, 240-volt heater | 6000 | 90 | 135 | 540 | 810 | $58.54 | $87.80 |
Kitchen appliances | |||||||
Coffeemaker | 1000 | 4 | 30 | 4 | 30 | $0.43 | $3.25 |
Dishwasher | 1300 | 8 | 40 | 10 | 52 | $1.13 | $5.64 |
Frying pan | 1150 | 5 | 15 | 6 | 17 | $0.62 | $1.87 |
Microwave | 1100 | 5 | 15 | 6 | 17 | $0.60 | $1.79 |
Toaster oven | 1500 | 2 | 15 | 1 | 23 | $0.11 | $1.63 |
Range | |||||||
Broiler | 3000 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 30 | $0.33 | $3.25 |
Oven | 3500 | 10 | 50 | 35 | 175 | $3.79 | $18.97 |
Small element | 1200 | 10 | 25 | 12 | 30 | $1.30 | $3.25 |
Large element | 2300 | 10 | 25 | 23 | 58 | $2.49 | $6.23 |
Self-cleaning cycle only | 3200 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 19 | $1.04 | $2.08 |
Refrigerator-freezer | |||||||
Non frost-free 17 cu. ft. | 500 | 150 | 300 | 75 | 150 | $8.13 | $16.26 |
ENERGY STAR® frost-free 19 cu. ft. | 400 | 150 | 300 | 60 | 120 | $6.50 | $13.01 |
Freezer ENERGY STAR® 19-22 cu. ft. chest | 350 | 180 | 420 | 63 | 147 | $6.83 | $15.93 |
Household Appliances |
|||||||
Clothes dryer | 5000 | 6 | 28 | 30 | 140 | $3.25 | $15.18 |
Clothes washer | 500 | 7 | 40 | 4 | 20 | $0.38 | $2.17 |
Dehumidifier | 350 | 120 | 720 | 42 | 252 | $4.55 | $27.32 |
Humidifier - portable | 100 | 90 | 300 | 9 | 30 | $0.98 | $3.25 |
Television | |||||||
LED 30" | 50 | 60 | 440 | 3 | 22 | $0.33 | $2.38 |
LED 42" | 80 | 60 | 440 | 5 | 35 | $0.52 | $3.82 |
LED 50" | 100 | 60 | 440 | 6 | 44 | $0.65 | $4.77 |
LCD 50" | 150 | 60 | 440 | 9 | 66 | $0.98 | $7.15 |
Plasma 50" | 300 | 60 | 440 | 18 | 132 | $1.95 | $14.31 |
Lighting | |||||||
Incandescent (60w) | 60 | 17 | 200 | 1 | 12 | $0.11 | $1.30 |
Compact fluorescent (CFL)(60w equivalent) | 13 | 17 | 200 | 0.2 | 3 | $0.02 | $0.28 |
LED (60w equivalent) | 9.5 | 17 | 200 | 0.2 | 2 | $0.02 | $0.21 |
Chandelier (5 lamps, 40w each) | 200 | 8 | 100 | 2 | 20 | $0.17 | $2.17 |
Fluorescent tube (2 tube, 4 ft.) | 96 | 17 | 320 | 2 | 31 | $0.18 | $3.33 |
Christmas lights 1,000 mini incandescent | 408 | 60 | 240 | 24 | 98 | $2.65 | $10.61 |
Christmas lights 1,000 mini LED | 69 | 60 | 240 | 4 | 17 | $0.45 | $1.80 |
Christmas lights 300 C9 incandescent | 2100 | 60 | 240 | 126 | 504 | $13.66 | $54.63 |
Christmas lights 300 C9 LED | 29 | 60 | 240 | 2 | 7 | $0.19 | $0.75 |
Hourly use calculations
Medical Equipment | Approx. wattage | kWh per hour of use | Cost per hour of use | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Oxygen concentrator | 600 | 0.6 | $0.07 | ||||
Sleep apnea machine (CPAP) | 60 | 0.06 | $0.01 | ||||
Computers | |||||||
Desktop computer | 100 | 0.10 | $0.011 | ||||
Laptop | 50 | 0.05 | $0.005 | ||||
Monitor - 17" CRT | 100 | 0.10 | $0.011 | ||||
Monitor - 17" LCD | 35 | 0.04 | $0.004 | ||||
Recording and Gaming Devices | |||||||
Xbox One | 180 | 0.18 | $0.02 | ||||
DVD player | 40 | 0.04 | $0.004 | ||||
DVR | 150 | 0.15 | $0.016 |