Most expensive appliances to run
At the US average residential rate of 18.56¢/kWh (March 2026) and typical usage, the most expensive common appliance to run is Electric furnace / strip heat at about $111/month, followed by Electric tankless water heater (~$102/mo) and Electric water heater (tank) (~$76.21/mo). The full ranking of all 36 appliances is below — cost is wattage × hours, so the priciest are high-power devices that also run a lot.
Source: U.S. DOE — Estimating Appliance and Home Electronic Energy Use. Data as of June 2026.
All 36 appliances ranked by monthly cost
| # | Appliance | Typical watts | Cost / month | Cost / year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Electric furnace / strip heat | 15,000 W | $111 | $1,336 |
| 2 | Electric tankless water heater | 18,000 W | $102 | $1,219 |
| 3 | Electric water heater (tank) | 4,500 W | $76.21 | $915 |
| 4 | EV charging (home, Level 2) | 7,200 W | $61.87 | $742 |
| 5 | Heat pump | 3,000 W | $55.68 | $668 |
| 6 | Central air conditioner | 3,500 W | $51.97 | $624 |
| 7 | Hot tub / spa | 1,500 W | $38.67 | $464 |
| 8 | Pool pump | 1,500 W | $33.41 | $401 |
| 9 | Electric space heater | 1,500 W | $22.27 | $267 |
| 10 | Heat-pump water heater | 500 W | $14.11 | $169 |
| 11 | Window air conditioner | 900 W | $13.36 | $160 |
| 12 | Dehumidifier | 500 W | $11.60 | $139 |
| 13 | Well pump | 1,000 W | $11.29 | $135 |
| 14 | Electric clothes dryer | 3,000 W | $9.28 | $111 |
| 15 | Refrigerator | 150 W | $9.28 | $111 |
| 16 | Electric oven / range | 3,000 W | $9.28 | $111 |
| 17 | Gaming desktop PC | 400 W | $9.03 | $108 |
| 18 | Standalone freezer | 100 W | $6.19 | $74.24 |
| 19 | Dishwasher | 1,500 W | $5.80 | $69.60 |
| 20 | Electric stovetop burner | 1,500 W | $5.80 | $69.60 |
| 21 | Electric kettle | 1,500 W | $4.23 | $50.81 |
| 22 | Humidifier | 200 W | $3.71 | $44.54 |
| 23 | Microwave oven | 1,000 W | $2.82 | $33.87 |
| 24 | Television (LED/LCD) | 100 W | $2.82 | $33.87 |
| 25 | Toaster oven | 1,200 W | $2.78 | $33.41 |
| 26 | Washing machine | 700 W | $2.17 | $25.98 |
| 27 | Coffee maker | 1,000 W | $1.69 | $20.32 |
| 28 | Laptop computer | 50 W | $1.69 | $20.32 |
| 29 | Hair dryer | 1,800 W | $1.67 | $20.04 |
| 30 | Sump pump | 800 W | $1.48 | $17.82 |
| 31 | Electric blanket | 100 W | $1.48 | $17.82 |
| 32 | Computer monitor | 35 W | $1.19 | $14.23 |
| 33 | Ceiling fan | 50 W | $1.11 | $13.36 |
| 34 | Toaster | 1,100 W | $0.62 | $7.45 |
| 35 | Clothes iron | 1,100 W | $0.51 | $6.12 |
| 36 | Vacuum cleaner | 1,000 W | $0.46 | $5.57 |
Source: U.S. DOE — Estimating Appliance and Home Electronic Energy Use; EIA US average rate (March 2026). Data as of June 2026.
At each appliance's typical usage hours and the US average 18.56¢/kWh. Estimate — verify with your appliance and rate.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most expensive appliance to run?
At the US average 18.56¢/kWh and typical usage, the most expensive appliances to run here are Electric furnace / strip heat (~$111/mo), Electric tankless water heater (~$102/mo) and Electric water heater (tank) (~$76.21/mo). High wattage combined with many hours of use drives the cost.
Does high wattage mean high cost?
Not by itself — cost is wattage × hours. A 1,800 W hair dryer used 10 minutes a day costs almost nothing, while a 150 W fridge running 24/7 costs more over a month. The biggest bills come from devices that are both high-wattage and run for many hours: heating, cooling, water heating and EV charging.
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Last updated: 2026-06-20