Appliance running cost calculator
At the current price cap of 26.32p per kWh, every 1,000 watts costs 26.3p an hour to run.
Air fryer
- An hour
- 36.8p
- A day used
- 18.4p
- A week
- 92.1p
- A month
- £4.00
- Energy a year
- 183 kWh
1,400 W for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, at 26.32p per kWh.
Excludes the daily standing charge, which you pay whatever you use.
How it compares
Yearly cost with typical use, at your unit rate.
Running costs of common appliances
Typical UK use at 26.32p per kWh, most expensive first. Your own costs depend on your model and habits.
| Appliance | Typical power | Typical use | Per hour | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil-filled radiator | 1,000 W* | 4 hours, daily | 26.3p | £384.27 |
| Fan heater | 2,000 W | 2 hours, daily | 52.6p | £384.27 |
| Tumble dryer (vented) | 2,400 W* | 1.5 hours, 3 days a week | 63.2p | £148.22 |
| Electric shower | 9,500 W | 9 minutes, daily | £2.50 | £136.90 |
| Dehumidifier (compressor) | 200 W* | 6 hours, daily | 5.3p | £115.28 |
| Electric oven | 2,000 W* | 1 hour, 4 days a week | 52.6p | £109.79 |
| Tumble dryer (heat pump) | 700 W* | 2.5 hours, 3 days a week | 18.4p | £72.05 |
| Gaming PC | 350 W | 3 hours, 5 days a week | 9.2p | £72.05 |
| Fridge freezer | 30 W* | 24 hours, daily | 0.8p | £69.17 |
| Induction hob (one ring) | 1,500 W* | 30 minutes, 6 days a week | 39.5p | £61.76 |
| Dishwasher | 500 W* | 2 hours, 4 days a week | 13.2p | £54.90 |
| Washing machine (40°C) | 600 W* | 1.5 hours, 4 days a week | 15.8p | £49.41 |
| Heated clothes airer | 300 W | 4 hours, 3 days a week | 7.9p | £49.41 |
| Air fryer | 1,400 W | 30 minutes, 5 days a week | 36.8p | £48.03 |
| TV (55-inch LED) | 100 W | 4 hours, daily | 2.6p | £38.43 |
| Kettle | 3,000 W | 6 minutes, daily | 79p | £28.82 |
| Games console | 200 W | 2 hours, 5 days a week | 5.3p | £27.45 |
| Wi-Fi router | 10 W | 24 hours, daily | 0.3p | £23.06 |
| Slow cooker | 200 W | 8 hours, once a week | 5.3p | £21.96 |
| Laptop | 50 W | 6 hours, 5 days a week | 1.3p | £20.59 |
| Hair dryer | 2,000 W | 9 minutes, 5 days a week | 52.6p | £20.59 |
| Iron | 2,400 W* | 30 minutes, once a week | 63.2p | £16.47 |
| Microwave | 1,100 W | 9 minutes, daily | 29p | £15.85 |
| Bean-to-cup coffee machine | 1,450 W | 6 minutes, daily | 38.2p | £13.93 |
| Vacuum cleaner | 750 W | 18 minutes, 3 days a week | 19.7p | £9.26 |
| Electric blanket | 60 W | 1 hour, daily | 1.6p | £5.76 |
| Toaster | 900 W | 4 minutes, 5 days a week | 23.7p | £4.32 |
| LED bulb | 8 W | 5 hours, daily | 0.2p | £3.84 |
* Average draw while in use. These appliances switch their heating or motor on and off, so they use less than the rating plate suggests.
Running costs by appliance
Costs per use and per year, with tips, for common household appliances.
- All appliances compared
- Air fryer£48.03 a year
- Electric oven£109.79 a year
- Microwave£15.85 a year
- Slow cooker£21.96 a year
- Induction hob (one ring)£61.76 a year
- Kettle£28.82 a year
- Toaster£4.32 a year
- Bean-to-cup coffee machine£13.93 a year
- Fridge freezer£69.17 a year
- Dishwasher£54.90 a year
- Washing machine (40°C)£49.41 a year
- Tumble dryer (vented)£148.22 a year
- Tumble dryer (heat pump)£72.05 a year
- Heated clothes airer£49.41 a year
- Dehumidifier (compressor)£115.28 a year
- Electric shower£136.90 a year
- Oil-filled radiator£384.27 a year
- Fan heater£384.27 a year
- Electric blanket£5.76 a year
- TV (55-inch LED)£38.43 a year
How we calculate this
Your electricity bill charges for kilowatt-hours (kWh). One kWh is 1,000 watts running for one hour. So we turn the power into kilowatts, multiply by the time it runs, then by your unit rate.
The default unit rate is the Ofgem price cap for single-rate electricity paid by Direct Debit, averaged across England, Scotland and Wales. Rates vary slightly by region and payment method, and many fixed tariffs are cheaper.
Results leave out the daily standing charge, because you pay it whether the appliance is on or not.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to run an appliance for an hour?
Multiply its power in kilowatts by your unit rate. At 26.32p per kWh, a 1,000 W appliance costs 26.3p an hour, a 2,000 W heater 52.6p and a 3,000 W kettle 79p for every hour it is on.
Where do I find how many watts my appliance uses?
Look for the rating plate or sticker, usually on the back or underneath, or check the manual. It may show watts (W) or kilowatts (kW). For the most accurate figure, use a plug-in energy monitor, which also shows how much a cycling appliance really uses.
What is the cheapest way to cook?
For small portions, the microwave usually wins. With our typical figures, 9 minutes in a microwave costs about 4.3p, 30 minutes in an air fryer about 18.4p, and an hour in an electric oven about 52.6p. An oven is better value when it is full.
Does this include the standing charge?
No. The standing charge (54.83p a day under the current cap, about £200.13 a year) is a fixed daily cost for being connected. It does not change with how much you use any appliance.
Which appliances cost the most to run?
Anything that heats or dries. With typical use, the most expensive here are the oil-filled radiator (about £384.27 a year), fan heater (£384.27) and tumble dryer (vented) (£148.22). A fridge freezer runs all day but costs around £69.17 a year.
Is it cheaper to run appliances at night?
Only if you are on a time-of-use tariff such as Economy 7 or a smart tariff with a cheaper overnight rate. On a single-rate tariff, every hour costs the same. If you have a cheaper rate, enter it as the unit rate to see the difference.
Does the unit rate include VAT?
Yes, where VAT applies. No VAT on domestic electricity from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027. The price cap rates already reflect this.
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