--- title: "Appliance running cost calculator (UK price cap)" description: "Find out what any electric appliance costs per hour, day, month and winter at the current UK price cap." url: https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/tools/running-cost-calculator/ --- # Appliance running cost calculator Find out what any electric appliance costs per hour, day, month and winter at the current UK price cap. By [Pete Harvey](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/about/), editor. Updated 14 October 2026. *This part of the page is an interactive tool. Open https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/tools/running-cost-calculator/ in a browser to use it.* ## What common appliances cost to run Typical power for each kind of appliance, at the Oct to Dec 2026 price cap of 26.32p per kWh. Your own model may draw more or less, so check its label and put that figure in the calculator. | Appliance | Typical power | Per hour | Per month, 4 hours a day | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Dehumidifier, compressor (10 to 12L) | 180W | 4.7p | £5.76 | | Dehumidifier, compressor (20L) | 330W | 8.7p | £10.56 | | Dehumidifier, desiccant | 600W | 16p | £19.20 | | Heated airer | 250W | 6.6p | £8.00 | | Electric blanket, double | 100W | 2.6p | £3.20 | | Heated throw | 120W | 3.2p | £3.84 | | Oil-filled radiator, 1.5kW | 1.5kW | 39p | £48.01 | | Oil-filled radiator, 2.5kW | 2.5kW | 66p | £80.01 | | Fan heater, 2kW | 2kW | 53p | £64.01 | | Halogen heater, 1.2kW | 1.2kW | 32p | £38.41 | | Desk fan | 25W | 0.7p | 80p | | Tower fan | 40W | 1.1p | £1.28 | | Pedestal fan | 45W | 1.2p | £1.44 | | Evaporative air cooler | 65W | 1.7p | £2.08 | | Portable air conditioner, 9,000 BTU | 1kW | 26p | £32.01 | | Extractor fan | 10W | 0.3p | 32p | ## How to work it out yourself Electricity is charged per kilowatt-hour (kWh): using 1,000 watts for one hour. So the cost of running anything is its power in kilowatts, times the hours it runs, times your price per kWh. A 160W dehumidifier is 0.16kW. At the Oct to Dec 2026 price cap of 26.32p per kWh it costs 4.2p an hour, and £7.68 a month if it runs six hours a day. ## Why the real figure is often lower The power on the label is the most an appliance draws. Anything with a thermostat or humidistat cycles on and off once the room reaches the setting, so over an evening it may only run at full power for part of the time. Use the "full power" box to allow for that if you know roughly how often yours cuts out. The standing charge, the fixed daily fee on your bill, isn't included. You pay it whatever you switch on, so it doesn't change the cost of running one more appliance. ## Typical power of common appliances Our running cost tables list the rated power of each model: [dehumidifiers](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/damp/dehumidifier-running-costs/), [heated airers](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/heating/heated-airer-running-costs/), [electric blankets and throws](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/heating/electric-blanket-running-costs/) and [electric heaters](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/heating/oil-radiator-vs-fan-heater-vs-halogen/). ## Read next - [Heated airer running costs](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/heating/heated-airer-running-costs/) (Running costs) What heated clothes airers cost per hour and per load at the current price cap, and how that compares with a tumble dryer. - [Dehumidifier running costs: popular models compared](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/damp/dehumidifier-running-costs/) (Running costs) What each popular dehumidifier costs per hour and per month at the current price cap, from its rated power. - [Heating cost per hour: throw, heaters, gas, oil and heat pump compared](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/tools/heating-cost-per-hour/) (Calculator) Compare the hourly cost of a heated throw, electric blanket, plug-in heaters, and gas, oil, heat pump and electric central heating. - [What size dehumidifier do I need?](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/tools/dehumidifier-size-calculator/) (Calculator) Answer four questions about your home and get the dehumidifier size and type that suits it, with what it will cost to run. --- As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Links to shops are marked, and earning from them never decides what we recommend. [How this site is paid for](https://homecomfortlab.co.uk/affiliate-disclosure/). Running costs use 26.32p per kWh for electricity and 7.97p per kWh for gas, the [Ofgem price cap, Direct Debit average for England, Scotland and Wales](https://ofgem.gov.uk/news/changes-energy-price-cap-between-1-october-and-31-december-2026) for 1 October to 31 December 2026.