SolarToolsHow This Tool Works
The Appliance Wattage Lookup is a searchable database of common household appliances with their typical wattage, daily usage hours, and category. It's the foundation tool for any home energy audit — before you can calculate your bill, size a solar system, or plan a battery, you need to know what each device in your home actually draws. Most people massively underestimate standby power, overestimate lighting, and have no idea how much their pool pump or chest freezer costs to run.
This database covers 50 common appliances across 10 categories, from low-draw devices like WiFi routers (6W) to heavy loads like tankless water heaters (18,000W). For each appliance we list typical running wattage, average daily hours of use, and the resulting daily kWh consumption. Clicking any row calculates the monthly and annual running cost at the US average electricity rate of $0.16/kWh.
The values are typical real-world numbers, not nameplate ratings. A microwave rated at 1,200W actually draws 1,200W only when running at full power — its average draw over an hour of typical use is closer to 20W. We've used duty cycles for appliances with intermittent operation (fridge, freezer, AC) rather than the nameplate compressor wattage.
Use this lookup alongside the Energy Audit Calculator to build a complete picture of where your electricity goes, or with the Electricity Bill Estimator to predict your monthly bill from your appliance list.
- Search by name. Type "fridge", "AC", "TV", "heater" — the list filters as you type.
- Filter by category. Click any chip (Lighting, Kitchen, Heating, etc.) to narrow the list.
- Click any row to see daily, monthly, and annual running cost in the right panel.
- Multiply by your actual rate. The cost panel uses $0.16/kWh (US average). If you pay $0.30 (California) or $0.10 (Washington), scale accordingly.
The "Daily hours" column is the average — a fridge shows 24h because it cycles on and off all day. A microwave shows 0.5h because typical household use is 30 minutes per day, not 24. The wattage × hours × 30 / 1000 gives monthly kWh.
When to Use This Calculator
Why wattage isn't the whole story
A 1,500W space heater sounds expensive, but used for 2 hours/day it consumes 3 kWh/day. A 60W incandescent bulb sounds cheap, but used 8 hours/day it consumes 0.48 kWh/day. The space heater is bigger but used less. The bulb is smaller but always on. Energy cost = power × time, and people systematically underestimate the time factor. A 6W WiFi router running 24/7 consumes 52.6 kWh/year — $8.40/year at $0.16/kWh. Multiply that by the dozen always-on devices in a typical home and standby power becomes 5–10% of the total bill.
Real vs nameplate wattage
Nameplate ratings are the maximum draw, not typical. A fridge nameplate might say 400W (defrost heater on, compressor starting), but its average draw over an hour is 100–150W. We use duty-cycle-adjusted averages in this database. For mission-critical sizing (off-grid, generator backup), use nameplate values to be safe.
Standby and phantom loads
Devices that use a remote control (TVs, set-top boxes, audio receivers) draw 1–15W continuously even when off. Game consoles in "instant on" mode draw 10–30W. A typical US home has 50+ devices drawing standby power, totaling 50–150W continuously. That's 1.2–3.6 kWh/day, or $70–$210/year. Kill switches and smart power strips pay back fast.
Sizing a generator or battery
For backup power sizing, sum the running wattage of appliances you want to support, then add the highest starting surge (motors in fridges, ACs, and pumps can draw 3–6× rated power for 1–3 seconds). The Off-Grid System Designer handles this calculation properly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Values are typical real-world averages accounting for duty cycles (e.g. fridge cycling on/off). Your specific appliance may differ by 10–30%. For exact numbers, use a Kill-A-Watt meter (~$25) on each device.
The nameplate shows the maximum draw (defrost heater + compressor startup). Average consumption over time is much lower because the compressor duty cycle is 30–50%. The 150W average × 24h = 3.6 kWh/day, which matches real-world measurements.
Use the formula: (watts × hours_per_day × 30 × rate_per_kWh) / 1000 for monthly cost. Or use the Electricity Bill Estimator which has a custom appliance input.
Typically electric water heaters (4,000W × 3h = 12 kWh/day = $1.92/day at $0.16/kWh), followed by central AC (3,500W × 6h = 21 kWh/day = $3.36/day), then electric dryers (3,000W × 1h = 3 kWh/day = $0.48/day).
Yes, a small amount — 0.5–2W each. Multiply by 5–10 chargers in a typical home and you have a 5–15W always-on load. Unplug them or use a switched power strip to eliminate.
Further Reading
Deep-dive articles and guides related to this calculator.
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Energy & Solar Glossary
Plain-English definitions of every term used in this calculator and across the site.