Energy Editor 
For an appliance electricity-cost estimate, start with the charges that change when you use another kilowatt-hour. That can include both supply and usage-based delivery charges, not just the largest rate printed on the front of the bill. A fixed monthly customer charge usually does not increase because you run a dryer one more time. This … Read more
An electric dryer using 3 kWh per load costs about $0.50 per cycle at an example rate of 16.8¢/kWh. At five loads per week, that works out to about $10.92 per average month. Your electric dryer electricity cost depends on energy per cycle, the number of cycles and the tariff you actually pay. Rather than … Read more
A refrigerator rated at 500 kWh per year costs about $84 per year, or $7 per average month, at an example electricity rate of 16.8¢/kWh. Your refrigerator electricity cost depends on its actual energy use and your utility tariff. The most useful starting point is usually annual kilowatt-hours on the EnergyGuide label, rather than the … Read more
Air conditioners can be a major part of a household’s summer electricity use. This guide shows how to estimate their energy cost using input watts, running time and your utility rate. Updated October 20, 2026. The examples below are calculations, not measurements of specific products. 1. Cooling capacity is not electrical input BTU per hour … Read more
Space heaters are one of the most popular portable heating solutions during cold months. However, they are also notorious for causing unexpected spikes in winter utility bills. If you are wondering how much electricity your space heater uses and what it actually costs to run every month, here is a detailed breakdown based on standard … Read more