Watt & Worth

Appliance energy cost calculator

Convert annual kWh and your electricity rate into a running-cost estimate.

Editable illustrative defaults · not current prices or rates. Use nonnegative finite values; comparison period up to 100 years. Results update as you type. JavaScript is required for interactive calculation; the formula and worked example are below.

kWh/year
USD/kWh
years
Electricity cost per year
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Electricity cost over period
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Illustrative estimate only — not an offer or quote.

Put your own rate beside the label

Enter annual electricity use from a model-specific EnergyGuide label or a documented measurement. Enter the per-kWh rate relevant to that use from your bill, in dollars: 18 cents is 0.18. Fixed customer charges that stay unchanged are excluded. The comparison period is a planning assumption, not a prediction of appliance life.

Formula and illustrative example

Annual electricity cost = annual kWh × dollars per kWh. Period cost = annual electricity cost × years. With the illustrative defaults, 450 × 0.18 = $81 per year, and $81 × 10 = $810. No escalation or discount rate is applied.

Limits

This estimates electricity only. It excludes water, sewer, gas, filters, repairs and purchase cost. Do not enter a washer label total that includes other energy sources as though it were direct electricity use. Time-of-use plans require a weighted rate or separate estimates for each period. Actual use and local conditions can differ from a standardized label. Compare like-sized models providing the same service.

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