Appliance Running Costs in the United States

Appliance running costs

Appliance running cost starts with energy use, not with the purchase price. For some products you can estimate energy from watts and runtime; for others, annual kWh or energy per cycle is a better input because the appliance cycles, changes power level or follows a standardized test procedure.

Calculate a cost: the U.S. Appliance Running Cost Calculator supports wattage and runtime, annual kWh, and kWh per cycle.

Choose the input that best matches the appliance

Watts + runtime

Useful for equipment that has a reasonably stable electrical input while operating, especially when you know how many hours it runs.

Annual kWh

Useful when an EnergyGuide label, ENERGY STAR listing or manufacturer document provides estimated annual energy use.

kWh per cycle

Useful for cycle-based appliances such as clothes dryers, washers or dishwashers when you know the energy used for one cycle.

Measured energy

A plug-in energy meter or other measured kWh can be useful when real operation differs from a simple nameplate-power assumption.

EnergyGuide is a comparison tool

The Federal Trade Commission requires EnergyGuide disclosures for specified products using Department of Energy test procedures. The yellow label helps consumers compare energy use or estimated annual operating cost among similar models. Your actual cost still depends on the energy rate and how the product is used in your home.

Official U.S. references

Reviewed: 27 September 2026. Published child guides will appear automatically below this hub after launch.

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