Household comparison
What Uses the Most Electricity?
High wattage matters, but runtime matters just as much. Compare common appliances using a consistent £0.2611 per kWh example (Ofgem GB cap illustration).
Quick answer
Heating and cooling often dominate
Appliances that make heat or move heat tend to use the most electricity. Electric heaters, air conditioners, ovens, and tumble dryers have high power demand. Fridges use less power at once but operate every day. Your own usage pattern can change the order, so compare monthly kWh rather than wattage alone.
Example monthly appliance costs
These figures use each calculator's stated example schedule and are not household averages.
| Appliance | Example use | Monthly kWh | At £0.2611/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat pump | 8 hr/day, 7 days/week | 606.7 kWh | £158.40 |
| Air conditioner | 8 hr/day, 7 days/week | 364.0 kWh | £95.04 |
| Hot tub | 4 hr/day, 7 days/week | 364.0 kWh | £95.04 |
| Electric heater | 5 hr/day, 7 days/week | 303.3 kWh | £79.20 |
| Electricity bill | 10 hr/day, 7 days/week | 303.3 kWh | £79.20 |
| EV charger | 3 hr/day, 3 days/week | 280.8 kWh | £73.32 |
| Portable air conditioner | 6 hr/day, 7 days/week | 254.8 kWh | £66.53 |
| EV charging comparison | 4 hr/day, 2 days/week | 249.6 kWh | £65.17 |
| Space heater | 4 hr/day, 7 days/week | 182.0 kWh | £47.52 |
| Dehumidifier | 8 hr/day, 7 days/week | 72.8 kWh | £19.01 |
| Dishwasher | 1.5 hr/day, 5 days/week | 58.5 kWh | £15.27 |
| Gaming PC | 4 hr/day, 7 days/week | 54.6 kWh | £14.26 |
| Electric oven | 1 hr/day, 5 days/week | 52.0 kWh | £13.58 |
| Tumble dryer | 1 hr/day, 4 days/week | 43.3 kWh | £11.31 |
| Fridge freezer | 8 hr/day, 7 days/week | 36.4 kWh | £9.50 |
| Freezer | 8 hr/day, 7 days/week | 29.1 kWh | £7.60 |
| Electric blanket | 8 hr/day, 7 days/week | 24.3 kWh | £6.34 |
| Heated airer | 6 hr/day, 3 days/week | 23.4 kWh | £6.11 |
| TV | 5 hr/day, 7 days/week | 18.2 kWh | £4.75 |
| Washing machine | 1.5 hr/day, 5 days/week | 16.3 kWh | £4.24 |
| Air fryer | 0.5 hr/day, 5 days/week | 16.3 kWh | £4.24 |
| Slow cooker | 6 hr/day, 3 days/week | 15.6 kWh | £4.07 |
| Electric fan | 8 hr/day, 7 days/week | 12.1 kWh | £3.17 |
| Laptop | 8 hr/day, 5 days/week | 11.3 kWh | £2.94 |
| Steam iron | 0.5 hr/day, 2 days/week | 10.4 kWh | £2.72 |
| Coffee machine | 0.25 hr/day, 7 days/week | 9.1 kWh | £2.38 |
| Wi-Fi router | 24 hr/day, 7 days/week | 8.7 kWh | £2.28 |
| Electric kettle | 0.08 hr/day, 7 days/week | 7.3 kWh | £1.90 |
| Microwave | 0.17 hr/day, 7 days/week | 7.2 kWh | £1.88 |
| Hair dryer | 0.17 hr/day, 5 days/week | 6.6 kWh | £1.73 |
| Rice cooker | 0.75 hr/day, 4 days/week | 6.5 kWh | £1.70 |
| Vacuum cleaner | 0.5 hr/day, 3 days/week | 5.2 kWh | £1.36 |
Use this as a comparison, not a bill forecast. Replace every appliance's example wattage and runtime with your own measurements for a household estimate.