How much does it cost to run common appliances?
At the U.S. home price of 17.30 cents per kWh, the heaviest here, a heat pump (heating), costs $869 a year and the lightest, a laptop, $2.30. The same unit costs 3.4 times more to run in Hawaii (40.59 ¢) than in North Dakota (11.81 ¢). We list an appliance only when an open source gives its energy use.
Pick an appliance
- A heat pump (heating)$869.48 a year at the U.S. price5,026 kWh a year
- Central air conditioning$360.17 a year at the U.S. price2,082 kWh a year
- A heat pump water heater$204.31 a year at the U.S. price1,181 kWh a year
- A pool pump$184.91 a year at the U.S. price1,069 kWh a year
- An electric clothes dryer$105.18 a year at the U.S. price608 kWh a year
- A window air conditioner$92.04 a year at the U.S. price532 kWh a year
- A refrigerator$79.06 a year at the U.S. price457 kWh a year
- A freezer$75.77 a year at the U.S. price438 kWh a year
- A dehumidifier$58.82 a year at the U.S. price340 kWh a year
- A dishwasher$41.35 a year at the U.S. price239 kWh a year
- An electric range$33.73 a year at the U.S. price195 kWh a year
- A TV$31.85 a year at the U.S. price184 kWh a year
- An air purifier$26.30 a year at the U.S. price152 kWh a year
- A clothes washer$19.03 a year at the U.S. price110 kWh a year
- A desktop computer$8.23 a year at the U.S. price48 kWh a year
- A computer monitor$7.78 a year at the U.S. price45 kWh a year
- A ceiling fan$7.42 a year at the U.S. price43 kWh a year
- A laptop$2.30 a year at the U.S. price13 kWh a year
- Any device, from its wattsEnter watts and hours
Compared in one table
| a heat pump (heating) | 5,026 | 4,560 to 5,415 | $869.48 | $593.56 | $2,040.01 | 49,164 | Our scenario hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| central air conditioning | 2,082 | 1,602 to 2,248 | $360.17 | $245.88 | $845.05 | 55,876 | Our scenario hours |
| a heat pump water heater | 1,181 | 846 to 1,387 | $204.31 | $139.48 | $479.37 | 602 | ENERGY STAR annual kWh |
| a pool pump | 1,069 | 660 to 1,733 | $184.91 | $126.23 | $433.84 | 423 | Our scenario hours |
| an electric clothes dryer | 608 | 266 to 608 | $105.18 | $71.80 | $246.79 | 477 | ENERGY STAR annual kWh |
| a window air conditioner | 532 | 375 to 900 | $92.04 | $62.83 | $215.94 | 523 | ENERGY STAR annual kWh |
| a refrigerator | 457 | 297 to 685 | $79.06 | $53.97 | $185.50 | 2,980 | ENERGY STAR annual kWh |
| a freezer | 438 | 355 to 526 | $75.77 | $51.73 | $177.78 | 506 | ENERGY STAR annual kWh |
| a dehumidifier | 340 | 181 to 526 | $58.82 | $40.15 | $138.01 | 559 | ENERGY STAR annual kWh |
| a dishwasher | 239 | 220 to 240 | $41.35 | $28.23 | $97.01 | 761 | ENERGY STAR annual kWh |
| an electric range | 195 | 188 to 195 | $33.73 | $23.03 | $79.15 | 260 | ENERGY STAR annual kWh |
| a TV | 184 | 66 to 320 | $31.85 | $21.74 | $74.73 | 183 | ENERGY STAR annual kWh |
| an air purifier | 152 | 55 to 346 | $26.30 | $17.95 | $61.70 | 247 | ENERGY STAR annual kWh |
| a clothes washer | 110 | 75 to 170 | $19.03 | $12.99 | $44.65 | 412 | ENERGY STAR annual kWh |
| a desktop computer | 48 | 22 to 85 | $8.23 | $5.62 | $19.32 | 428 | ENERGY STAR annual kWh |
| a computer monitor | 45 | 32 to 91 | $7.78 | $5.31 | $18.25 | 1,599 | ENERGY STAR annual kWh |
| a ceiling fan | 43 | 27 to 64 | $7.42 | $5.07 | $17.42 | 1,463 | Our scenario hours |
| a laptop | 13 | 9 to 19 | $2.30 | $1.57 | $5.40 | 1,197 | ENERGY STAR annual kWh |
Costs = median kWh × home price 2025. Hours-based items use our labelled scenario hours.
CSVMap: where power for any appliance costs most
- 11.8 ¢ to 13.2 ¢
- 13.2 ¢ to 15.0 ¢
- 15.0 ¢ to 16.2 ¢
- 16.2 ¢ to 22.9 ¢
- 22.9 ¢ to 40.6 ¢
Every appliance cost scales with this price.
Method
Cost = kWh × price (DOE Energy Saver formula: watts × hours ÷ 1,000 × days × rate). For annual-kWh appliances the kWh is the median of ENERGY STAR certified models as listed on 2 Oct 2026; for hours-based ones the watts are the median of listed models and the hours are labelled scenarios. Prices are EIA 2025 annual averages for home customers. Certified models only: an older unit usually uses more. Energy only, no fixed charges.
Sources and dates
| Source | Period | Retrieved | Licence | Used for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENERGY STAR Certified products datasets (data.energystar.gov) | lists as of the download date | 2 Oct 2026 | U.S. government data (EPA and DOE), public domain; cite ENERGY STAR | Annual kWh and watts per model |
| EIA electricity retail sales, annual and monthly (API v2) | annual 2010 to 2025, monthly to Jul 2026 | 1 Oct 2026 | U.S. government data, public domain; cite EIA | Home price 2025 |
| DOE Energy Saver: Estimating Appliance and Home Electronic Energy Use | formula | 2 Oct 2026 | U.S. government publication, public domain | Cost formula |
All other site sources, with join keys: data sources.
Keep reading
Questions
What is the most expensive appliance to run?
Of the ones listed, a heat pump (heating): about $869 a year at the U.S. price.
What is the cheapest?
A laptop: about $2.30 a year.
Where do the kWh numbers come from?
ENERGY STAR certified product lists (EPA and DOE open data) and DOE's formula; each page says which column and how many models.
Why are some appliances missing?
Space heaters, microwaves, hot tubs, routers and phone chargers have no open dataset of ours with their energy use; use the generic watts calculator.
Which state is the most expensive appliances in?
Hawaii at 40.59 cents per kWh; cheapest is North Dakota at 11.81.
Do the numbers include my fixed monthly charge?
No. They are energy only at EIA's state average price.
Are the hours-based appliances measured?
No: the wattage is from the listing and the hours are labelled scenarios that you can change.
Can I download this?
Yes, each table has a CSV button.