Appliance Energy Cost

What an appliance uses and what it costs to run. It settles whether replacing the old one is worth it.

Currency and number format for

Cost a month

—

Cost a month—

Consumption a month—

Consumption a day—

Cost a day—

Consumption a year—

Cost a year—

CO₂ emitted a year—

How this was worked out

The formula

kWh = power (W) ÷ 1,000 × hours of use

Where it comes from

The wattage gives the rate at which it draws power; multiplied by the hours it gives the energy. It is divided by a thousand because bills are in kilowatt hours. Each appliance's power is on its label or its rating plate.

How to work it out by hand

Divide the wattage by 1,000 for kilowatts
Multiply by the hours of use a day
Multiply by the days in the month
Multiply by the price per kWh on your tariff

What is worth knowing

Standby is the invisible cost in any home: a television switched off but plugged in draws between 0.5 and 3 W, and across a whole household that can be 5 % to 10 % of the bill. To find the real draw of an old appliance, a plug-in meter costs very little and tends to surprise: fridges over fifteen years old often use twice what a current one does.

Frequently asked questions

What does a 2,000 W appliance cost to run?

On three hours a day it uses 6 kWh daily, 180 a month. At 0.15 per kWh, around 27 a month.

How do I find an appliance's wattage?

On the label at the back or on the rating plate, given in watts (W).

What does a kWh cost?

It depends on the country, the tariff and the hour. Across Europe it sits around 0.15 to 0.30, with large gaps between peak and off-peak.

How much does an appliance use on standby?

Between 0.5 and 3 W each. Across the whole house that can reach 10 % of the bill.