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Appliance Energy Cost Calculator

Annual cost and energy for an appliance, including duty cycling, unit count, and standby draw.

Inputs

Appliance

Nameplate or measured running watts. Refrigerator 150, dishwasher 1800, dryer 5000, space heater 1500.

How many identical units you run.

Hours the appliance is actively used each day it runs.

Some appliances run daily (fridge); laundry might run two or three days a week.

Share of the running time the compressor or element is actually energized. A refrigerator averages roughly 30-40%.

Phantom draw when idle: set-top boxes, chargers, TVs with instant-on. Typically a few watts each, 24 hours a day.

Rate

Your all-in rate, or the marginal tier rate this load falls into.

Result

Cost per year
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Cost per day
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Cost per month
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Energy per year
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Average draw around the clock
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Energy per day
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Standby share per day
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What to check

  • Running watts from the nameplate or a plug-in meter, not from a generic table.
  • Duty cycle: thermostatically controlled loads (fridge, AC, heat pump) average far less than their running watts.
  • Days per week: laundry and dishwashing rarely run daily.
  • Standby draw of always-on electronics, which runs 24 hours a day and is easy to miss.
  • Whether the marginal tier or time-of-use rate applies to this load rather than your average rate.

Related calculators

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BTU to Tonnage Converter

Convert cooling capacity between BTU/hr, tons, and kW, estimate the load from floor area, and get the half-ton equipment size and electrical draw.

Open calculator
Estimate from the running watts, schedule, and duty cycle you enter. It does not model compressor inrush, cycling behavior below the setpoint, or the marginal tier the load falls into. Use a plug-in meter for a decision.

Saved calculations

Keep the assumptions with the result.

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