How much electricity do your appliances use?

If you’re looking to reduce your household electricity consumption or trying to figure out how much backup power your home needs, understanding the electricity consumption of your home’s various appliances and devices is essential.

Unfortunately, tracking down this electricity usage can often be difficult, especially if you have thrown away the packaging and can’t find your owner’s manual.

While we can’t provide you with the exact electricity consumption of each appliance in your home, we can provide insight into the average consumption of products currently on the market.

Bear in mind that if your devices are older, you’ll probably find that they use more electricity than has been indicated here. The size of the appliance will also have an impact. As an example, a 32-inch television will use much less electricity than a 70-inch model. If you are buying an appliance now, remember that A-rated and higher products will use far less electricity than products with an energy efficiency rating of B and lower.

Appliance	Average high electricity consumption (Estimated cost per hour*)	Average low electricity consumption (Estimated cost per hour*)
Entertainment and electronics
Television (LED)	117W (R0.29 per hour)	26W (R0.07 per hour)
Television (Plasma)	350W (R0.88 per hour)	165W (R0.41 per hour)
Satellite decoder	30W (R0.08 per hour)	10W (R0.03 per hour)
Gaming console	90W (R0.23 per hour)	50W (R0.13 per hour)
Stereo system	450W (R1.13 per hour)	120W R0.30 per hour)
Router and modem	20W (R0.05 per hour)	2W (R0.01 per hour)
Desktop computer	300W (R0.75 per hour)	60W (R0.15 per hour)
Laptop computer	100W (R0.25 per hour)	20W (R0.05 per hour)
Printer	500W (R1.25 per hour)	30W (R0.08 per hour)
Cellphone charger	6W (R0.02 per hour)	2W (R0.01 per hour)
Large appliances
Geyser	5 000W (R12.50 per hour)	500W (R1.25 per hour)
Fridge/freezer	400W (R1.00 per hour)	100W (R0.25 per hour)
Stove	3 000W (R7.50 per hour)	1 000W (R2.50 per hour)
Induction plate	3 000W (R7.50 per hour)	1 500W (R3.75 per hour)
Air fryer	2 300W (R5.75 per hour)	1 500W (R3.75 per hour)
Oven	5 000W (R12.50 per hour)	1 000W (R2.50 per hour)
Washing machine	1 300W (R3.25 per hour)	400W R1.00 per hour)
Tumble dryer	5 000W (R12.50 per hour)	1 800W (R4.50 per hour)
Dishwasher	2 400W (R6.00 per hour)	1 200W (R3.00 per hour)
Air conditioner	1 500W (R3.75 per hour)	500W (R1.25 per hour)
Small appliances
Microwave	1 800W (R4.50 per hour)	850W (R2.13 per hour)
Kettle	3 000W (R7.50 per hour)	2 200W (R5.50 per hour)
Toaster	1 500W (R3.75 per hour)	800W (R2.00 per hour)
Iron	2 000W (R5.00 per hour)	800W (R2.00 per hour)
Vacuum cleaner	3 000W (R7.50 per hour)	500W (R1.25 per hour)
Hairdryer	2 100W (R5.25 per hour)	1 000W (R2.50 per hour)
Lighting and fans
Lightbulb (incandescent)	100W (R0.25 per hour)	40W (R0.10 per hour)
Lightbulb (fluorescent)	15W (R0.04 per hour)	13W (R0.03 per hour)
Lightbulb (LED)	10W (R0.03 per hour)	4W (R0.01 per hour)
Ceiling fan	100W (R0.25 per hour)	55W (R0.14 per hour)
Desktop fan	100W (R0.25 per hour)	5W (R0.01 per hour)
Pedestal fan	100W (R0.25 per hour)	50W (R0.13 per hour)

* Note: The price each South African pays for electricity depends on who supplies their electricity and how much electricity their household consumes in a month. The estimated electricity costs presented in this article was based on a price of R2.50/kWh in 2022. Please consult Eskom or your municipality’s website for tariffs that are applicable to your household.

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