Calculate how much it costs to run any appliance or device. Enter the wattage, hours of daily use, and your electricity rate to see the cost breakdown.
Check the label on your appliance
Check your utility bill
Daily Usage
4.00 kWh
Daily Cost
$0.64
Monthly Cost
$19.20
Yearly Cost
$233.60
Monthly: $19.20
Estimated monthly costs with seasonal variation
Jan
$22
Feb
$20
Mar
$18
Apr
$16
May
$15
Jun
$17
Jul
$23
Aug
$24
Sep
$21
Oct
$17
Nov
$18
Dec
$21
How your appliance compares at $0.16/kWh
Reduce usage by 2 hours/day
Save ~$9.60/month ($115/year)
Switch to ENERGY STAR model (30% savings)
Save ~$5.76/month ($69/year)
Use a smart plug with scheduling
Save ~$2.88/month ($35/year)
Shift to off-peak hours (if TOU rate)
Save ~$3.84/month ($46/year)
How much you'd pay with the same usage at different rates
Based on your medium energy usage level
LED bulbs use 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs.
Automatically adjust temperature when you're away to save 10-15%.
Devices on standby can account for 10% of your electricity use.
CO2 emissions based on average US grid (0.92 lbs CO2/kWh)
The cost to run an appliance depends on three factors: its power consumption (watts), how long you use it (hours), and your electricity rate ($/kWh). The formula is straightforward: multiply watts by hours to get watt-hours, divide by 1,000 to convert to kWh, then multiply by your rate. Knowing the cost of individual appliances helps you identify the biggest energy hogs in your home and find opportunities to save.
Check the label on the appliance itself, usually on the back or bottom. It may list watts directly or show amps and volts (watts = amps × volts). You can also look up the model's specifications online or use a plug-in power meter for an exact reading.
A kilowatt-hour is a unit of energy equal to using 1,000 watts for one hour. Your electricity company charges per kWh. For example, a 100W light bulb running for 10 hours uses 1 kWh of electricity.
The average US residential electricity rate is about $0.16 per kWh, but rates vary widely by state. Hawaii has the highest rates (over $0.30/kWh) while states like Louisiana and Idaho have some of the lowest (under $0.12/kWh).
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