How much do appliances cost to run?

66Mustang
66Mustang Online Community Member Posts: 15,410 Championing
I've recently started finding the power consumption of various electrical appliances that we have in the house and working out how much they cost to run based on the cost of our electricity.

Most notably, I was extremely surprised to discover that my desktop computer, which is no longer used most days, costs £0.34 a day, even while in "idle" mode. I have since turned it completely off and will only switch it on when I intend to use it!

Now I may have got the maths completely wrong and I am wondering if someone wants to check for me as maths isn't my strong point.

The computer runs at 49 watts, and we pay £0.29 per kWh (1000 watt hours).

I multiplied 49 by 24 hours of the day to get 1,176 watt hours or 1.176 kilowatt hours. Multiply 1.176 by £0.29 equals approx. £0.34.

This equals £10 or so a month or about 1/8 of our total bill so a huge amount!!!

I'm just wondering whether anyone has done the same, and what were your most surprising findings?

Maybe we can save each other some money!!

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!! :)
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Comments

  • Sandy_123
    Sandy_123 Scope Member Posts: 63,198 Championing
    Intresting I just thought that when I switched washer on.  I now turn kettle off instead of leaving it on. Be good to know, it would be good if there was a list with your charge  as everyone pays different.
  • janer1967
    janer1967 Online Community Member Posts: 21,922 Championing
    Good thinking about working our how much individual things cost 

    If you have a smart meter it tells you what you are paying not individual items but it can help you manage some of your usage 
  • leeCal
    leeCal Online Community Member Posts: 7,537 Championing
    I just boiled a kettle with enough water in off one mug of coffee. It took a minute to boil and our kettle is 2500/3000 watts, the smartmeter registered a cost of one penny. Any idea how to work out an accurate cost @66Mustang
  • OverlyAnxious
    OverlyAnxious Online Community Member Posts: 5,891 Championing
    Your maths looks right to me, Mustang.  :)

    To put it in more understandable terms, idling a desktop is roughly the same as running an old filament light bulb all day every day!  (Generally 40-60w).  

    One of the biggest changes for me was the swap from a 1200w Henry Hoover to a 450w Shark stick vacuum.  Less than half the running cost!  However, because it's only used a small amount, the monetary change isn't all that much.  If we suggest I spend 30 minutes a week vacuuming, that's about £1.44 a month for the Henry, and 54p a month for the Shark.

    Most appliances are variable which makes it difficult to calculate...  I'd be interested to know exactly how much a 60c wash cycle with tumble drying costs as I use that twice a week in general, but the motors and heaters are on and off too often throughout the cycle to calculate.  Same goes for the fridge, and even the Xbox.  I was surprised just how much power the Xbox consumes when it's running a graphic heavy game.  My small LED TV uses very little.  And charging the laptop for a couple of hours a day (only used on battery power) also uses very little.
  • OverlyAnxious
    OverlyAnxious Online Community Member Posts: 5,891 Championing
    leeCal said:
    I just boiled a kettle with enough water in off one mug of coffee. It took a minute to boil and our kettle is 2500/3000 watts, the smartmeter registered a cost of one penny. Any idea how to work out an accurate cost @66Mustang
    Kettles are interesting as they're the opposite of Mustang's desktop.  They take a huge amount of power, but are only used for a very short amount of time so cost very little.  :)
  • leeCal
    leeCal Online Community Member Posts: 7,537 Championing
    edited August 2022
    Just worked it out

    (wattage/1000) = kw
    (cost per minute / kw)*60 = rate per kWh 

    so put in your cost per minute say 1p
    kettle is 3000 watts

    (3000/1000)  = 3
    (0.01/3)*60 = 0.20 ie 20pence per kWh 

    ta da! 🤣

    of course this may not tally with your  quoted  rate on the bill but hey! Maths is fun!
  • 66Mustang
    66Mustang Online Community Member Posts: 15,410 Championing
    Yeah I worked out our kettle too, ours costs about 1.2p to boil half a kettle of water so that's reassuring to hear yours is similar.

    I was surprised at how little power it costs to charge a laptop compared to running a desktop computer. I could fully charge my laptop - giving me around 8-10 hours' use - using the same power as about 1 hour of idle mode on the desktop or 30 mins of actual use!!

  • Cartini
    Cartini Online Community Member Posts: 1,107 Trailblazing
    66Mustang said:
    I've recently started finding the power consumption of various electrical appliances that we have in the house and working out how much they cost to run based on the cost of our electricity.

    Most notably, I was extremely surprised to discover that my desktop computer, which is no longer used most days, costs £0.34 a day, even while in "idle" mode. I have since turned it completely off and will only switch it on when I intend to use it!

    Now I may have got the maths completely wrong and I am wondering if someone wants to check for me as maths isn't my strong point.

    The computer runs at 49 watts, and we pay £0.29 per kWh (1000 watt hours).

    I multiplied 49 by 24 hours of the day to get 1,176 watt hours or 1.176 kilowatt hours. Multiply 1.176 by £0.29 equals approx. £0.34.

    This equals £10 or so a month or about 1/8 of our total bill so a huge amount!!!

    I'm just wondering whether anyone has done the same, and what were your most surprising findings?

    Maybe we can save each other some money!!

    Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!! :)
    Using an online calculator (link below), your calculations are very close.  Attached is a screen shot of the result using your 29p, 49watts and on for 24 hours pay over a 30 day month.
    Andy
  • 66Mustang
    66Mustang Online Community Member Posts: 15,410 Championing
    @Cartini

    It didn't occur to me that there may be a calculator online to work it out for me.

    Thanks! :)
  • Sandy_123
    Sandy_123 Scope Member Posts: 63,198 Championing
    I hate maths and all that working out just went over my head lol
  • OverlyAnxious
    OverlyAnxious Online Community Member Posts: 5,891 Championing
    Just calculated my toaster.  I have toast every day.  3 minutes at 1350w - 2p per meal.  60p a month.

    Quite surprised by how little that actually uses!
  • L_Volunteer
    L_Volunteer Community Volunteer Adviser, Scope Member Posts: 7,921 Championing
    What an interesting and valuable thread!
  • leeCal
    leeCal Online Community Member Posts: 7,537 Championing
    Courtesy of Sky news
    ’Helpfully, MoneySavingExpert has collated data based on standard appliances and worked out the cost using the upcoming 1 October 2022 price cap charges for electricity (51.89p/kWh).

    Here's a list of some common household items and how much they cost to use per hour: 

    • Oven (2000W) - £1.04
    • Kettle (1,800W) - 93p
    • Electric hob (1,700W) - 88p
    • Hoover (1,400W) - 73p
    • Microwave (1,200W) - 62p
    • Iron (1,100W) - 57p
    • Slow cooker (225W) - 12p 
    • Washing machine (700W) - 36p 
    • PlayStation 5 (201W) - 10p
    • Sky Q box (45W) - 2.34p
    • TV (30W) - 1.55p 
    • Fridge (28W) - 1.45p
    • Phone charger (5W) - 0.26p ‘
  • Sandy_123
    Sandy_123 Scope Member Posts: 63,198 Championing
    Gosh that high
  • leeCal
    leeCal Online Community Member Posts: 7,537 Championing
    It’s per hour at the new rate of 51.89p/kWh that’s why it seems high...because it is!
    @Sandy_123
  • Sandy_123
    Sandy_123 Scope Member Posts: 63,198 Championing
    It is very high at an hour's rate. The fridge alone 1.45p x by 24 hours, because it can't go off, unless we stop using one  :#
  • leeCal
    leeCal Online Community Member Posts: 7,537 Championing
    edited September 2022
    The fridge is difficult to calculate because the compressor doesn’t work all the time, it comes on to reduce the inside temperature sporadically and then goes off. I’ve tried working it out but I can’t @Sandy_123. 🤔

    (1.45pence x 24 hrs is only 34.8pence a day)
  • Sandy_123
    Sandy_123 Scope Member Posts: 63,198 Championing
    Ahh that don't sound too bad, it wasn't the high figure I came up with thankfully. I'm no good with maths. I guess I won't be unplugging it now 😂 
  • SueHeath
    SueHeath Online Community Member Posts: 12,388 Championing
    All this goes over my head but it's fantastic that some of you are doing this, we should try and keep this thread updated to try and help each other, i would appreciate it some one could work out a basic air fryer for me please. x

  • leeCal
    leeCal Online Community Member Posts: 7,537 Championing
    edited September 2022
    Hi @SueHeath
    ‘An average air fryer uses anywhere from 800-2000 watts of power to run. It depends on the size and model. At times, the same capacity and size air fryers have different power requirements.’

    You can find the wattage written on the appliance somewhere though.
    800 to 2000 watts is equal to  21p to 51.89pence per half hour based on 51.89 pence per kWh ie the new average rate quoted in the table above.

    Hope this helps 🙂

    ps to change to a per minute rate just divide 21p or 51.89p by 30 eg 51.89/30=1.729p or rounded up 1.72 pence per minute.