Understanding how much each appliance costs to run is the first step towards reducing your electricity bill. While most of us know that heating and cooling are expensive, you might be surprised by which other appliances are quietly chewing through power — and which ones barely register. Here's a complete guide to appliance running costs in Australia, with a simple formula you can use to calculate the cost of any appliance.
Appliance Running Costs at a Glance
The following table shows estimated annual running costs for common household appliances, based on average Australian electricity rates of 30–35c/kWh in 2026:
| Appliance | Typical Wattage | Avg Daily Use | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fridge (modern 400L) | 100–150W avg | 24 hrs | $60–$150 |
| Fridge (old, 15+ years) | 200–350W avg | 24 hrs | $200–$400 |
| Washing machine (front loader) | 500W per cycle | 1 cycle/day | $30–$60 |
| Washing machine (top loader) | 800W per cycle | 1 cycle/day | $50–$80 |
| Clothes dryer | 2,000–5,000W | 1 hr, 3×/week | $100–$200 |
| Dishwasher | 1,200–1,800W | 1 cycle/day | $50–$100 |
| Air conditioner (split, 2.5kW) | 700–1,200W | 4–8 hrs/day, seasonal | $150–$400 |
| Air conditioner (split, 7kW) | 2,000–3,000W | 4–8 hrs/day, seasonal | $400–$800 |
| Pool pump | 1,000–2,500W | 6–10 hrs/day | $400–$1,200 |
| Electric hot water (storage) | 3,600W element | 3–5 hrs/day | $800–$1,500 |
| Heat pump hot water | 600–900W | 2–4 hrs/day | $150–$350 |
| TV (LED, 55-inch) | 60–100W | 4–6 hrs/day | $20–$50 |
| Computer/laptop | 50–200W | 4–8 hrs/day | $15–$60 |
| LED lighting (whole house) | 100–300W total | 5–8 hrs/day | $30–$80 |
| Electric oven | 2,000–2,400W | 0.5–1 hr/day | $60–$120 |
| Microwave | 1,000–1,200W | 15–30 min/day | $15–$30 |
How to Calculate Any Appliance's Running Cost
You can estimate the running cost of any appliance using this simple formula:
Annual cost = (Watts ÷ 1,000) × Hours per day × 365 × Electricity rate ($/kWh)
Example: A 2,000W clothes dryer running for 1 hour, 3 times per week:
(2,000 ÷ 1,000) × 1 × 156 × $0.33 = $103 per year
To find your appliance's wattage, check the label on the back or bottom of the appliance, or look it up in the manual. For your electricity rate, check your most recent electricity bill — look for the "usage charge" in cents per kWh.
Tips to Reduce Costs by Appliance Category
Refrigerator
- Set the temperature to 3–4°C for the fridge and −18°C for the freezer — any colder wastes energy
- Keep the fridge well-stocked (thermal mass helps maintain temperature) but not overpacked (air needs to circulate)
- Clean the condenser coils annually — dusty coils increase energy use by up to 25%
- If your fridge is over 15 years old, replacing it could save $150–$250 per year
Washing Machine and Dryer
- Wash in cold water — heating water accounts for 80–90% of a washing machine's energy use on hot cycles
- Use the clothesline instead of the dryer whenever possible — it's free
- If you must use a dryer, consider a heat pump dryer (uses 50% less energy than a standard condenser dryer)
- Run full loads to maximise efficiency per garment
Heating and Cooling
- Set your thermostat to 24°C in summer and 18–20°C in winter — each degree of change adds roughly 10% to running costs
- Clean air conditioner filters every 3 months — dirty filters can increase energy use by 15–25%
- Use ceiling fans in conjunction with air conditioning to circulate air more effectively
- Close doors and windows in the rooms you're heating or cooling
Hot Water
- Switch from electric storage to a heat pump — saves $500–$800 per year
- If you have solar panels, set your heat pump to run during the day
- Take shorter showers — each minute of hot water use costs approximately 10–15 cents
- Fix dripping taps — a hot tap dripping at one drip per second wastes about $50 of hot water per year
Pool Pump
- Switch to a variable speed pump — they use 60–80% less energy than single-speed pumps
- Run the pump during off-peak hours or solar generation hours
- Reduce run time — most pools need only 6–8 hours of filtration per day, not 10–12
- Use a pool cover to reduce debris, evaporation, and the need for extended pump runs
Standby Power: The Silent Cost
Many appliances continue to draw power when switched off but still plugged in. While individual standby loads are small (typically 0.5–5W per device), they add up across a whole home:
- Average Australian household standby power: 50–100W constant
- Annual cost of standby power: $50–$100
- Worst offenders: older TVs, game consoles, set-top boxes, phone chargers, microwave displays
Using power strips with switches to completely cut power to entertainment centres and home office setups when not in use is the easiest way to eliminate standby waste — our deeper dive into standby power and phantom load costs breaks the numbers down device by device.
Understanding your appliance running costs puts you in control of your electricity bill. Start by targeting the biggest consumers — hot water, heating/cooling, and any old appliances — and work your way down. Even small changes, like washing in cold water and adjusting your thermostat by a degree or two, compound into meaningful savings over a year.