Average Cost to Operate Household Appliances
This data compiled by the Edison Electric Institute in 1988 should be helpful to customers in
approximating their monthly energy bill based on average usage. The average monthly cost is
based on an average household rate of $0.12605 per kilowatt-hour (effective January 1, 2014).
If you have appliances which are not listed, or your average usage is different from that shown on the chart,
you can estimate your monthly cost as shown on the next two pages.
Appliance
Food Preparation
Boiler
Coffee Maker
Deep Fryer
Dishwasher**
Frying Pan
Hot Plate
Microwave Oven
Range : ***
Conventional
Self-Cleaning
Roaster
Sandwich Grille
Toaster
Trash Compactor
Waffle Iron
Food Preservation
Freezer:
Chest - 15-21 cubic foot
Upright - manual defrost
Upright - automatic defrost
Refrigerator:
10-15 cubic foot manual defrost
16-20 cubic foot automatic defrost
Over 20 cubic foot, automatic defrost
Laundry
Dryer
Iron, hand
Washer, automatic**
Water Heater
Water Pump - 3/4 HP
Home Entertainment
Radio
Television:
Black & White - tube type
Black & White - solid state
Color - tube type
Color - solid state
Pool Filter
Lighting
Personal Computer
Rated
Wattage
Monthly
Kilowatt-Hours
Monthly
Cost
1140
894
1448
1200
1196
1200
1450
7
9
7
30
8
7
16
$0.88
$1.13
$0.88
$3.78
$1.01
$0.88
$2.02
12200
12200
1333
1161
1146
400
1200
98
100
5
3
4
4
2
$12.35
$12.61
$0.63
$0.38
$0.50
$0.50
$0.25
110
110
165
$13.87
$13.87
$20.80
58
150
158
$7.31
$18.91
$19.92
4856
1100
512
4500
550
83
5
9
400
35
$10.46
$0.63
$1.13
$50.42
$4.41
71
7
$0.88
100
45
240
145
19
9
44
27
$2.39
$1.13
$5.55
$3.40
583
1000
200
420
304
12
$52.94
$38.32
$1.51
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Average Cost to Operate Household Appliances
Appliance
Health & Beauty
Germicidal Lamp
Hair Dryer:
Cap Type
Gun Type
Heat Lamp - infrared
Sun Lamp
Comfort Conditioning
Air Conditioner:
5,000 BTU/hr
10,000 BTU/hr
Dehumidifier
Fan
Attic
Circulating
Roll Away
Window
Electric Heater
1000 Watts
1500 Watts
Humidifier
Oil Burner
Gun Type
Mobile Home Type
Water Bed
Heat Tape
Block (head bolt) heater, car/truck
Rated
Wattage
Monthly
Kilowatt-Hours
Monthly
Cost
20
12
$1.51
381
1200
250
279
2
5
2
2
$0.25
$0.63
$0.25
$0.25
1500
3000
257
1.5 x no. hrs. used
3.0 x no. hrs. used
31
$3.91
370
88
171
200
25
4
12
15
$3.15
$0.50
$1.51
$1.89
1000
1500
177
450
675
13
$56.72
$85.08
$1.64
250
650
350
156
1200
75
185
40
1.56 x no. hrs. used
1.20 x no. hrs. used
$9.45
$23.32
$5.04
** Does not include water heating cost.
*** Use same figures for separate oven and cook top.
We have listed some of the common items around your home. It is easy to estimate the energy usage
and cost of appliances which are not listed by some simple arithmetic.
1) Find the rated wattage of the appliance from the user's manual or the data plate on the appliance.
The data plate or sticker is often found on the bottom or the back of the appliance.
2) Estimate the monthly hours of use for the appliance.
3) Multiply the rated wattage by the monthly hours of use and then divide by 1000 to find the
monthly kilowatt-hours.
4) Multiply the monthly kilowatt-hours by the cost per kilowatt-hour, currently $0.12605, to find the
monthly cost in dollars.
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Average Cost to Operate Household Appliances
Here is an example:
You have a 1650 watt portable electric heater which you use for 4 hours per day during the winter
months. You can find the cost per month of operating the heater during the winter like this:
1) The rated wattage = 1650.
2) The monthly hours of use = 4 x 30 = 120 hours per month.
3) The monthly kilowatt-hours is:
monthly kilowatt-hours = rated wattage x monthly hours of use/1000 = 1650 x 120/1000 = 198.
4) The monthly cost is:
monthly cost = monthly kilowatt-hours x cost per kilowatt-hour = 198 x $0.12605 = $24.96.
If you have other questions, please fee free to contact the Wolfeboro Municipal Electric Department
at 569-6975.
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