Find out exactly what any appliance costs to run — hourly, daily, monthly, and annually.
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Check the label on the back or bottom of the appliance, or look it up in the manual. It's usually listed in watts (W) or kilowatts (kW). For computers, laptops, and monitors, it varies by usage — check the power adapter or use a plug-in energy monitor for accuracy.
UK: approximately 24–29p/kWh (2024). US: approximately 13–16¢/kWh national average, but varies widely by state (Hawaii ~40¢, Louisiana ~10¢). Australia: approximately 25–35¢/kWh. Check your latest bill for your exact rate.
The biggest consumers are typically: electric heating (1,500–3,000W), tumble dryers (2,000–4,000W), ovens (2,000–5,000W), dishwashers (1,200–2,400W), washing machines (500–2,500W), and electric kettles (2,000–3,000W).
Switch to LED bulbs (use 75% less energy), upgrade to A-rated appliances, use a smart thermostat, run dishwashers/washing machines on eco/off-peak cycles, unplug devices on standby, and consider solar panels for long-term savings.
A kilowatt-hour (kWh) is the unit of energy on your electricity bill. It equals 1,000 watts used for one hour. For example, a 100W light bulb running for 10 hours uses 1 kWh.
The Electricity Cost Calculator works out how much it costs to run any electrical appliance — from a refrigerator running 24 hours a day to a kettle used for a few minutes at a time. Enter the appliance's wattage (found on its label or in its manual), how many hours per day you use it, and your electricity rate in pence or cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh). The calculator immediately shows the daily, weekly, monthly, and annual running cost. You can add multiple appliances in one session to build up a full picture of your household electricity spend.
Electricity bills can be confusing because usage is measured in kilowatt-hours — a unit many people rarely think about. One kilowatt-hour equals 1,000 watts used for one hour. So a 2,000-watt (2 kW) electric heater running for one hour uses exactly 2 kWh of electricity. At an average UK rate of around 24p per kWh, that heater costs 48p per hour to run. The same maths applies everywhere — just swap in your local tariff rate. If you are not sure of your rate, it appears on your electricity bill or you can use the average for your country as a starting estimate.
This calculator is especially useful when you are deciding whether to replace an old appliance with a more energy-efficient model, when comparing the cost of electric versus gas heating, or when trying to identify which devices are driving up your bill. High-wattage appliances like tumble dryers, dishwashers, and electric showers tend to dominate household electricity costs even if they run for only short periods each day. Seeing the annual figure often makes the savings from more efficient behaviour or appliance upgrades much more tangible.
Check the label on the back or bottom of the appliance, or look in its user manual. Appliances often show a range (e.g. 800–1200W) — use the higher figure for a worst-case estimate, or the mid-point for typical use.
A kilowatt-hour is the standard unit of electricity on your bill. It equals 1,000 watts of power used for one hour. To convert watts to kilowatts, divide by 1,000. Then multiply by hours of use and your tariff rate to get the cost.
Your electricity rate (in pence or cents per kWh) appears on your energy bill, usually as the "unit rate". In the UK the average in 2024–25 is around 24p/kWh. In the US it varies by state but averages about 16 cents/kWh. If you are on a time-of-use tariff, use your peak or off-peak rate depending on when the appliance runs.
Yes. Enter your EV charger's wattage (e.g. 7,400W for a 7.4 kW home charger), set the hours to however long a typical charge session lasts, and enter your electricity rate. The result shows the cost per session — multiply by the number of sessions per week to get your weekly cost.
The calculator focuses on the unit cost of electricity used (pence/kWh × kWh consumed). Standing charges are a fixed daily fee that apply regardless of usage and are best added separately when budgeting your total bill.