Ever wondered how much your air conditioner, fridge or space heater actually adds to your electric bill? Tap an appliance below to add it, adjust the watts and slide the hours to match how you use it. The calculator instantly shows the cost per day, month and year, plus a chart of which appliances cost you the most.
⚡ Appliance Energy Cost Calculator
Tap an appliance to add it, then slide the hours to match how you use it. Costs update instantly.
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Estimates only. Wattages are typical values; check your appliance label for its exact rating. Fridges, freezers and AC units cycle on and off, so their defaults use average power draw instead of peak rating.
How to Calculate Appliance Energy Cost
The math is simple once you know three numbers: how many watts the appliance uses, how many hours a day it runs, and what you pay per kilowatt-hour (kWh).
- Step 1: Watts × hours per day ÷ 1,000 = kWh per day
- Step 2: kWh per day × your electricity rate = cost per day
- Step 3: Cost per day × 30 = monthly cost, or × 365 = yearly cost
Example: a 1,500-watt space heater running 4 hours a day uses 6 kWh. At 18 cents per kWh, that’s $1.08 a day, about $32 a month, or roughly $394 a year.
Typical Appliance Running Costs
Here’s what common appliances cost to run at 18 cents per kWh, using typical wattage and daily use:
| Appliance | Typical watts | Daily use | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central air conditioner | 3,500 W | 6 h/day | $114.98 | $1,380 |
| Space heater | 1,500 W | 4 h/day | $32.85 | $394 |
| Electric water heater | 4,000 W | 3 h/day | $65.70 | $788 |
| Clothes dryer | 3,000 W | 1 h/day | $16.43 | $197 |
| Refrigerator (average draw) | 60 W | 24 h/day | $7.88 | $95 |
| Dehumidifier | 500 W | 8 h/day | $21.90 | $263 |
| TV (55-inch LED) | 80 W | 5 h/day | $2.19 | $26 |
| Wi-Fi router | 10 W | 24 h/day | $1.31 | $16 |
| LED light bulb | 9 W | 5 h/day | $0.25 | $3 |
Costs are estimates. Your real numbers depend on your appliance’s exact rating, how often it cycles on and off, and your local electricity rate.
Where to Find Your Electricity Rate
Your rate is printed on your electric bill, usually as “cents per kWh” or a price per kWh in the supply and delivery section. If you can’t find it, divide your total bill by the kWh you used that month. The U.S. Energy Information Administration publishes average residential rates for every state.
How to Lower Your Appliance Energy Costs
- Target the big users first. Heating, cooling and water heating usually make up the largest share of a home’s energy bill. Small cuts there save more than unplugging chargers.
- Use a smart thermostat. Automatic schedules and home/away detection trim heating and cooling costs. Try our Smart Thermostat Savings Calculator to estimate the savings.
- Schedule appliances with smart plugs. A smart plug can switch off space heaters, dehumidifiers and entertainment centers automatically. See our smart plug picks.
- Run heavy appliances off-peak. If your utility has time-of-use rates, run the dryer and dishwasher in the evening or overnight.
- Replace old appliances wisely. An ENERGY STAR refrigerator or heat pump can pay for itself over time if your current model is 10 to 15 years old.
Want to see exactly where every watt goes? A home energy monitor tracks your whole house in real time. For more ideas, read our guide on how to lower your electricity bill and our smart home energy saving tips.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find the wattage of an appliance?
Check the label or nameplate on the back or bottom of the appliance, or look in the manual. If it only lists amps, multiply amps by volts (usually 120V in the US) to get watts. A plug-in energy meter or smart plug with energy monitoring gives you the most accurate real-world number.
Which appliances use the most electricity?
Central air conditioners, electric heaters, electric water heaters, clothes dryers and EV chargers are usually the biggest users. Small devices like routers, LED bulbs and phone chargers cost very little to run.
How much does it cost to run a refrigerator?
A modern refrigerator typically uses about 1 to 2 kWh per day, which is roughly $5 to $11 a month at 18 cents per kWh. Older fridges can use twice as much.
Does leaving things plugged in use electricity?
Yes. Many devices draw standby power even when they’re off, often a few watts each. Across a whole home, that can add up to $50 or more a year. Smart plugs and power strips make it easy to cut standby power.
Is this calculator free?
Yes, it’s completely free with no sign-up. Nothing you enter is saved or sent anywhere. All calculations happen in your browser.
