What appliance costs the most to run?

Among the 36 appliances here, the biggest annual energy users at typical usage are Electric furnace / strip heat, Electric tankless water heater and Electric water heater (tank). Heating, cooling, water heating and EV charging dominate most home electricity bills.

How much does the average appliance cost to run?

It depends entirely on its wattage and how long it runs. At the US average 18.56¢/kWh, a 1,500 W device run 1 hour a day costs about $8.35/month, while the same device run 8 hours a day costs roughly 8× that. Use the calculator with your own rate and hours.

Appliance running costs

This is the index of 36 common household appliances with their typical wattage, annual energy use and the cost to run each at the US average residential rate of 18.56¢/kWh. The table below ranks every appliance from the biggest energy user down. Tap any appliance for cost tables at low/average/high usage and at several state rates, plus tips to cut it. Wattages are typical DOE/ENERGY STAR figures — your model may differ.

Source: U.S. DOE — Estimating Appliance and Home Electronic Energy Use. Data as of June 2026.

Every appliance ranked by annual energy use

Appliance	Typical watts	Annual energy	Cost/mo @ 18.56¢
Electric furnace / strip heat	15,000 W	7,200 kWh	$111
Electric tankless water heater	18,000 W	6,570 kWh	$102
Electric water heater (tank)	4,500 W	4,928 kWh	$76.21
EV charging (home, Level 2)	7,200 W avg	4,000 kWh	$61.87
Heat pump	3,000 W	3,600 kWh	$55.68
Central air conditioner	3,500 W	3,360 kWh	$51.97
Hot tub / spa	1,500 W avg	2,500 kWh	$38.67
Pool pump	1,500 W	2,160 kWh	$33.41
Electric space heater	1,500 W	1,440 kWh	$22.27
Heat-pump water heater	500 W	913 kWh	$14.11
Window air conditioner	900 W	864 kWh	$13.36
Dehumidifier	500 W	750 kWh	$11.60
Well pump	1,000 W	730 kWh	$11.29
Electric clothes dryer	3,000 W	600 kWh	$9.28
Refrigerator	150 W avg	600 kWh	$9.28
Electric oven / range	3,000 W	600 kWh	$9.28
Gaming desktop PC	400 W	584 kWh	$9.03
Standalone freezer	100 W avg	400 kWh	$6.19
Dishwasher	1,500 W	375 kWh	$5.80
Electric stovetop burner	1,500 W	375 kWh	$5.80
Electric kettle	1,500 W	274 kWh	$4.23
Humidifier	200 W	240 kWh	$3.71
Microwave oven	1,000 W	183 kWh	$2.82
Television (LED/LCD)	100 W	183 kWh	$2.82
Toaster oven	1,200 W	180 kWh	$2.78
Washing machine	700 W	140 kWh	$2.17
Laptop computer	50 W	110 kWh	$1.69
Coffee maker	1,000 W	110 kWh	$1.69
Hair dryer	1,800 W	108 kWh	$1.67
Sump pump	800 W	96 kWh	$1.48
Electric blanket	100 W	96 kWh	$1.48
Computer monitor	35 W	77 kWh	$1.19
Ceiling fan	50 W	72 kWh	$1.11
Toaster	1,100 W	40 kWh	$0.62
Clothes iron	1,100 W	33 kWh	$0.51
Vacuum cleaner	1,000 W	30 kWh	$0.46

Source: U.S. DOE — Estimating Appliance and Home Electronic Energy Use; ENERGY STAR product specifications; EIA US average rate (March 2026). Data as of June 2026.

Annual energy and monthly cost use each appliance's typical hours/days of use (see its page). Estimate — verify with your appliance label and bill.