United Kingdom
What appliances cost to run in the UK
Every page prices the appliance at the Ofgem price cap electricity rate for 1 October to 31 December 2026: 26.32p per kWh on average for England, Scotland and Wales, paying by Direct Debit. Type your own tariff's unit rate for an exact answer.
Ranked by cost per day at typical use
| # | Appliance | Assumes | Energy a day | Per day | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Electric heater | 2 kW, 8 h a day, 75% duty | 12 kWh | £3.16 | £96.13 |
| 2 | Oil filled radiator | 2 kW, 8 h a day, 60% duty | 9.6 kWh | £2.53 | £76.91 |
| 3 | Portable air conditioner | 1.2 kW, 8 h a day, 75% duty | 7.2 kWh | £1.90 | £57.68 |
| 4 | Hot tub | 7.0 kWh a day | 7.0 kWh | £1.84 | £56.08 |
| 5 | Air source heat pump | 1.2 kW, 8 h a day, 70% duty | 6.7 kWh | £1.77 | £53.83 |
| 6 | Electric fire | 2 kW, 4 h a day, 80% duty | 6.4 kWh | £1.68 | £51.27 |
| 7 | Immersion heater | 3 kW, 2 h a day | 6.0 kWh | £1.58 | £48.07 |
| 8 | Dehumidifier | 250 watt, 24 h a day, 60% duty | 3.6 kWh | 95p | £28.84 |
| 9 | Tumble dryer | 3.5 kWh per load, 1 a day | 3.5 kWh | 92p | £28.04 |
| 10 | Electric shower | 1.5 kWh per shower, 1 a day | 1.5 kWh | 39p | £12.02 |
| 11 | Fridge freezer | 60 watt, 24 h a day | 1.4 kWh | 38p | £11.54 |
| 12 | Dishwasher | 1.2 kWh per load, 1 a day | 1.2 kWh | 32p | £9.61 |
| 13 | Electric oven | 2.2 kW, 1 h a day, 50% duty | 1.1 kWh | 29p | £8.81 |
| 14 | Gaming PC | 350 watt, 4 h a day, 70% duty | 0.98 kWh | 26p | £7.85 |
| 15 | Chest freezer | 40 watt, 24 h a day | 0.96 kWh | 25p | £7.69 |
| 16 | Air purifier | 40 watt, 24 h a day | 0.96 kWh | 25p | £7.69 |
| 17 | Mini fridge | 30 watt, 24 h a day | 0.72 kWh | 19p | £5.77 |
| 18 | Washing machine | 0.70 kWh per load, 1 a day | 0.70 kWh | 18p | £5.61 |
| 19 | Kettle | 0.10 kWh per boil, 5 a day | 0.50 kWh | 13p | £4.01 |
| 20 | TV | 100 watt, 5 h a day | 0.50 kWh | 13p | £4.01 |
| 21 | Electric blanket | 100 watt, 8 h a day, 50% duty | 0.40 kWh | 11p | £3.20 |
| 22 | Ceiling fan | 50 watt, 8 h a day | 0.40 kWh | 11p | £3.20 |
| 23 | Desk or tower fan | 45 watt, 8 h a day | 0.36 kWh | 9.5p | £2.88 |
| 24 | Microwave | 1.2 kW, 15 min a day | 0.30 kWh | 7.9p | £2.40 |
| 25 | Air fryer | 1.5 kW, 20 min a day, 60% duty | 0.30 kWh | 7.8p | £2.38 |
Heating
Cooling and fans
Kitchen
- Fridge freezer1.6p an hour£11.54 a month at typical use
- Mini fridge0.8p an hour£5.77 a month at typical use
- Chest freezer1.1p an hour£7.69 a month at typical use
- Dishwasher32p per load£9.61 a month at typical use
- Electric oven29p an hour£8.81 a month at typical use
- Air fryer24p an hour£2.38 a month at typical use
- Microwave32p an hour£2.40 a month at typical use
- Kettle2.6p per boil£4.01 a month at typical use
Laundry and water
Living room and office
Outdoor and garage
About the rate
The price cap is a cap on the unit rate and standing charge for a default (standard variable) tariff, not on the bill. Ofgem resets it every three months. The 1 January to 31 March 2027 level is announced in late November 2026, and this site's UK pages change the same day. Fixed tariffs, Economy 7 night rates and prepayment rates differ, so every calculator here takes your own unit rate.