About this tool
How much electricity does the TV use, and what does the fan heater cost in winter? An appliance’s consumption is its power in watts times the time it runs: 1,000 watts for one hour is one kilowatt-hour (kWh). Multiplied by the price per kWh, that becomes a cost.
The calculator shows consumption and cost per day, month and year. It takes into account on how many days a week you use the appliance and its standby consumption the rest of the time. For appliances with an energy label (e.g. fridge, washing machine), simply enter the yearly consumption in kWh.
How it works
- Choose “Power and usage” or, if you know the value from the energy label, “Yearly consumption”.
- Enter the power, hours of use per day, days per week and the standby power if any, or pick an example.
- Enter your electricity price per kWh from your bill.
- Read the consumption and cost per day, month and year.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert watts to kWh?
Watts times hours divided by 1,000. A 60-watt appliance running for 5 hours uses 60 × 5 / 1,000 = 0.3 kWh.
Which electricity price should I enter?
The energy price per kWh from your contract, including VAT. The monthly standing charge is due regardless of consumption and does not belong in this calculation.
How is the fridge calculated?
A fridge does not run at full power all the time but switches on and off. The yearly consumption from the energy label is the most accurate value. The example uses an average of 17 watts around the clock, about 150 kWh a year.
What does standby cost?
Just 1 watt of standby around the clock adds up to almost 9 kWh a year. With several devices, a switchable power strip pays off. The calculator shows the standby share below the result. To calculate what a car trip costs in fuel or electricity, use the Fuel Cost Calculator.