Household running costs
Typical running costs for household appliances
The amount of power an appliance uses is determined by its wattage. 1000 watts equal a kilowatt. When you run a 1000 watt appliance for one hour, you use one unit (kilowatt hour) of electricity. One unit of electricity will run a 2000 watt space heater for 30 minutes or a 100 watt bulb for 10 hours. The following table sets out approximate running costs based on Meridian Energy’s Prices as at 1st October 2010. All prices include GST.
Electricity used by hot water cylinders will vary according to the size of the cylinder, amount of hot water used, the thermostat setting, the temperature of the incoming water temperature, and the insulation of the cylinder.
| Approximate Net Running cost | |
|---|---|
| Household 24hr Use: | 28.90 cents kW/hr |
| Night Rate: | 15.23 cents kW/hr |
| Standard Controlled: | 20.14 cents kW/hr |
| Prompt payment discount | 10% |
| Kitchen | |
| Jug | 1 litre 3.6 cents |
| Toaster | 2 slices for 0.8 cents |
| Crockpot | 1 hour on low for 3.2 cents |
| Cake Mixer | 1 hour’s use for 6.5 cents |
| Rangehood | 1 hour’s use for 4.3 cents |
| Extractor Fan | 1 hour’s use for 4.3 cents |
| Oven on Standard Bake | 1 chicken for 34.7 cents 1 batch of scones for 26.2 cents 1 casserole 36.8 cents |
| Oven on Fan Bake | 3 trays of scones for 28.9 cents 1 complete meal (meat loaf, baked potatoes and apple crumble) for 40.2 cents |
| Microwave Oven | 1 chicken for 26 cents 1 casserole 12.9 cents |
| Mini Oven | 1 casserole 23.4 cents 1 batch of scones for 7.4 cents |
| Electric Frypan | 1 roast and vegetables 29.8 cents 1 batch of scones for 7.4 cents |
| Toasted Sandwich Maker | 2 toasted sandwiches 1.7 cents |
| Coffee Maker | 1 10 c demi tasse 3.8 cents |
| Dehydrator | 8 hour’s use for 101.2 cents |
| Laundry | |
| Washing Machine (cold rinse) | 1 cold wash for 5.1 cents 1 hot/cold wash for 120.7 cents 1 warm/cold wash for 43.7 cents |
| Drier | 1 hour for 57.8 cents |
| Iron | 1 hour’s use for 17.3 cents |
| Lights | |
| 100 Watt | 5 hour’s use for 14.5 cents |
| 60 Watt | 5 hour’s use for 8.7 cents |
| Compact Fluorescent (100 Watt Equiv.) | 5 hour’s use for 4.3 cents |
| 1200mm Fluorescent | 5 hour’s use for 8.7 cents |
| Living Room | |
| Television Set | 5 hour’s use for 21.7 cents |
| Video | 2 hour’s use for 4.6 cents |
| Radio | 5 hour’s use for 4.3 cents |
| Stereo System | 5 hour’s use for 11.6 cents |
| Sundry Appliances | |
| Pool Filter Pump (1 kW) | 2 hour’s use for 57.8 cents |
| Single Electric Blanket | 1 winter week for 22.8 cents |
| Double Water Bed | 1 winter week for 9.71 dollars |
| Bathroom Extractor Fan | 1 hour’s use for 1.2 cents |
| Ceiling Fan | 5 hour’s use for 10.8 cents |
| Duhumidifier (350w) | 1 hour’s use for 10.1 cents |
| Vacuum Cleaner | 1 hour’s use for 28.9 cents |
| Breadmaker (550w) | 1 loaf for 8.6 cents |
| Refrigeration | |
| Frost free fridge freezer 380 ltr | 1 day for 90.3 cents |
| Cyclic Fridge freezer 380 ltr | 1 day for 72.3 cents |
| Chest freezer 160 ltr | 1 day for 28.9 cents |
| Single door freezer 160 ltr | 1 day for 37.6 cents |
| Chest freezer 500 ltr | 1 day for 52 cents |
| Heating | |
| Night Store 3.4 kW | 1 day for 4.14 dollars |
| Heater 2.4 kW | 1 hour’s use for 69.4 cents |
| Heater 1 kW | 1 hour’s use for 28.9 cents |
| Towel Rail | 1 day for 62.4 cents |
| Study / Work Room | |
| Home Computer | 1 hour’s use for 2.7 cents |
| Computer Printer | 1 hour’s use for 1.9 cents |
| Sewing Machine | 1 hour’s use for 2.5 cents |
| Overlocker | 1 hour’s use for 2.9 cents |
| Water Heating | |
| Electricity used by hot water cylinders will vary according to the size of the cylinder, amount of hot water used, the thermostat setting, the temperature of the incoming water temperature, and the insulation of the cylinder. | |
| Typical Family | 1 day 2.19 dollars |
| Bath | 1 bath for 96.4 cents |
| Shower (mains pressure) | 7 min. shower for 77.7 cents |
| Shower (mains pressure - energy efficient shower head) | 7 min. shower for 17.2 cents |
| Shower (low pressure) | 7 min. shower for 16.6 cents |
| Shower (low pressure - energy efficient shower head) | 7 min. shower for 9.6 cents |
| Dishes | 1 sink full for around 11.1 cents |
| Dishwasher | 1 load for around 42.7 cents |
| Aerated Sewerage System |
|
| Average daily running cost | 87 cents per day |
| Spa Pools | |
| The cost of running spa pools will vary according to pool size, thermostat setting, insulation, the size of the heating element, usage, and electricity tariff. Please feel free to discuss your individual requirements with one of our staff. | |
Reviews & ratings for this article:
“I use the information for my Budget Clients in the Hikurangi and Whangarei area. To try to save on power usage.”
“I would like to know the cost of running a crockpot on high. the modern ones run hotter than the old ones.”
“Great tool for working out and setting running costs for our accommodation business!! Should have done this ages ago. Thank you”