How Much Electricity Do You Use?
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Yeah, you pay your electric bill every month, so you know how much you spend. But do you know what that money is powering? Would you have guessed that your electric kettle is one of your most power-hungry appliances? Or that your television is one of the least? Knowing where the electricity in your house or apartment is being burned will help you quickly fix the problem areas—saving you money every month and reducing your carbon-footprint.
The following is from Energy: Use Less–Save More by Jon Clift and Amanda Cuthbert.
The amount of electricity consumed varies hugely according to which appliance and model you use. Check out the list below to see which are the hungriest appliances. All figures given here are approximate – see your actual appliance for accurate figures.
| Appliance | Average watts used per hour |
|---|---|
| Low-energy light bulb | 11 |
| Extractor fan | 75 |
| Laptop computer | 75 |
| Conventional light bulb | 100 |
| Stereo | 100 |
| Television | 100 |
| Video recorder | 110 |
| Refrigerator | 125 |
| Desktop computer | 150 |
| Freezer | 300 |
| Hair dryer | 750 |
| Microwave | 750 |
| Vacuum cleaner | 800 |
| Toaster | 1,000 |
| Iron | 1,000 |
| Dishwasher | 1,000 |
| Small portable heater | 1,000 |
| Washing machine | 1,200 |
| Stovetop (1 burner) | 1,300 |
| Oil-filled heater | 2,000 |
| Fan heater | 2,000 |
| Large portable heater | 2,000 |
| Deep fryer | 2,000 |
| Oven | 2,150 |
| Electric kettle | 2,250 |
| Demand water heater | 3,000 |
| Electric shower unit | 8,000 |
| Stove (everything on) | 11,500 |
To test the actual electricity usage of your specific appliances, I suggest getting the Kill A Watt Electricity Usage Monitor.
What do you unplug to save on electricity?
