Appliance Electricity Cost Calculator
Energy is load watts × hours ÷ 1,000. For the EIA 70 W refrigerator average, 70 W × 24 hours/day × 30 days ÷ 1,000 = 50.4 kWh. Enter the price per kWh from your bill to turn that energy into a cost. We do not publish a default national rate because utility prices vary and change.
Energy (kWh) = load watts × hours ÷ 1,000. Cost = kWh × price per kWh.
The 70 W preset is a cycling, day-long average, so 24 hours per day is usually the right input. For a continuous heater or a lamp, enter the hours it is actually on. Running-watt and label-example presets show a note in the calculator.
Calculate energy and cost
Use average watts for a cycling load, or enter the watts printed on a running appliance label. The price field stays blank until you read a rate from your bill.
Your electricity estimate
Enter finite values of zero or more for watts, hours, and days. The calculated energy must be finite.
- Energy for this period
- Check inputs
- Cost for this period
- Enter a rate
- Annual EnergyGuide figure
This preset is a running-watt or label-example input, not a day-long cycling average. Enter the hours this load is actually on. For a cycling refrigerator or freezer average, 24 hours per day is usually the right period input.
CPAP estimate: not medical advice or a UPS rating. Use your own manual and plan backup with your clinician.
This is arithmetic from the inputs and cited preset data, not a measurement of your appliance. A bill’s fixed charges, taxes, tiered rates, and time-of-use rules are not included.
Inputs stay in this page’s URL, not an account. Copying a link shares the numbers and selected preset. Do not include private or medical details.
Worked example: 50.4 kWh in 30 days
EIA’s 2020 RECS Table CE5.3b gives the most-used refrigerator figure used by the default preset: 617 kWh/year, or 617 ÷ 8,760 × 1,000 ≈ 70 W average.
- Period energy: 70 W × 24 × 30 ÷ 1,000 = 50.4 kWh.
- If the rate on your bill is $0.15 per kWh, cost is 50.4 × 0.15 = $7.56.
The $0.15 figure is arithmetic only, not a typical or official US rate. Replace it with the rate on your bill. Fixed charges, taxes, tiered prices, and time-of-use periods can make the bill total different.
Use an EnergyGuide annual kWh figure when you have one
For an annual label value, the calculator shows the annual cost at your entered rate and converts the label to an implied average:
Cost per year ≈ annual kWh × price per kWh
Average W ≈ annual kWh ÷ 8,760 × 1,000
Annual kWh includes cycling under the label’s rating conditions. It is usually a better model-specific energy input than a generic preset. It still does not tell you the compressor’s starting watts or guarantee the appliance will use that amount during an outage.
Find a rate without turning it into a national default
Use the usage section of your bill first. If you need a published benchmark, the EIA Electric Power Monthly and its average retail price table are lookup sources. The calculator does not fill either source’s number automatically, because your utility, plan, location, season, and fees may differ.
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Sources for presets and rate lookup
- US EIA 2020 RECS Table CE5.3b, revised March 2024. The 617 kWh/year most-used refrigerator figure behind the 70 W average.
- ENERGY STAR Certified Residential Refrigerators dataset. Certified refrigerator annual-use figures used in the refrigerator presets.
- ENERGY STAR Certified Residential Freezers dataset. Certified freezer annual-use figures used in the freezer presets.
- Honda wattage estimation guide. Running-watt refrigerator, window AC, and heater presets, not day-long averages.
- ResMed AirSense 11 Americas user guide. Published CPAP power figures, not medical advice or a UPS rating.
- EIA Electric Power Monthly and average retail price table. Lookup sources only; no rate from them is typed into the calculator by default.
Related calculators and guides
- Refrigerator runtime: average energy versus compressor starts.
- Chest-freezer runtime: annual kWh and low average loads.
- What can a 1000 Wh power station run during an outage?
- Window AC and space-heater runtime: high running loads and starting limits.
- Battery runtime calculator: convert average watts and battery Wh to hours.
Frequently asked questions
How do I read the electricity rate on my bill?
Look for a supply, generation, delivery, or usage charge stated in dollars per kWh or cents per kWh. If your bill shows cents per kWh, divide cents by 100 before entering it here. Keep fixed monthly charges, taxes, and other fees separate because this calculator multiplies energy by the rate you enter.
Why does the refrigerator preset use 24 hours per day?
The EIA refrigerator preset is a day-long average converted from 617 kWh/year: 617 ÷ 8,760 × 1,000 ≈ 70 W. Its compressor cycles, so 70 W already spreads energy across on and off time. A heater or lamp preset is a running or label figure, so use the hours it is actually on instead.
How is an EnergyGuide annual kWh figure different from watts?
Annual kWh is energy over a year under the label’s rating conditions. Convert it to an average with average W ≈ annual kWh ÷ 8,760 × 1,000. For example, 617 kWh/year is about 70 W average. That average does not replace a separate check of a compressor’s starting watts.