Typical running costs for household appliances
What does it cost to run appliances in your home?
Here’s a helpful list of what it costs to run various household appliances in different parts of your home.
The amount of power an appliance uses is determined by its wattage – 1000 watts equals a kilowatt.
When you run a 1000-watt appliance for one hour, you use one unit (kilowatt hour) of electricity. One unit of electricity will run a 2000 watt plug in heater for 30 minutes or a 100-watt bulb for 10 hours.
The following sets out approximate running costs based on an average energy retailer tariff as at March 2026. All prices include GST.
Approximate net running costs
Household 24 hour use – 39 cents kW/h
Standard controlled – 30 cents kW/h
Heating
Heatpump (4.5kW output)*
Plug-in fan heater (2.4kW)
Five fin oil column heater
Dehumidifier
Electric blanket
1 year for $300 (3hrs/day, 6 months/year)
1 year for $514
1 year for $514
Overnight for $1.10
1 week for $1.10 (4hrs/day)
* The cost of a heatpump will vary depending on the temperature set, how big it is and the time it is used for.
Water heating
Electric cylinder (180L)
Heatpump cylinder
1 year for $985 (heating for 3hrs/day)
1 year for $492 (heating for 3hrs/day)
Electricity used by hot water cylinders will vary depending on the cylinder size, amount of hot water used, thermostat setting, temperature of the incoming water and if there is any cylinder insulation.
Baths use more hot water than showers so will cost more.
Kitchen
Refrigerator
Chest freezer (300L)
Jug
Coffee machine
Toaster
Slow cooker
Rangehood and extractor fan
Oven
Microwave
Stovetop (two elements)
Airfryer
Electric frypan
Sandwich press
Food processor
Cake mixer
Dishwasher
1 year for $170
1 year for $170
1 litre for 5 cents
1 cup for 5 cents
2 slices for 1 cent
1 hour on low for 9 cents
1 hours use for 8 cents
1 hours use for 78 cents
10 minutes use for 8 cents
1 hours use for 93 cents
10 minutes use for 17 cents
10 minutes use for 17 cents
5 minutes use for 8 cents
5 minutes use for 2 cents
10 minutes use for 3 cents
1 hours use for 70 cents
Bathroom and laundry
Washing machine
Dryer
Iron
Heated towel rail
Hairdryer
Incandescent 100-watt bulb lights
LED 100-watt equivalent bulb
1 cold wash for 20 cents , 1 hot wash for 78 cents
1 hour for 59 cents
10 minutes use for 8 cents
1 days use for 65 cents
10 minutes use for 10 cents
1 year (6hrs/day) for $85
1 year (6hrs/day) for $8
Living room
Television (LED)
TV decoder
Gaming console
Ceiling fan
Vacuum cleaner
1 hours use for 3 cents, 1 day on standby for 3 cents
1 day for 24 cents
1 hours use for 6 cents, 1 day on standby for 23 cents
1 days use for 28 cents
30 minutes use for 20 cents
Study/work room
Desktop computer
Laptop computer
Phone charger
Digital alarm clock
1 work day for 62 cents
1 work day for 19 cents
Overnight for 3 cents
1 year for $27.30
Pumps and sewerage
Pool filter pump
Water pump
Aerated sewerage system
1 year for $2,277
1 year for $62.60 (2hrs/day)
1 year for $273
Spa pools
The cost of running spa pools varies according to pool size, thermostat setting, insulation, heating element size, usage and electricity tariff.
Need more information?
If you need any further help or advice on the costs of running appliances, we’re happy to help and please contact us with your query.
