Practical AtlasIndependent reference
ESP
KOR
JPNHS-T03Standalone tool
Appliance energy cost calculator
Compare electricity costs for up to twelve appliances, model daily schedules, and estimate savings with your own rate.
Turn watts into cost.
Build a transparent energy-use scenario from power, time, days, and price.
Compare several appliances or a change in schedule Advanced worksheet +
YOUR ELECTRICITY / WORKSHEET
Find the loads.
Compare the change.
Put several appliances on the same bill. Change their daily schedule and see which difference is worth measuring. Your worksheet stays in this page until you download it.
What makes up the current cost?
If the rate changes
Price-only sensitivity; these are scenarios, not a forecast.
| Price / kWh | Period cost |
|---|
Is a paid change worth it?
Simple payback excludes financing, maintenance, useful life, weather and changes in comfort. Annual figures repeat this daily schedule for 365 days; seasonal loads will differ.
These rows cover only the appliances you entered. Fixed fees, taxes, demand charges, time-of-use tiers and other household loads are excluded. A shorter proposed schedule must still meet the same practical need.
Formula, assumptions and an example you can check
For each row: kWh = watts ÷ 1,000 × quantity × hours per day × duty cycle ÷ 100 × days. Cost = kWh × your price. Internal values are not rounded until display.
An illustrative 1,500 W load running continuously for four hours a day uses 180 kWh over 30 days. At $0.20/kWh, that is $36. Two hours would cost $18 over the same period. This arithmetic is not a recommendation to halve heating time.
The power × time method is described by Virginia Cooperative Extension. Duty cycle and the before/after worksheet are Practical Atlas scenario extensions. Method checked 5 September 2026.
Will an efficiency upgrade pay for itself?
Compare annual electricity use with the upfront cost. Sometimes using less power is worthwhile; sometimes replacing working equipment costs more than it saves.
Illustrative default: saving 250 kWh/year at $0.20/kWh saves $50/year. A $900 replacement takes 18 years to recover its cost.
Simple payback = upfront cost ÷ annual electricity savings. This excludes changing prices, financing, maintenance, resale value, incentives, and equipment failure. A result is not a promise of savings or a recommendation to buy.
How to read EnergyGuide labels · FTC ↗ · Find the right rate on your bill
COMMON WAYS TO ASK
- How much does an appliance cost to run?
- Convert watts to monthly electricity cost
- Estimate appliance kWh
What this calculator tells you.
Convert rated watts and run time into kilowatt-hours, then multiply by the electricity price you enter. Cycling appliances need an observed or estimated duty cycle for a better result.
Run a 1,500 W heater for four hours
Questions people ask next.
Should I use the appliance label wattage?
Label wattage is a useful screening input but may not equal average draw. A plug-in meter or manufacturer energy specification can better represent cycling or variable-load devices.
Which electricity price should I enter?
Use the energy price from your bill if available. Dividing the entire bill by kWh can also include fixed charges that do not rise with one appliance.