House Appliance Wattage and Current Ratings
What Appliances Use in Daily Current and Power Consumption
Listed below are some common appliances, their typical or average wattage and an estimated kilowatt. There is also a simple formula for calculating operating costs below.
| Appliance | Watts | Hours/Month | Kwh/Month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Conditioner (Room) 6,000 BTU | 750 | 120-730 | 90-548 |
| Air Conditioner (Central) 2.5 Tons | 3500 | 240-730 | 1-47 |
| Aquarium | 50-1210 | ||
| Ceiling Fan | 65 | 15-730 | 1-47 |
| Clock | 5 | 730 | 4 |
| Clothes Dryer | 5400 | 6-128 | 30-140 |
| Clothes Dryer (Gas) | 700 | ||
| Clothes Washer, Automatic (With Electric Water Heater) | 1800 | 40 | 13-72 |
| Clothes Washer, Automatic (With Non-Electric Water Heater) | 500 | 40 | 4-20 |
| Coffee Maker | 900 | 4-30 | 4-27 |
| Computer (Monitor and Printer) | 200 | 25-160 | 5-32 |
| Copy Machine | 1600 | ||
| Crock Pot | 250 | 8-24 | 2-6 |
| Dehumidifier | 350 | 120-730 | 42-256 |
| Dishwasher (With Electric Water Heating) | 1500 | 8-40 | 12-60 |
| Dishwasher (With Non-Electric Water Heating) | 400 | 4-30 | 3-16 |
| Drill | 300 | 3-7 | 1-2 |
| Electric Blanket | 180 | 30-90 | 5-16 |
| Electric Heater (Portable) | 1200 | 30-90 | 36-108 |
| Fan (Portable) | 115 | 18-52 | 2-6 |
| Food Blender | 390 | 3-5 | 1-2 |
| Food Freezer (15 cu. Ft.) | 335 | 180-420 | 60-141 |
| Frying Pan / Hot Plate | 1150 | 10-20 | 12-23 |
| Furnace Fan Motor (Intermittent) | 350 | 160-415 | 56-145 |
| Furnace Fan Motor (Continuous) | 350 | 730 | 256 |
| Garage Door Opener (1/2 HP) | 875 | ||
| Heating Pad | 65 | 15-30 | 1-2 |
| Heat Tapes | 200 | 250-500 | 50-100 |
| Humidifier (Portable) | 100 | 80-540 | 8-54 |
| Iron (Hand) | 1000 | 1-10 | 1-10 |
| Lighting Single Lamp (60W) | 60 | 17-200 | 1-12 |
| Compact Fluorescent (60W Equiv) | 18 | 17-200 | 3-4 |
| Ceiling Fixture (3 bulbs) | 180 | 6-195 | 1-35 |
| Tri-Light (Table Lamp) | 100 | 10-200 | 1-20 |
| Chandelier (5 Lamp) | 300 | 10-183 | 3-55 |
| Fluorescent (2 Tube 4 ft) | 100 | 10-200 | 1-20 |
| Microwave Oven | 1000 | 5-30 | 5-30 |
| Mower (Electric) | 1500 | ||
| Power Saw | 275 | 2-4 | 6-1 |
| Range | 1250 | 10-50 | 125-625 |
| Range (Self Cleaning) | 3200 | 1 | 3 |
| Refrigerator –Freezer Frost Free (17 cu. Ft.) | 500 | 150-300 | 75-150 |
| Refrigerator (Non Frost Free (13 cu. Ft.) | 300 | 190-300 | 57-90 |
| Sewing Machine | 75 | 4-14 | 3-1 |
| Stereo | 30 | 1-170 | 0.03-5 |
| Sump Pump (1/2 HP) | 1050 | ||
| Sump Pump (1/3 HP) | 800 | ||
| Television –27” Color or Flat Screen | 120 | 6-440 | 7-53 |
| Television –53” –61” Projection Screen | 170 | 6-440 | 10-75 |
| Toaster | 1150 | 1-3.5 | 1-4 |
| Toaster Oven w/broiler | 1350 | 4-10 | 5-14 |
| Vacuum Cleaner (Portable) | 800 | 2-6 | 2-5 |
| Vehicle Headbolt Heater (Medium)* | 1000 | 60-243 | 60-243 |
| Vehicle Headbolt Heater (large car or truck) | 1500 | 60-243 | 90-365 |
| Video Cassette Recorder / DVD | 40 | 50-200 | 2-8 |
| Water Bed Heater | 400 | 150-300 | 60-120 |
| Water Heater –Typical Family of 4 | 3800 | 100-150 | 380-570 |
| Water Pump (Deep well –moderate power) | 500 | 10-50 | 525 |
| Water Pump (Dee p well –higher powered) | 1100 | 10-50 | 11-55 |
A 100 watt bulb burning 10 hours uses only (1) kW. In order to calculate the average operating cost for any electrical appliance you can use the following formula:
watts ÷1000 = kW x hours of operation = kWh x kWh rate = cost
Watts can usually be found on the appliance nameplate. If the nameplate lists amp:
volts x amps = watts
Example: How much does it cost to operate a portable electric heater? Wattage is usually given on the unit itself, or with the literature that comes with it. Our example is 1000 watts. For working purposes, let’s say you use the heater an average of 45 hours during winter months (1/2 hour per day for the three coldest winter months) and that the electric rate is $.10 per kWh hour.
To calculate for an 8 amp heater, the formula changes just a bit.
8 amps x 120 volts household current = 960 watts/1000 = .96 kW x 45 hours = $43. 2 kWh x $0.10 = $4.32.
[*Even in the coldest weather a vehicle only needs to be plugged in for two (2) hours.]
NOTE:
1. I left some of the fields for certain appliances above blank. You can figure out the missing information using the above formulas
2. Depending which sources you use for appliance information you will get different values for some of the device consumption power.
Running Watts:
Running (or rated) watts are the amount of watts your appliance needs to keep it running. For example, a refrigerator typically needs 500 watts to run.
Surge Watts:
Surge (or start-up) watts are the amount of watts your appliance needs to start its motor. For example, it can take up to 2,000 watts (or 2 Kilowatts) just to get the same refrigerator's motor and compressor started.
How To Determine Appliance Wattage:
1. First look on the back of the appliance and check the manufactures information plate. It has the required voltage to make it work, the horse power if it has a motor and the wattage or power that it consumes.
2. Use a watt meter. Simple plug it into the wall and then plug your device into it.
3. The old fashion way. Multiple volts time current and you get watts or power.
| Appliance | Watts Per Hour | Cost @ 10 Cents per Hour |
|---|---|---|
| Central air conditioner/heat pump | 15000 | $1.50 |
| Clothes dryer/water heater | 4000 | .40 |
| Water pump | 3000 | .30 |
| Space heater | 1500 | .15 |
| Hair dryer | 1200 | .12 |
| Electric range burner | 1000 | .10 |
| Refrigerator | 1000 | .10 |
| Desktop computer and monitor | 400 | .04 |
| Incandescent light bulb | 60 | .6 |