Appliance running cost calculator
Work out what an appliance costs to run from its power, your routine and a UK or Australian electricity rate.
After you calculate
See your appliance running costs
Add your appliance power, usage routine and electricity price, then calculate to see your results.
Annual appliance cost
Shown after calculationMonthly average
Shown after calculationElectricity use
Cost by period
Full calculation
Uses your entered power and running pattern; standing charges are excluded.
Understand your estimate
How it works
Use the appliance's electrical input watts, running hours, days used per week and duty cycle. Choose a published electricity rate or enter the tax-inclusive price from your bill.
The result compares one appliance's energy and cost per switched-on hour, use day, week, average month and year.
A bill's kWh figure is energy used over time. Watts describe the power at one moment. Keep these separate when choosing your inputs. If the appliance has several modes, calculate each mode with its own power and hours, then add the results.
- Choose the power
Use your own watts or a preset for the exact named model.
- Set the routine
Enter hours per use day, days per week and the share of time at that power.
- Read the costs
Compare the energy and cost for each time period.
- Use a plug-in meter for average consumption when power changes with cycling or settings.
- Model presets apply only to the named model and setting.
- For measured average watts, enter 100% duty cycle so cycling is not counted twice.
A few good questions
Before youget started.
Understand this calculator, the figures to enter and the limits of your estimate.
Sources
- AER Default market offer 2026-27 final determination, appendix C, section 9(1), printed page 118Checked on 12 October 2026
- ESC Victorian Default Offer 2026-27 price determination, Schedule 1, printed page 9Checked on 12 October 2026
- MeacoFan 1056 manufacturer specificationsChecked on 12 October 2026
- Last checked
- 13 October 2026
- Rates as of
- 1 July 2026
EnergySums
Appliance running cost calculator
Australia · How it works
- Guide updated
- 13 October 2026
- Rates as of
- 1 July 2026
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Guide updated | 13 October 2026 |
| Rates as of | 1 July 2026 |
How it works
Use the appliance's electrical input watts, running hours, days used per week and duty cycle. Choose a published electricity rate or enter the tax-inclusive price from your bill.
The result compares one appliance's energy and cost per switched-on hour, use day, week, average month and year.
A bill's kWh figure is energy used over time. Watts describe the power at one moment. Keep these separate when choosing your inputs. If the appliance has several modes, calculate each mode with its own power and hours, then add the results.
- Choose the power
Use your own watts or a preset for the exact named model.
- Set the routine
Enter hours per use day, days per week and the share of time at that power.
- Read the costs
Compare the energy and cost for each time period.
- Use a plug-in meter for average consumption when power changes with cycling or settings.
- Model presets apply only to the named model and setting.
- For measured average watts, enter 100% duty cycle so cycling is not counted twice.
Formula
Power is in watts; duty cycle is a percentage. The rate is in c/kWh.
Divide watts by 1000 to get kilowatts. Multiply by hours and the duty cycle as a fraction to get kWh. Energy use stays the same when you change only the price. A lower price reduces the cost of that energy.
The yearly cost helps compare changes in your routine. Change one input at a time, such as fewer hours or a different price. Keep the other inputs steady so you can see what caused the difference. The monthly result spreads the annual total evenly. It does not show a seasonal peak, a holiday or a change in how often you use the appliance.
- Energy / use day
- Power (W) ÷ 1,000 W/kW × hours/day × (duty percentage ÷ 100)= kWh/use day
- Energy / year
- Use-day kWh × use days/week × (365 days/year ÷ 7 days/week)= kWh/year
- Cost / year
- Annual kWh × electricity rate (c/kWh) ÷ 100 c/AUD= annual cost
- Monthly average
- Annual cost/year ÷ 12 months/year= monthly cost
| Calculation | Formula with saved values | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Energy / use day | Power (W) ÷ 1,000 W/kW × hours/day × (duty percentage ÷ 100) | kWh/use day |
| Energy / year | Use-day kWh × use days/week × (365 days/year ÷ 7 days/week) | kWh/year |
| Cost / year | Annual kWh × electricity rate (c/kWh) ÷ 100 c/AUD | annual cost |
| Monthly average | Annual cost/year ÷ 12 months/year | monthly cost |
- Weekly energy = use-day energy × days/week. Monthly energy = annual energy ÷ 12.
- Divide the rate by 100 to convert pence to pounds or cents to Australian dollars.
- Daily figures apply to days used. Standing and supply charges are excluded.
Worked example
Illustrative power and routine, using the Ausgrid residential flat-rate DMO published rate for 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027.
- Power
- 2000 W
- Use day
- 3 hours at 50% duty
- Routine
- 5 days/week
- Electricity rate
- 33.137 c/kWh
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Power | 2000 W |
| Use day | 3 hours at 50% duty |
| Routine | 5 days/week |
| Electricity rate | 33.137 c/kWh |
- Energy / use day
- 2,000 W ÷ 1,000 W/kW × 3 hours × (50 ÷ 100)= 3 kWh
- Energy / year
- 3 kWh/use day × 5 use days/week × (365 days/year ÷ 7 days/week)= 782.143 kWh
- Cost / year
- 782.143 kWh × 33.137 c/kWh ÷ 100 c/AUD= $259.18
- Monthly average
- $259.18/year ÷ 12 months/year= $21.60
| Calculation | Formula with saved values | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Energy / use day | 2,000 W ÷ 1,000 W/kW × 3 hours × (50 ÷ 100) | 3 kWh |
| Energy / year | 3 kWh/use day × 5 use days/week × (365 days/year ÷ 7 days/week) | 782.143 kWh |
| Cost / year | 782.143 kWh × 33.137 c/kWh ÷ 100 c/AUD | $259.18 |
| Monthly average | $259.18/year ÷ 12 months/year | $21.60 |
- These power and routine inputs are an example, not household defaults.
- Intermediate values are rounded for readability; totals use full precision.
Assumptions and limits
Check that the entered hours describe days when the appliance is actually used. Days per week decide how often that routine repeats. Do not enter a weekly total in the daily hours box. That would count the same use more than once.
- Power and duty cycle stay constant during the entered hours; real settings and cycling can change consumption.
- The weekly routine repeats for 365 days at one fixed price. Annual totals are comparisons, not price forecasts.
- Excludes standby outside the entered hours, tariff fees, purchase costs and maintenance.
- For time-of-use tariffs, calculate each price period separately and add the costs.
- Use electrical input power, rather than heating or cooling output.
Country rules
Published Australian prices use the stored AER and ESC default offer tables for the supported networks. Check the network and period against your bill before using them. Published defaults include 10% GST. Your supplier may charge a different price. Other areas need a price from your bill. Supply charges are left out of this appliance estimate.
- Published defaults are regulator benchmarks; your supplier's offer may differ.
- Custom rates should already include VAT or GST. Tax is not added again.
- A price cap or default offer does not limit total household spending.
When to ask a professional
Keep the label, power reading and bill behind your inputs. They help an adviser check why your estimate differs from measured use.
- Energy adviser: help with tariffs or unusually high consumption.
- Installer or electrician: advice on fixed wiring, circuit capacity or unsafe equipment.
- Follow the manufacturer's operating instructions. This cost estimate cannot establish appliance safety or suitability.
Questions and answers
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How do I calculate kWh usage of an appliance? | Divide its input watts by 1000 and multiply by running hours and duty cycle / 100. Multiply the kWh by your cents-per-kWh price and divide by 100 for Australian dollars. |
| How much does it cost to run a dryer for 1 hour in Australia? | It depends on its actual input power, cycling and your bill rate. Enter your dryer's watts and one hour. A per-load energy figure on its label is more useful for comparing full drying cycles. |
| Does leaving a TV plugged in use electricity? | It can draw standby power. Use the standby watts from its specifications or a meter and the hours spent in that mode. Calculate active use separately to avoid treating standby as full operating power. |
| Is 20 kWh a day a lot? | Household size, electric heating, hot water and EV charging affect daily use. This calculator estimates one appliance, so it cannot judge a whole household from a single daily figure. Compare your bills across similar seasons. |
| Are default offer rates my actual bill prices? | They are published residential benchmarks for the selected distribution zone. Your market offer can differ. Use the tax-inclusive usage rate on your own bill for a personal estimate. |
Sources
| Source | Checked | Reference URL |
|---|---|---|
| AER Default market offer 2026-27 final determination, appendix C, section 9(1), printed page 118 | 12 October 2026 | https://www.aer.gov.au/system/files/2026-05/AER%20-%20Final%20determination%20-%20Default%20market%20offer%202026%E2%80%9327.pdf |
| ESC Victorian Default Offer 2026-27 price determination, Schedule 1, printed page 9 | 12 October 2026 | https://www.esc.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/Victorian%20Default%20Offer%202026-27%20Price%20Determination.pdf |
| MeacoFan 1056 manufacturer specifications | 12 October 2026 | https://www.meaco.com/products/meacofan-1056-air-circulator-with-storage-bag |