How much does it cost to run?
What 87 household appliances cost to run per hour, at this winter's UK price cap and the US average. Each links to a page with the cost per night, per day and per month.
Christmas lights: LED or the old bulbs?
A tree with 500 lights on for six hours a day through December costs about £1.71 with LEDs and £9.99 with incandescent bulbs in the UK ($1.19 and $6.96 in the US). LED lights · incandescent lights.
Every appliance
Fridges, freezers and cooling
| Appliance | UK per hour | US per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Mini fridge | 0.55p | 0.45¢ |
| Desk fan | 0.66p | 0.46¢ |
| Under-counter fridge | 0.67p | 0.55¢ |
| Bait freezer (small chest) | 0.89p | 0.62¢ |
| Chest freezer | 1.1p | 0.88¢ |
| Fridge-freezer (full size) | 1.1p | 0.96¢ |
| Pedestal fan | 1.3p | 0.92¢ |
| Ceiling fan | 1.6p | 1.1¢ |
| Box fan | 2p | 1.4¢ |
| Window air conditioner, 5,000 BTU | 9.2p | 6.4¢ |
| Window air conditioner, 8,000 BTU | 13p | 9¢ |
| Portable air conditioner, 8,000 BTU | 17p | 12¢ |
| Window air conditioner, 12,000 BTU | 20p | 14¢ |
Medical
| Appliance | UK per hour | US per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Medication fridge (insulin) | 0.36p | 0.25¢ |
| Electric breast pump | 0.63p | 0.44¢ |
| CPAP (no humidifier) | 0.79p | 0.55¢ |
| BiPAP / VPAP | 1.2p | 0.83¢ |
| CPAP with heated humidifier | 1.3p | 0.94¢ |
| Nebuliser | 3.4p | 2.4¢ |
| Mobility scooter charger | 4.7p | 3.3¢ |
| Electric wheelchair charger | 5.3p | 3.7¢ |
| Oxygen concentrator (5 L/min) | 9.2p | 6.4¢ |
Kitchen
| Appliance | UK per hour | US per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Slow cooker | 3.3p | 2.3¢ |
| Rice cooker | 6.6p | 4.6¢ |
| Blender | 13p | 9.2¢ |
| Pod coffee machine (Nespresso) | 17p | 11¢ |
| Filter coffee maker | 19p | 15¢ |
| Electric skillet | 19p | 13¢ |
| Toaster | 26p | 22¢ |
| Air fryer | 28p | 19¢ |
| Microwave, 700 W output | 29p | 20¢ |
| Portable induction hob | 38p | 22¢ |
| Microwave, 1,000 W output | 39p | 28¢ |
| Electric kettle | 79p | 28¢ |
Heating
| Appliance | UK per hour | US per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Electric blanket | 0.55p | 0.39¢ |
| Heated throw | 1.1p | 0.73¢ |
| Gas combi boiler (its electrics) | 1.3p | 0.94¢ |
| Gas furnace (blower and controls) | 7.9p | 5.5¢ |
| Space heater, 750 W | 20p | 14¢ |
| Oil-filled radiator | 24p | 17¢ |
| Space heater, 1,500 W | 39p | 28¢ |
| Space heater, 2,000 W | 53p | 37¢ |
| Fan heater | 53p | 28¢ |
TV and entertainment
| Appliance | UK per hour | US per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Switch (docked) | 0.47p | 0.33¢ |
| TV, 32 inch LED | 1.2p | 0.83¢ |
| TV, 43 inch LED | 1.8p | 1.3¢ |
| TV, 55 inch LED | 2.9p | 2¢ |
| TV, 65 inch LED | 3.9p | 2.8¢ |
| Games console (PS5) | 5.3p | 3.7¢ |
| Projector | 6.6p | 4.6¢ |
Work and connectivity
| Appliance | UK per hour | US per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi router | 0.26p | 0.18¢ |
| Phone charging | 0.32p | 0.22¢ |
| Tablet charging | 0.66p | 0.46¢ |
| Camera battery charger | 0.66p | 0.46¢ |
| MacBook Air | 0.79p | 0.55¢ |
| Monitor, 27 inch | 0.79p | 0.55¢ |
| Starlink Mini | 0.79p | 0.55¢ |
| Laptop (mains charger) | 1.4p | 1¢ |
| Laptop over USB-C | 1.6p | 1.1¢ |
| Cordless drill charger | 1.6p | 1.1¢ |
| Starlink (Standard dish) | 2p | 1.4¢ |
| Drone battery charger | 2.1p | 1.5¢ |
| Gaming laptop | 4.7p | 3.3¢ |
| Desktop PC | 6.6p | 4.6¢ |
| Angle grinder | 7.1p | 5¢ |
| Circular saw | 11p | 7.7¢ |
Camping and van life
| Appliance | UK per hour | US per hour |
|---|---|---|
| LED camping lights | 0.26p | 0.18¢ |
| Festoon / string lights | 0.39p | 0.28¢ |
| 12 V compressor cool box (Dometic CFX5, Alpicool) | 0.47p | 0.33¢ |
| Car fridge (12 V, 40 L) | 0.47p | 0.33¢ |
| Heated jacket battery | 0.53p | 0.37¢ |
| Heated blanket, 12 V | 0.59p | 0.41¢ |
| Thermoelectric cool box | 1.3p | 0.88¢ |
| E-bike charger | 3.9p | 2.8¢ |
Around the house
| Appliance | UK per hour | US per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Baby monitor | 0.16p | 0.11¢ |
| Aquarium, 100 litre | 0.63p | 0.44¢ |
| Hair straighteners | 0.63p | 0.44¢ |
| LED Christmas tree lights (500 bulbs) | 0.92p | 0.64¢ |
| Garden inflatable (Christmas or Halloween) | 1.3p | 0.92¢ |
| Dehumidifier, 12 L/day | 3.9p | 2.8¢ |
| Well pump (1/2 hp) | 5.3p | 3.7¢ |
| Cordless mower battery charger | 5.3p | 3.7¢ |
| Incandescent Christmas tree lights (500 bulbs) | 5.4p | 3.7¢ |
| Sump pump | 6.3p | 4.4¢ |
| Heated clothes airer | 7.9p | 5.5¢ |
| Hair dryer | 47p | 28¢ |
| Electric car (3-pin "granny" charger) | 61p | 26¢ |
UK prices use the Ofgem price cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026 (direct debit, average across England, Scotland and Wales, with no VAT on electricity this winter): 26.32p per kWh (Ofgem). The standing charge of 54.83p a day is paid whatever you run, so it is left out. US prices use the US average residential price for June 2026 from the Energy Information Administration: 18.34¢ per kWh (EIA). Your own tariff is on your bill; scale the figures by it.
Measure your own
The only exact answer for your appliance and your tariff is a plug-in energy monitor.