What does it cost to run?
A 1,500 W space heater running 8 hours a day uses 12 kWh and costs about $2.33 per day, $70.90 per month, and $850.16 per year at the US average residential rate of 19.4¢/kWh. Pick any appliance and your state below, or see all 37 appliances.
Electricity cost of 37 common appliances
Ranked by monthly cost at typical usage and the US average residential rate of 19.4¢/kWh. Every appliance links to a full page with cost by state, by model power draw, and by how long you actually run it.
| Appliance | Power | Usage | kWh/day | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Air Conditioner | 3,500 W | 8 h/day | 28.00 kWh | $5.43 | $165.44 | $1,983.70 |
| Heat Pump In Heating Mode | 3,000 W | 6 h/day | 18.00 kWh | $3.49 | $106.35 | $1,275.24 |
| Level 2 Ev Charger | 7,200 W | 2 h/day | 14.40 kWh | $2.80 | $85.08 | $1,020.19 |
| Space Heater | 1,500 W | 8 h/day | 12.00 kWh | $2.33 | $70.90 | $850.16 |
| Electric Water Heater | 4,000 W | 3 h/day | 12.00 kWh | $2.33 | $70.90 | $850.16 |
| Level 1 Ev Charger | 1,400 W | 8 h/day | 11.20 kWh | $2.17 | $66.17 | $793.48 |
| Pool Pump | 1,500 W | 6 h/day | 9.00 kWh | $1.75 | $53.18 | $637.62 |
| Window Air Conditioner | 1,000 W | 8 h/day | 8.00 kWh | $1.55 | $47.27 | $566.77 |
| Hot Tub | 200 W | 24 h/day | 4.80 kWh | $0.93 | $28.36 | $340.06 |
| Dehumidifier | 300 W | 8 h/day | 2.40 kWh | $0.47 | $14.18 | $170.03 |
| Heated Aquarium | 100 W | 24 h/day | 2.40 kWh | $0.47 | $14.18 | $170.03 |
| Electric Oven | 2,300 W | 1 h/day | 2.30 kWh | $0.45 | $13.59 | $162.95 |
| Clothes Dryer | 3,000 W | 0.75 h/day | 2.25 kWh | $0.44 | $13.29 | $159.40 |
| Dishwasher | 1,800 W | 1 h/day | 1.80 kWh | $0.35 | $10.64 | $127.52 |
| Refrigerator | 55 W | 24 h/day | 1.32 kWh | $0.26 | $7.80 | $93.52 |
| Chest Freezer | 50 W | 24 h/day | 1.20 kWh | $0.23 | $7.09 | $85.02 |
| Desktop Computer | 200 W | 6 h/day | 1.20 kWh | $0.23 | $7.09 | $85.02 |
| Slow Cooker | 200 W | 6 h/day | 1.20 kWh | $0.23 | $7.09 | $85.02 |
| Electric Blanket | 150 W | 8 h/day | 1.20 kWh | $0.23 | $7.09 | $85.02 |
| Gaming Pc | 350 W | 3 h/day | 1.05 kWh | $0.20 | $6.20 | $74.39 |
| Air Fryer | 1,500 W | 0.5 h/day | 0.75 kWh | $0.15 | $4.43 | $53.13 |
| Box Fan | 75 W | 8 h/day | 0.60 kWh | $0.12 | $3.55 | $42.51 |
| Ceiling Fan | 50 W | 8 h/day | 0.40 kWh | $0.08 | $2.36 | $28.34 |
| Game Console | 120 W | 3 h/day | 0.36 kWh | $0.07 | $2.13 | $25.50 |
| Led Television | 80 W | 4 h/day | 0.32 kWh | $0.06 | $1.89 | $22.67 |
| Laptop | 50 W | 6 h/day | 0.30 kWh | $0.06 | $1.77 | $21.25 |
| Toaster Oven | 1,200 W | 0.25 h/day | 0.30 kWh | $0.06 | $1.77 | $21.25 |
| Incandescent Bulb | 60 W | 5 h/day | 0.30 kWh | $0.06 | $1.77 | $21.25 |
| Clothes Iron | 1,100 W | 0.25 h/day | 0.28 kWh | $0.05 | $1.62 | $19.48 |
| Microwave | 1,000 W | 0.25 h/day | 0.25 kWh | $0.05 | $1.48 | $17.71 |
| Washing Machine | 500 W | 0.5 h/day | 0.25 kWh | $0.05 | $1.48 | $17.71 |
| Wi-Fi Router | 10 W | 24 h/day | 0.24 kWh | $0.05 | $1.42 | $17.00 |
| Coffee Maker | 900 W | 0.25 h/day | 0.23 kWh | $0.04 | $1.33 | $15.94 |
| Hair Dryer | 1,500 W | 0.15 h/day | 0.23 kWh | $0.04 | $1.33 | $15.94 |
| Vacuum Cleaner | 800 W | 0.25 h/day | 0.20 kWh | $0.04 | $1.18 | $14.17 |
| Led Bulb | 9 W | 5 h/day | 0.04 kWh | <$0.01 | $0.27 | $3.19 |
| Phone Charger | 5 W | 2 h/day | 0.01 kWh | <$0.01 | $0.06 | $0.71 |
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Monthly cost at typical usage.
How appliance electricity cost is calculated
cost per day = watts × hours per day ÷ 1,000 × rate per kWh
Worked example — central air conditioner:
3,500 W × 8 h ÷ 1,000 = 28.0 kWh,
and 28.0 kWh × $0.194 = $5.43/day,
about $165.44 per month. Dividing by 1,000 converts watts to kilowatts,
because utilities bill per kilowatt-hour.
Questions
How do you calculate the electricity cost of an appliance?
Multiply the appliance's wattage by the hours it runs per day, divide by 1,000 to get kilowatt-hours (kWh), then multiply by your electricity rate. Example: a 1,500-watt space heater running 8 hours a day uses 12 kWh, which costs about $2.33 per day or $70.90 per month at the US average residential rate of 19.4¢/kWh.
What uses the most electricity in a home?
Heating and cooling almost always lead, followed by water heating, then large appliances like the dryer and oven. At typical usage a central air conditioner costs around $165.44 a month while a refrigerator costs about $7.80 — which is why thermostat habits matter far more than unplugging chargers.
What is a kilowatt-hour (kWh)?
A kilowatt-hour is the unit your utility bills you for: 1,000 watts used for one hour. A 100-watt device running 10 hours uses exactly 1 kWh. Your rate is the price per kWh, printed on your utility bill.
Why is my electric bill so high?
In most homes the answer is heating, cooling, or water heating rather than any single gadget. Add your major appliances to the calculator above to see which ones dominate your own total before changing habits that save only pennies.
Are these costs accurate for my home?
They are careful estimates using typical wattages and your state's average rate. Your actual bill depends on your specific model, how long it really runs, and your utility's tariff, which may include tiered or time-of-use pricing. Enter your own wattage and rate for the closest figure.