Appliance running cost calculator (UK)
See what a kettle, air fryer, slow cooker, coffee machine, dehumidifier, heated airer or tumble dryer costs to run per use, week, month and year. It starts at the Ofgem price cap rate of 26.32p per kWh (1 October to 31 December 2026), and you can change it to match your bill.
Quick answers at that rate: a full kettle costs about 5.3p, 20 minutes in a family air fryer about 15p, 8 hours in a small slow cooker about 27p, and a full load in a vented tumble dryer about £1.27.
Work out your cost
Pick an appliance or type in your own figures. Everything updates as you type.
That is 0.05 kWh each time you use it. A month is the weekly cost × 52 ÷ 12. Excludes the daily standing charge.
What common appliances cost to run
At 26.32p per kWh, at full power, using the listed wattage of real products. Yearly figures assume the uses per week shown.
| Appliance | One use | Energy | Per use | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle, one cup | one cup, about 1 minute | 0.05 kWh | 1.3p | £19.16 (28 a week) |
| Kettle, full 1.7 litres | a full 1.7L kettle, about 4 minutes | 0.20 kWh | 5.3p | £19.16 (7 a week) |
| Small 2L air fryer | 20 minutes of cooking | 0.30 kWh | 7.9p | £20.53 (5 a week) |
| Family air fryer, single basket | 20 minutes of cooking | 0.57 kWh | 15p | £38.78 (5 a week) |
| Dual-basket air fryer, both baskets | 25 minutes of cooking | 1.03 kWh | 27p | £56.34 (4 a week) |
| Small 2.4L slow cooker | 8 hours | 1.04 kWh | 27p | £28.47 (2 a week) |
| Family slow cooker | 8 hours | 1.92 kWh | 51p | £52.56 (2 a week) |
| Manual espresso machine | one drink including heat-up, about 5 minutes | 0.09 kWh | 2.4p | £8.78 (7 a week) |
| Pod coffee machine | one drink including heat-up, about 3 minutes | 0.07 kWh | 1.8p | £6.47 (7 a week) |
| Filter coffee machine | one jug including the hotplate, about 15 minutes | 0.25 kWh | 6.6p | £17.11 (5 a week) |
| 12L compressor dehumidifier | 6 hours | 1.12 kWh | 30p | £107.49 (7 a week) |
| Heated clothes airer, 3-tier | one load, about 6 hours | 1.80 kWh | 47p | £73.91 (3 a week) |
| Compact heated airer | one load, about 6 hours | 1.32 kWh | 35p | £54.20 (3 a week) |
| Heated drying pod (airer with cover) | one load, about 3 hours | 3.00 kWh | 79p | £123.18 (3 a week) |
| Heat pump tumble dryer, 8kg (A++) | one full 8kg cotton load | 1.95 kWh | 51p | £80.07 (3 a week) |
| Condenser tumble dryer, 8kg (B) | one full 8kg cotton load | 4.73 kWh | £1.24 | £194.21 (3 a week) |
| Vented tumble dryer, 8kg (C) | one full 8kg cotton load | 4.84 kWh | £1.27 | £198.73 (3 a week) |
How it's worked out
Energy per use is the wattage divided by 1,000, multiplied by the hours it runs, then by how hard it works. For tumble dryers we use the maker's energy figure for one full load instead, because a dryer's power changes through the cycle. Cost per use is that energy multiplied by your unit rate.
The week, month and year figures multiply the cost per use by your uses per week. A month is the weekly cost × 52 ÷ 12. Standing charges are not included.
- Kettle, one cup: 3000W, Ninja Perfect Temperature kettle listing on Amazon UK (says 1 cup boils in under 50 seconds).
- Kettle, full 1.7 litres: 3000W, Ninja Perfect Temperature kettle listing on Amazon UK.
- Small 2L air fryer: 900W, Cosori 2L listing (our air fryer for one guide).
- Family air fryer, single basket: 1700W, Cosori 5.5L listing (our air fryers guide).
- Dual-basket air fryer, both baskets: About 2470W, Ninja dual-zone listing (our air fryers guide).
- Small 2.4L slow cooker: 130W, Crock-Pot 2.4L listing (our small slow cooker guide).
- Family slow cooker: About 240W, top of the 150W to 240W range listed for the slow cookers in our sear function guide.
- Manual espresso machine: 1100W, De’Longhi Stilosa listing (our coffee machine under £100 guide).
- Pod coffee machine: 1350W, Nespresso Vertuo Next listing (our pod coffee machine guide).
- Filter coffee machine: 1000W, Russell Hobbs Buckingham listing (our coffee machine under £100 guide).
- 12L compressor dehumidifier: 187W, Pro Breeze 12L listing (our dehumidifier under £100 guide).
- Heated clothes airer, 3-tier: About 300W, Dry:Soon Deluxe 3-tier listing (our heated clothes airers guide).
- Compact heated airer: 220W, Daewoo 3-tier listing (our heated airer for small flats guide).
- Heated drying pod (airer with cover): About 1000W, Dry:Soon Drying Pod listing (our heated clothes airers guide).
- Heat pump tumble dryer, 8kg (A++): 1.95 kWh per full load, Beko 8kg A++ heat pump dryer product fiche.
- Condenser tumble dryer, 8kg (B): 4.73 kWh per full load, Beko 8kg B-rated condenser dryer product fiche.
- Vented tumble dryer, 8kg (C): 4.84 kWh per full load, Beko 8kg C-rated vented dryer product fiche.
Rate source: Ofgem energy price cap, average Direct Debit electricity unit rate (England, Scotland and Wales), 1 October to 31 December 2026, checked 7 October 2026. Ofgem notes there is no VAT on electricity from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027. Tumble dryer figures: Beko 8kg heat pump dryer (A++) product details, Beko 8kg condenser dryer (B) product details, Beko 8kg vented dryer (C) product details.
Running a heater?
Electric heaters, oil-filled radiators and electric blankets have their own presets in our heater running cost calculator. Deciding how to dry your washing? Read heated airer vs tumble dryer: which costs less to run.
Common questions
How do I work out what an appliance costs to run?
Divide the wattage by 1,000 to get kilowatts, multiply by the hours it runs to get kWh, then multiply by your unit rate. A 1,700W air fryer running for 20 minutes uses about 0.57kWh, which at 26.32p per kWh is about 15p.
What is the current cost of electricity per kWh in the UK?
Under the Ofgem price cap, the average Direct Debit electricity unit rate in England, Scotland and Wales is 26.32p per kWh from 1 October to 31 December 2026. We checked it on ofgem.gov.uk on 7 October 2026. Your own rate depends on your region and tariff, so check your bill.
How much does it cost to boil a kettle?
With a 3,000W kettle, one cup takes about a minute and costs about 1.3p. A full 1.7 litre kettle takes about 4 minutes and costs about 5.3p. Only boil the water you need to keep it low. For a full, one-mug, gas hob and microwave breakdown, read how much it costs to boil a kettle.
How much does it cost to run an air fryer for 20 minutes?
About 7.9p for a small 900W air fryer and about 15p for a 1,700W family model, at full power. Air fryers switch the heater on and off once hot, so real use is often a little lower.
How much does it cost to run a slow cooker for 8 hours?
About 27p for a small 130W pot and about 51p for a 240W family pot, worked out at the listed wattage. Slow cookers are among the cheapest ways to cook a meal.
How much does a tumble dryer cost per load?
Using maker figures for a full 8kg cotton load: about 51p for an A++ heat pump dryer, £1.24 for a B-rated condenser dryer and £1.27 for a C-rated vented dryer. Smaller loads use less.
Is a heated airer cheaper than a tumble dryer?
Usually, per load. A 300W heated airer running for 6 hours uses 1.8kWh, about 47p, compared with £1.27 for a vented dryer. A heat pump dryer is closer at about 51p. Drying indoors also adds moisture to the room, which a dryer does not. Read our full heated airer vs tumble dryer running cost comparison.
Does the cost include the standing charge?
No. The standing charge is a fixed daily amount you pay whatever you use, so it is left out to show only the cost of running the appliance itself.
Where do the appliance figures come from?
Each preset uses the listed wattage of a real product from our buying guides, or the maker’s product fiche for tumble dryers. The minutes per use are our own estimates of a normal use. Change any number to match your appliance.
Will I pay exactly this amount?
Probably not exactly. Your cost depends on your tariff, the setting you use, how full the appliance is and how often the thermostat switches it on. Use it to compare options. For a real reading, an energy monitor plug measures what an appliance actually uses.