This webpage is a great first step. It will help you estimate how much electricity your appliances use. With this information, you'll be better able to identify the connection between your appliance use and the amount of your electric bills. To reduce your electric bills, consider purchasing ENERGY STAR ® appliances. By buying an energy-efficient ENERGY STAR model of an appliance, you can expect to use 10% to 50% less energy than what is shown on the energy usage chart inside.
| When it's time to buy |
When you're in the market for a new appliance, lighting or electronics, look for the ENERGY STAR label. You'll find this label on products that use less energy, cost less to operate, and perform as well as or better than standard products. To learn more about ENERGY STAR qualified products, go to www.energystar.gov. On this site, ENERGY STAR qualified products are ranked according to their efficiency. Look for the best of the best to save the most in your home.
| How to read the EnergyGuide label |
While you'll only find the ENERGY STAR label on energy-efficient models, you'll see a yellow EnergyGuide on all new refrigerators, freezers, water heaters, clothes washers, dishwashers, and heating and cooling equipment. This label shows you how much an appliance is likely to cost to operate per year, based on average use and average energy prices. You can use this information to compare the energy use of models of similar type and size.
| What this chart can show you |
With this chart, you'll be able to see how quickly your energy bill can add up when you use Appliances and lighting not manufactured with energy efficiency in mind. For example, take a look at lighting. If you have ten lamps in your house, each with a 100W incandescent bulb, you can expect to pay about $160 to light your home each year. Energy efficient bulbs will keep those lamps lit for around $47. Plus, they last six to eight times longer.
| About this chart |
This chart is a guide and individual household costs may vary.
- The appliances listed are all electric appliances.
- Hours in Use is based on a typical four-person household. Your hours may vary; adjust accordingly.
- Annual kWh may vary considerably depending upon model, age, and use.
- Annual Cost is based upon the statewide average of 13 cents per kiloWatt hour (kWh).
- To estimate the Annual Cost of operating an appliance: Multiply the Annual kWh by your utility's kWh rate or by the statewide average of .13; for example:
ELECTRICAL USAGE CHART
* = ENERGY STAR availability | Monthly Average | Annual Average | |||
APPLIANCE | HOURS | kWh USED | MTHS USED | ANNUAL kWh | ANNUAL COST |
Air Conditioner (central) | 125 | 375 | 3 | 1,125 | $146 |
Air Conditioner 8,000 BTU (room/window) * | 100 | 90 | 3 | 270 | $35 |
Air Purifier | 730 | 37 | 6 | 219 | $28 |
Aquarium | 360 | 34 | 12 | 410 | $53 |
Clothes Dryer -- electric (6 loads per week at 45 min) | 20 | 75 | 12 | 900 | $117 |
Clothes Dryer -- gas 1 | 23 | 9 | 12 | 110 | $14 |
Clothes Washer 2* | 30 | 9 | 12 | 108 | $14 |
Coffeemaker | 30 | 5 | 12 | 54 | $7 |
Computer with monitor * | 60 | 8 | 12 | 90 | $12 |
Dehumidifier * | 250 | 200 | 6 | 1,200 | $156 |
Dishwasher -- air dry * | 16 | 8 | 12 | 96 | $12 |
Dishwasher -- heat dry * | 16 | 13 | 12 | 154 | $20 |
Electric Blanket (queen size) | 240 | 8 | 6 | 50 | $7 |
Fan -- box or floor stand | 71 | 11 | 3 | 32 | $4 |
Fan -- ceiling * | 150 | 12 | 6 | 72 | $9 |
Freezer Chest, 18 CF (manual defrost, 20 years old) | 730 | 75 | 12 | 897 | $117 |
Freezer Chest, 18 CF (manual defrost, 10 years old) | 730 | 51 | 12 | 610 | $79 |
Freezer Chest, 17 CF * (manual defrost, new) | 730 | 36 | 12 | 426 | $55 |
Freezer Upright, 17 CF | 730 | 112 | 12 | 1,342 | $174 |
APPLIANCE | HOURS | kWh USED | MTHS USED | ANNUAL kWh | ANNUAL COST |
Freezer Upright, 17 CF | 730 | 90 | 12 | 1,082 | $141 |
Freezer Upright, 17 CF * (auto defrost, new) | 730 | 57 | 12 | 685 | $89 |
Freezer Upright, 17 CF (manual defrost, 20 years old) | 730 | 76 | 12 | 917 | $119 |
Freezer Upright, 17 CF (manual defrost, 10 years old) | 730 | 51 | 12 | 608 | $79 |
Freezer Upright, 17 CF * (manual defrost, new) | 730 | 40 | 12 | 479 | $62 |
Furnace Fan | 178 | 152 | 6 | 914 | $119 |
Hair Dryer | 5 | 6 | 12 | 75 | $10 |
Heat Tape -- 30' (thermostatically controlled) | 365 | 77 | 6 | 460 | $60 |
Heater -- 10' (electric baseboard) | 240 | 300 | 5 | 3,000 | $390 |
Heater (engine block) | 180 | 135 | 4 | 540 | $ 70 |
Heater -- portable (1500 watt, 8 hours per day) | 240 | 360 | 6 | 2,160 | $281 |
Heating System (hot water circulator; 3 zones) | 178 | 48 | 6 | 288 | $37 |
Hot Tub (indoor) | 70 | 196 | 12 | 2,350 | $306 |
Hot Tub (outdoor) | 128 | 298 | 12 | 3,577 | $465 |
Humidifier | 230 | 29 | 6 | 173 | $22 |
Lighting --compact fluorescent bulb* | 100 | 3 | 12 | 32 | $4 |
Lighting -- fluorescent light * (two 40W tubes and ballast) | 100 | 9 | 12 | 106 | $14 |
Lighting -- incandescent * (100W bulb) | 100 | 10 | 12 | 120 | $16 |
Lighting -- outdoor flood, compact fluorescent * | 90 | 2 | 12 | 29 | $4 |
Lighting -- outdoor flood, incandescent * | 90 | 11 | 12 | 130 | $17 |
Microwave Oven * (15 minutes per day) | 8 | 11 | 12 | 137 | $18 |
APPLIANCE | HOURS | kWh USED | MTHS USED | ANNUAL kWh | ANNUAL COST |
Oven (2 hours per week) | 8 | 21 | 12 | 255 | $33 |
Oxygen Concentrator | 240 | 96 | 12 | 1,152 | $150 |
Radio/Tape Player | 153 | 2 | 12 | 18 | $2 |
Range (large cooking surface unit) | 8 | 19 | 12 | 230 | $30 |
Range (small cooking surface unit) | 8 | 10 | 12 | 125 | $16 |
Refrigerator -- 18 CF (20 years old) | 730 | 98 | 12 | 1,181 | $154 |
Refrigerator -- 18 CF (10 years old) | 730 | 70 | 12 | 845 | $110 |
Refrigerator -- 18 CF * (new) | 730 | 41 | 12 | 486 | $63 |
Refrigerator -- 22 CF * (side-by-side, 20 years old) | 730 | 135 | 12 | 1,619 | $210 |
Refrigerator -- 22 CF (side-by-side, 10 years old) | 730 | 96 | 12 | 1,146 | $149 |
Refrigerator -- 22 CF * (side-by-side, new) | 730 | 56 | 12 | 675 | $88 |
Satellite/Cable Receiver Box * | 730 | 18 | 12 | 219 | $28 |
Stereo | 90 | 5 | 12 | 54 | $7 |
Swimming Pool Filter Pump | 365 | 274 | 4 | 1,095 | $142 |
Television * (15" to 27" standard) | 150 | 18 | 12 | 216 | $28 |
Television * (27" LCD flat screen) | 150 | 18 | 12 | 216 | $28 |
Television * (42" Plasma) | 150 | 49 | 12 | 588 | $76 |
Toaster Oven (5 minutes per day) | 3 | 4 | 12 | 43 | $6 |
Water Heater (50 gallon tank) | 83 | 386 | 12 | 4,626 | $601 |
Waterbed Heater (queen size) | 256 | 96 | 12 | 1,152 | $150 |
Well Pump | 17 | 12 | 12 | 140 | $18 |
APPLIANCE | HOURS | kWh USED | MTHS USED | ANNUAL kWh | ANNUAL COST |
1 Cost does not include gas use.
2 Cost does not include hot water.
High Energy Use Appliances -- operating costs annually of $100 or more -- are listed in green.
Average usage data compiled by Efficiency Vermont.
Want to know more about reducing your energy costs?
Contact Efficiency Vermont by calling us toll-free at 1-888-921-5990 to find out about our free technical advice, learn about rebates for energyefficient products, get energy-saving tips and more.
| Definitions of terms used in this brochure |
BTU: British Thermal Unit -- A common method of indicating the amount of heat energy removed by an air conditioner.
CF: Cubic feet.
kWh: KiloWatt hour -- A unit of electrical energy equivalent to using one kilowatt of electricity for one hour. A kiloWatt is a unit of power equal to 1000 Watts.
W: Watt -- A measurement of power and the rate of energy expended. One horsepower equals about 746 Watts
