Appliance running cost calculator
Pick an appliance (or enter its watts), how long you use it, and your tariff. See the cost per hour, day, month and year.
Your details
Cost per month
R648.72
R5.41 per hour of use
- Per day
- R21.62
- Per year
- R7 892.76
How we worked it out
- Power draw2 000
watts
- Energy per day8.0 kWh
2000 W × 4 h ÷ 1 000
- Cost per hourR5.41
- Cost per dayR21.62
kWh × 2.7 rand per kWh
- Cost per month (30 days)R648.72
- Cost per yearR7 892.76
- Appliances with a thermostat (fridges, geysers, heaters) cycle on and off, so real use is often lower than the rated watts × hours.
Cost per hour of common appliances
At Eskom Homelight 20A (270.30 c/kWh incl. VAT). Wattages are typical ratings for illustration; check your appliance's label.
| Appliance | Typical watts | Cost per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Geyser element | 3 000 W | R8.11 |
| Kettle | 2 200 W | R5.95 |
| Fan or bar heater | 2 000 W | R5.41 |
| Oven | 2 400 W | R6.49 |
| Stove plate | 1 500 W | R4.05 |
| Air conditioner | 1 200 W | R3.24 |
| Microwave | 1 000 W | R2.70 |
| Pool pump | 750 W | R2.03 |
| Washing machine | 500 W | R1.35 |
| Fridge-freezer | 150 W | R0.41 |
| TV | 100 W | R0.27 |
| Laptop | 60 W | R0.16 |
| Wi-Fi router | 10 W | R0.03 |
| LED bulb | 9 W | R0.02 |
Ways to cut the bill
- Put the geyser on a timer and lower its thermostat; heat water only when you need it.
- Boil only the water you need in the kettle.
- Use a heater in one room with the door closed rather than heating the whole house.
- Run the pool pump for fewer hours in winter.
Frequently asked questions
How do I work out what an appliance costs to run?
Watts ÷ 1 000 × hours = kWh. Multiply the kWh by your price per kWh. A 2 000 W heater used for 3 hours uses 6 kWh.
What uses the most electricity at home?
Usually the geyser, followed by heating, cooking and pool pumps: anything that heats or runs a big motor. Lights, chargers and routers use very little.
Why is my fridge cheaper than this says?
A fridge's motor switches on and off with the thermostat, so it runs only part of the day. Enter the hours it actually runs (often 8 to 12 hours a day in total).
Where do I find the watts?
On the rating plate (a sticker on the back or underneath) or in the manual. If it shows kW, multiply by 1 000.