How to Find Your Appliance's Energy Usage
The quality of a running-cost estimate depends heavily on the energy figure you enter.
1. Check the energy label
Modern appliance labels can show consumption as kWh per cycle, kWh per 100 cycles or another standardised usage figure. If a washing machine or dishwasher shows kWh per 100 cycles, divide by 100 to estimate one cycle.
2. Check the rating plate
Kettles, heaters, microwaves, computers and many smaller appliances show a wattage or power rating on a label. Wattage describes power, not total energy used.
3. Use the manufacturer's specification
Manufacturer product pages and manuals often list rated input power or energy consumption. Use electrical input power rather than cooking/output power where the two differ.
4. Measure variable devices when possible
Gaming PCs, thermostatic heaters, fridges and other devices can vary their power draw. A plug-in energy monitor can provide a more representative average than the maximum rating.