Appliance Electricity Cost Calculator

What an appliance costs to run: watts × hours of use × your electricity rate, per day, month and year, with optional standby power.

From the nameplate or manual (watts = volts × amps if only amps are listed). Appliances that cycle, such as fridges, draw full power only part of the time; enter running hours, or use the ENERGY STAR / EnergyGuide kWh per year instead.
h/day
days/yr
For example 365 for daily use, about 150 for a seasonal heater, or 52 for once a week.
Many plugged-in devices draw a few watts while switched off. Leave at 0 to ignore.
$per kWh
Example rate — enter your own. Use your bill’s total charges ÷ kWh for an all-in rate. EIA publishes average residential prices by state.
Your rate is remembered on this device.
Cost per year
$372.30
Cost per month (average)
$31.03
Cost per day of use
$1.02
Running cost on a day it is used, excluding standby.
Cost per hour of running
$0.26
Energy per year
2,190.0
Of which while running
$372.30
Of which standby
$0.00

Estimate generated with SortedSums: https://sortedsums.com/appliance-energy-cost-calculator/. For informational purposes only; verify before relying on it.

Estimate only. This tool is for informational and educational purposes. Results depend on your inputs and simplifying assumptions, and are not a substitute for professional engineering, design or financial advice. Always verify with a qualified professional and applicable codes before purchasing, building or making decisions.

How it’s calculated

Energy is power multiplied by time. Dividing watts by 1,000 gives kilowatts, and kilowatts × hours gives the kilowatt-hours (kWh) your utility bills.

kWh per year = watts × hours per day × days per year ÷ 1000 Standby kWh = standby watts × (8760 − hours of use) ÷ 1000 Cost = kWh × rate ($/kWh)

Example (default example rate): a 1,500 W space heater used 4 h a day, every day. 1,500 × 4 × 365 ÷ 1000 = 2,190 kWh per year × $0.17 = $372.30 per year ($31.03 per month, $1.02 per day, $0.255 per hour).

Nameplate watts are a maximum. Thermostat-controlled appliances (heaters, fridges, air conditioners) cycle on and off, so real use is often lower; a plug-in energy meter or the ENERGY STAR / EnergyGuide label gives a better figure. Bills also add fixed charges, taxes and tiered or time-of-use pricing that this estimate ignores.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find an appliance’s wattage?

Look for the nameplate on the back or bottom, or in the manual. If it lists only amps, multiply by the voltage (120 V for most U.S. outlets): watts ≈ volts × amps.

What electricity rate should I use?

Divide the total on your bill by the kWh used to get an all-in rate. The U.S. average residential price is published monthly by the EIA, broken down by state.

How much does standby power cost?

A device drawing 5 W around the clock uses 5 × 8,760 ÷ 1000 = 43.8 kWh a year, about $7.45 at $0.17/kWh.

Why is my fridge cheaper than this says?

A refrigerator’s compressor runs only part of the time. Enter the hours it actually runs, or take the yearly kWh from its EnergyGuide label and multiply by your rate.

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Sources

Formulas are taken from the free public references above. Results are provided “as is” for informational and educational purposes only. See our disclaimer.

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