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These are typical ranges for common household models, not specifications. Your own appliance can be higher or lower, so read its label or measure it with a plug-in watt meter. The start-up surge is how much more power a motor draws for a moment when it starts.
Kitchen
| Appliance | Typical running power | Start-up surge | Hours a day it runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator, 18–25 cu ft | 100–250 W while the compressor runs | 3–4× for a moment | 8–10 (compressor) |
| Chest freezer | 60–200 W | 3–4× | 8–10 |
| Microwave oven | 700–1,500 W | 1–2× | 0.2–0.5 |
| Electric kettle | 1,000–1,800 W (120 V), 2,000–3,000 W (230 V) | 1× | 0.2–0.3 |
| Coffee maker | 600–1,200 W | 1× | 0.3 |
| Toaster or toaster oven | 800–1,800 W | 1× | 0.2 |
| Air fryer | 1,200–1,800 W | 1× | 0.5 |
| Slow cooker | 150–300 W | 1× | 6–8 |
| Electric pressure cooker | 700–1,000 W | 1× | 0.5–1 |
| Dishwasher | 1,200–1,800 W while heating | 1× | 1–1.5 |
| Electric range, one burner | 1,000–2,500 W | 1× | 1 |
| Blender | 300–1,000 W | 2× | 0.1 |
Laundry
| Appliance | Typical running power | Start-up surge | Hours a day it runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washing machine | 300–600 W (more with a heater) | 2–3× | 1 |
| Electric clothes dryer | 2,000–5,000 W | 1× (the drum motor needs more at start) | 1 |
| Iron | 1,000–1,800 W | 1× | 0.3 |
Heating and cooling
| Appliance | Typical running power | Start-up surge | Hours a day it runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Space heater | 750–1,500 W | 1× | 4–8 |
| Window air conditioner, 5,000–8,000 BTU | 450–900 W | 2–3× | 6–10 |
| Portable air conditioner | 1,000–1,500 W | 2–3× | 6–10 |
| Central air conditioner, 3 ton | 3,000–4,000 W | 2–3× without a soft starter | 6–10 |
| Gas furnace blower | 300–800 W | 2–3× | 8–12 |
| Ceiling fan | 30–75 W | 1× | 8–12 |
| Box fan | 40–100 W | 1× | 8 |
| Dehumidifier | 250–700 W | 2–3× | 8 |
| Electric blanket | 60–100 W | 1× | 6–8 |
| Electric water heater, tank | 3,500–5,500 W | 1× | 2–4 (heating time) |
Electronics and lighting
| Appliance | Typical running power | Start-up surge | Hours a day it runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| LED light bulb | 5–15 W | 1× | 4–6 |
| LED television | 50–150 W | 1× | 3–5 |
| Desktop computer | 100–300 W | 1× | 4–8 |
| Laptop | 30–90 W | 1× | 4–8 |
| Monitor | 20–50 W | 1× | 4–8 |
| Wi-Fi router and modem | 10–25 W together | 1× | 24 |
| Game console | 70–200 W | 1× | 2–4 |
| Phone charger | 5–20 W | 1× | 2–3 |
Tools and pumps
| Appliance | Typical running power | Start-up surge | Hours a day it runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corded drill | 400–800 W | 2–3× | 0.2 |
| Circular saw | 1,200–1,800 W | 2–3× | 0.2 |
| Angle grinder | 700–1,200 W | 2–3× | 0.2 |
| Small air compressor | 1,000–1,500 W | 2–3× | 0.3 |
| Shop vacuum | 600–1,200 W | 2× | 0.3 |
| Sump pump, 1/3 hp | 500–800 W | 3× | 1–2 |
| Well pump, 1/2 hp | 750–1,000 W | 2–3× | 1–2 |
| Electric fence energizer | 1–6 W | 1× | 24 |
RV, camping and off-grid
| Appliance | Typical running power | Start-up surge | Hours a day it runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| RV air conditioner, 13,500 BTU | 1,200–1,800 W | 2–3×, less with a soft starter | 6–10 |
| RV converter or battery charger | 600–1,000 W while charging | 1× | 2–6 |
| 12 V compressor fridge (DC) | 35–60 W while running | 2–3× | 8–10 |
| CPAP machine | 30–60 W, up to about 90 W with a heated humidifier | 1× | 8 |
| USB fan | 3–8 W | 1× | 6–8 |
| Starlink dish | Mini 20–40 W, standard 50–100 W | 1× | 6–24 |
How to use these numbers
- For an inverter or generator, add the running watts of everything that runs at once, then check the biggest surge. The inverter size calculator does this.
- For a battery, multiply watts by the hours it runs to get watt-hours. The solar and battery calculator and the power outage calculator use the same idea.
- For your bill, watts × hours ÷ 1,000 gives kWh. The appliance energy cost calculator turns that into dollars.
How to measure your own
- Plug the appliance into a watt meter and run it normally. Note the watts and the total kWh after a day.
- For appliances that cycle, such as refrigerators, read the kWh over 24 hours and divide by 24 for the average watts.
- If you only have amps on the label, multiply by the voltage: watts = volts × amps.
Common questions
How many watts does a refrigerator use?
A modern refrigerator draws about 100 to 250 W while its compressor runs, which is roughly 8 to 10 hours of every 24, so it averages about 40 to 100 W over a day. It needs 3 to 4 times that for a moment when the compressor starts.
How many watts does it take to run a house?
The average U.S. home uses about 869 kWh a month, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration data, which is about 1.2 kW on average. Peak demand is much higher, often 5 to 10 kW or more when heating, cooling and cooking run together.
What is the difference between running watts and starting watts?
Running watts are what an appliance draws steadily. Starting watts, or surge watts, are the extra power a motor or compressor needs for a moment when it starts. An inverter or generator has to cover both.
How do I convert amps to watts?
Multiply amps by volts. A 10 A appliance on 120 V uses about 1,200 W, and on 230 V about 2,300 W. For motors the real power can be lower than volts times amps, so a watt meter is more accurate.
Why does the same appliance use different watts in different countries?
Heating appliances such as kettles are made for the local outlet voltage. A kettle on a 230 V circuit often draws 2,000 to 3,000 W, while a 120 V kettle draws about 1,500 W. Always read your own appliance’s label.
Where can I find an appliance’s wattage?
Look for the rating label on the back, bottom or inside the door, or in the manual. It may list watts, or amps and volts. If it lists neither, measure with a plug-in watt meter.
Related
Use these numbers in the inverter size calculator, the appliance energy cost calculator and the power outage calculator. For the terms used here, see the off-grid power glossary.