What uses the most electricity in a home?

For most US homes, heating and cooling dominate — a central air conditioner, electric heat, or heat pump. After that come the electric water heater, EV charging, the clothes dryer, and the oven. Always-on devices (fridge, freezer, electronics) are individually small but add up because they never stop.

How do I calculate an appliance’s running cost?

Multiply its wattage by the hours you use it per day, divide by 1,000 to get kWh/day, then multiply by 30 for the month and by your electricity rate (in dollars per kWh). This calculator does it for you and lets you adjust the hours.

What is the cheapest way to lower my electric bill?

Target the biggest line items first: raise/lower the thermostat a few degrees, run the dryer and dishwasher less or off-peak, lower the water-heater temperature, and shift EV charging to overnight hours. Small always-on loads matter less than the heating, cooling, and water-heating you can actually shift.

What uses the most electricity in your home?

Every appliance has a price tag per year. Set your electricity rate, adjust how much you actually use each one, and see what's really driving your bill, ranked from biggest to smallest.

Your state (sets the average rate)

Electricity rate (¢/kWh)

Total, all appliances below

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That's about

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Adjust hours/day for anything that doesn't match your home. Costs update live and the bars show relative impact.

Appliance	Power	kWh/mo	Cost/yr
Central air conditioning Summer cooling; runs far more during heat waves.	3,500W	420	$857
EV charging (Level 2) About 30–40 miles of range per hour at home.	7,200W	324	$661
Heat pump (heating or cooling) Far more efficient than resistance heat for the same comfort.	1,800W	270	$551
Pool pump A variable-speed pump on a shorter schedule cuts this sharply.	1,100W	198	$404
Electric water heater Tank reheating; tankless draws more but briefly.	4,000W	180	$367
Electric furnace / resistance heat Per portable/space unit; whole-home electric heat is much higher.	1,500W	180	$367
Hot tub / spa Heater plus circulation; cold climates run longer.	1,500W	180	$367
Window AC unit Per unit; several units add up fast.	1,000W	150	$306
Dehumidifier Common hidden cost in basements and humid climates.	500W	90	$184
Clothes dryer High wattage, short run. Heat-pump dryers use ~half.	3,000W	54	$110
Electric oven / range Cooktop plus oven; air fryers/microwaves are cheaper per meal.	2,400W	50	$103
Dishwasher Most of the draw is heating water and the dry cycle.	1,800W	38	$77
Refrigerator Always on, but cycles. Old units can use 2–3x more.	150W	36	$73
Always-on electronics (router, chargers, standby) "Phantom" load; a smart power strip trims it.	50W	36	$73
Desktop computer + monitor Gaming PCs draw much more under load.	200W	30	$61
Chest / upright freezer Always on; a second freezer is a quiet add-on cost.	100W	24	$49
Lighting (whole home, LED) LEDs use ~80% less than old incandescent bulbs.	100W	18	$37
Ceiling / standing fans Cheap comfort — lets you raise the thermostat.	75W	18	$37
Television Large OLED/LED sets draw more.	100W	15	$31
Washing machine Cold-water washing avoids the water-heating cost.	500W	8	$15

Estimates use typical US wattages and effective run-times (duty cycles folded in for appliances that cycle, like refrigerators). Your actual usage varies with model, climate, and habits. For an exact read on your bill, upload it to the Energy Advisor below.

Want to know what's really driving your bill?

Ask the free Energy Advisor, or upload your bill and it pinpoints your biggest costs and how to cut them.

Where the money actually goes

For most homes the bill is dominated by heating, cooling, and hot water, not the gadgets people worry about. A central AC, electric heat, or heat pump can cost more than every light, TV, and charger in the house combined. That's why turning the thermostat a few degrees, or shifting your EV charging and laundry to off-peak hours, beats unplugging chargers.

The second tier is the big intermittent loads: the dryer, oven, and dishwasher draw a lot but only briefly. The third tier is always-on devices — individually tiny, but they run every hour of the year, so an old second fridge or a power-hungry router quietly adds up.