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Household Running Cost Lab

Running Cost Calculator

Use this tool to make a rough estimate of what one appliance or device may cost to run from your own assumptions. Enter the power draw, minutes per use, uses per week and your own editable pence-per-kWh rate.

Important caveat

This calculator is for rough running-cost illustration only. It is not financial advice, tariff advice or a guarantee of your actual bill.

Enter your assumptions

Leave the device name blank if you only want the numbers. The pence-per-kWh field is intentionally empty: check your own tariff/rate and replace it with the value you want to model.

The estimate depends on usage and depends on appliance power draw. Use the wattage printed on the appliance, plug or manual where available, and check your own tariff/rate before relying on the illustration.

Illustrative result

Enter values to calculate

kWh per use
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Cost per use
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Weekly illustrative cost
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Monthly illustrative cost
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Yearly illustrative cost
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How to interpret this

Results will appear after you add your assumptions. Treat them as a rough estimate, not a final bill figure.

Calculator caveat

This calculator is for rough running-cost illustration only. It is not financial advice, tariff advice or a guarantee of your actual bill.

What this calculator does

It turns your entered watts and minutes into kWh per use, then uses your entered pence-per-kWh rate to estimate cost per use, weekly cost, monthly illustrative cost and yearly illustrative cost.

What you need before using it

  • The appliance or device wattage you want to model.
  • A realistic minutes-per-use assumption.
  • How many times per week you expect to use it.
  • Your own pence-per-kWh tariff/rate to check and enter yourself.

What this calculator does not claim

It does not compare brands or products, order appliances, suggest what to buy, check current energy rates, recommend a provider, give tariff advice or promise what your actual bill will be.

Formula used

  • kWh per use = watts ÷ 1000 × minutes ÷ 60.
  • Cost per use = kWh per use × pence per kWh.
  • Weekly cost = cost per use × uses per week.
  • Monthly illustrative cost = weekly cost × 52 ÷ 12.
  • Yearly illustrative cost = weekly cost × 52.

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Turn the estimate into a buying route

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