This appliance electricity cost calculator page is a reference database of typical wattage for 50+ household appliances. A reference database of typical wattage for more than 50 household appliances, organized by room. Find yours below, then use the linked guide to calculate what it actually costs to run on your own electricity rate.
Most of the wattage figures in this database come from a DOE-developed appliance energy table reproduced by Virginia Cooperative Extension (source). Appliance types that table doesn't cover, marked with an asterisk below, come from Jackery's appliance wattage reference chart, a commercial source rather than a government one — each of those is also labeled as an estimate on its own guide page. Every figure is a typical range, not a measurement of your specific unit; the actual wattage printed on your appliance's nameplate or spec sheet will always be more accurate than a table average. We review this database periodically and update it if a source changes; last checked September 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Where do these wattage figures come from?
Most come from a DOE-developed appliance energy table reproduced by Virginia Cooperative Extension. A smaller number of appliance types that table doesn't cover come from a commercial wattage reference chart instead, and those rows are marked with an asterisk and called out in the sourcing note above the table.
Why does my appliance use more or less than the number shown here?
These are typical ranges across many models, not a measurement of your exact unit. Size, age, efficiency rating, and settings all shift the real number. The wattage printed on your appliance's nameplate, or listed in its manual or spec sheet, will always be more accurate than a table average.
How do I turn a wattage figure into a cost?
Multiply watts by hours used per day, divide by 1,000 to get kWh, then multiply by your electricity rate per kWh. Each appliance guide linked above has a built-in calculator that does this automatically once you enter your own rate.
What's the difference between running watts and starting watts?
Running watts is what an appliance draws once it's operating normally. Some appliances, especially anything with a motor or compressor (a refrigerator, a pool pump, an air conditioner), briefly draw several times their running wattage for a second or two when they first switch on. That starting spike matters for sizing a generator or circuit, but it's brief enough that it barely affects your monthly cost, so the calculators on this site use running watts.
This database lists typical wattage ranges for reference and is not a measurement of any specific appliance. Check your own appliance's nameplate or spec sheet for its actual wattage where precision matters.