What does an appliance cost to run?
Use your appliance's measured or rated power and the variable price on your own electricity bill. Adjust the average operating load rather than assuming every appliance draws its rated watts continuously.
Electricity estimate
No account, no data saved. Values below are examples, not typical appliance specifications or a local electricity price.
$2.43 per average month · 145.60 kWh/year · 12.13 kWh/month.
Formula and worked example
Weekly kWh = watts ÷ 1,000 × hours per active day × days per week × average load percentage ÷ 100. Annual kWh = weekly kWh × 52; average monthly kWh = annual kWh ÷ 12. Multiply kWh by your variable electricity rate in dollars per kWh to estimate usage charges. This uses a 52-week planning year, not a calendar-year meter reading.
Example: 100 watts × 4 hours/day × 7 days/week at 100% operating load equals 145.6 kWh in 52 weeks. At an illustrative $0.20/kWh, that is $29.12 annually, or $2.43 per average month.
How to choose inputs
Read the wattage on the appliance label or manual, or use an appropriate electricity monitor when safe and compatible. Rated power is not always average draw: refrigerators, heating equipment and appliances with cycling motors or multiple modes vary. If your appliance lists kWh per year or per cycle, that measured or standardized consumption can be more useful than rated watts multiplied by hours.
Enter your own applicable energy charge from the utility bill. Time-of-use tiers, demand charges, taxes, fixed service fees and other bill components are not modeled. The estimate is not your full electric bill and does not guarantee savings. Never open electrical equipment or modify wiring to measure power.
Sources: U.S. Department of Energy — estimating appliance energy use and U.S. Energy Information Administration — why electricity rates vary.
Related planning: maintenance budget calculator and all calculators.