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Energy Use of Some Typical Home Appliances

Energy efficient TVIf you want a general estimate of how much electricity your home appliances consume, you can refer to the list below, which provides the energy consumption (Wattage) of some typical home appliances. If you have appliances that are not listed in the table, or desire a more exact figure based on a specific appliance in your home, use the following formula to estimate the amount of energy a specific appliance consumes:

Wattage × Hours Used Per Day
= Daily Kilowatt-hour (kWh) consumption
(1 kilowatt (kW) = 1,000 Watts)


For example:

Window fan:

200 Watts × 4 hours/day × 120 days/year
= 96 kWh × 8.5 Cents/kWh
= $8.16 /year

Personal Computer and Monitor:

(120+150) Watts × 4 hours/day × 365 days/year
= 394 kWh × 8.5 Cents/kWh
= $33.51/year

You can usually find the wattage of most appliances stamped on the bottom or back of the appliance, or on its "nameplate." The wattage listed is the maximum power drawn by the appliance. Since many appliances have a range of settings (for example, the volume on a radio), the actual amount of power consumed depends on the setting used at any one time.


Aquarium = 50-1210 Watts
Clock radio = 10
Coffee maker = 900-1200
Clothes washer = 350-500
Clothes dryer = 1800-5000
Dehumidifier = 785
Electric blanket- Single/Double = 60 / 100
   Ceiling = 65-175
   Window = 55-250
   Furnace = 750
   Whole house = 240-750
Hair dryer = 1200-1875
Heater (portable) = 750-1500
Clothes Iron = 1000-1800
Microwave oven = 750-1100
Personal Computer
   CPU - awake / asleep = 120 / 30 or less
   Monitor - awake / asleep = 150 / 30 or less
   Laptop = 50
Radio (stereo) = 400
Refrigerator (frost-free, 16 cubic feet) #9; = 725
Televisions (color)
   19" = 110
   27" = 113
   36" = 133
   53"-61" Projection = 170
   Flat Screen = 120
Toaster = 800-1400
Toaster Oven = 1225
VCR/DVD = 17-21 /20-25
Vacuum cleaner = 1000-1440
Water heater (40 gallon) = 4500-5500
Water pump (deep well) = 250-1100
Water bed (w/ heater, no cover) = 120-380

Refrigerators, although turned "on" all the time, actually cycle on and off at a rate that depends on a number of factors. These factors include how well it is insulated, room temperature, freezer temperature, how often the door is opened, if the coils are clean, if it is defrosted regularly, and the condition of the door seals. To get an approximate figure for the number of hours that a refrigerator actually operates at its maximum wattage, divide the total time the refrigerator is plugged in by three.


Note: When measuring the current drawn by a motor, in the first second that the motor starts, the meter will show about three times the current than when it is running smoothly.

Also note that many appliances continue to draw a small amount of power when they are switched "off". These "phantom loads" occur in most appliances that use electricity, such as VCRs, televisions, stereos, computers, and kitchen appliances. Most phantom loads will increase the appliance's energy consumption a few watts per hour. These loads can be avoided by unplugging the appliance or using a power strip and using the switch on the power strip to cut all power to the appliance.

This article appears with slight modification courtesy of EREN... the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network , a division of the U.S. Department of Energy.

If you have comments or questions about this article, you may visit the EREN website at or contact them by mail, email or phone:

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Clearinghouse (EREC)
P.O. Box 3048 Merrifield, VA 22116
Voice (USA only): 800-DOE-EREC (363-3732)

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