Electricity usage of items in the home

Electricity usage is ususally measured in units of kilowatt hours. You can work out how many units (or kilowatt hours) something uses by finding it's power consumption or wattage (this can ususally be found printed on the item) multiply it by the number of hours it is used for and divide by 1000.

For a simple guide to energy and power go to :www.bbc.co.uk/schools, energy and power

See also Tips for buying cooking appliances

[edit] Guide to energy usage

Here is a list of some items found in the home and how much energy they use (from www.npower.com, your energy guide

• Battery charger, 30 hrs - 1 unit
• Coffee percolator, 75 cups - 1 unit
• Compact fluorescent lamp, 50 hrs - 1 unit
• Cooker, One week's meals for a family of four - 25-30 units
• Conventional oven, medium heat for 1 hour - 3 units
• Fan assisted oven, medium heat for 1 hours - 2 units
• Radiant ring, 1 hours - 2 units
• Grill, 40 minutes - 1 unit
• Deep fat fryer, 1 kg of chips - 1 unit
• Dehumidifier (100w), 10 hours - 1 unit
• Dishwasher (cold fill), 1 full load (12 place settings) - 3-4 units
• Electric aga (6kW), 1 hour - 6 units
• Electric blankets,

Single, 1 ½ hrs each night for a week - 1 unit Double, 1 ½ hrs each night for a week - 1 ½ unit

• Extractor fan, 24 hours - 1 unit
• Fluorescent strip light, (40w) 25 hours - 1 unit
• Freezer (upright), 24 hours running time - 2-3 units
• Freezer (chest), 24 hours running time - 2-3 units
• Fridge, 24 hours running time - 1-2 units
• Fridge/freezer, 24 hours running time - 2-3 units
• Gas central heating pump (75w), 1 week - 4 units
• Hair dryer (1000w), 1 hour - 1 unit
• Heaters

Bar fire (3kW), 1 hour's heat - 3 units Convector heater (2kW), 1 hour's heat - 2 units Fan heater (2kW), 1 hour's heat - 2 units Infra red heater (1kW), 1 hour's heat - 1 unit Oil-filled radiator (1kW), 1 hour's heat - 1 unit Panel heater (1.5kW), 40 minutes heat - 1 unit

• Home computer, 1½ hours use - 1 unit
• Hot food trolley, 1 hour use - 1 unit
• Immersion heater (3kW), 1 hour use - 3 units
• Instant water heater (3kW), 1 hour use - 3 units
• Intruder alarm (40w), 24 hours - 1 unit
• Iron, 1 hour - 1 unit
• Kettle, 7 litres of boiled water - 1 unit
• Lamp (conventional 60w), 16.5 hours of light - 1 unit
• Lawnmower
• Cylinder, 3 hour - 1 unit
• Rotary, 1 hour - 1 unit
• Microwave (750w), 45 minutes - 1 unit
• Mobile phone charger 1 week's charge - 1 unit
• Oscillating fan (60w), 24 hours - 1 ½ units
• Pond pump 1,000 gall/hr (150w), 24hours - 3 ½ units
• Pond pump 2,200 gall/hr (350w), 24 hours - 8 ½ units
• Power drill, 4 hours - 1 unit
• Radio/cassette, 24 hours - 1 unit
• Sandwich toaster, 26 sandwiches - 1 unit
• Security light (500w), 2 hours light - 1 unit
• Shower (8.5kw), 6 ten minute showers - 8 ½ units
• Slow cooker, 8 hours - 1 unit
• Stereo system, 4½ hours play - 1 unit
• Storage heaters (storing for 7 hours on maximum charge)

Small (1.7kW), 7 hours - 12 units Medium (2.55kW), 7 hours - 18 units Large (3.4kW), 7 hours - 24 units

• Hedge trimmer, 2 ½ hours - 1 unit
• Sunbed

10 tube, 1 hour - 1 unit 20 tube, 1 hour - 2 units

• Tea maker, 35 cups - 1 unit
• Television (22" colour), 6 hours - 1 unit
• Toaster, 60 slices - 1 unit
• Towel rail (250w), 4 hours - 1 unit
• Tumble dryer, 1 load - 4 units
• Vacuum cleaner

cylinder, 30 minutes - 1 unit upright, 2 hours - 1 unit

• Video recorder, 45 hours - 1 unit
• Washing machine

90°C full load of washing - 4 units 50°C full load of washing - 3 unit

• Water bed (350w), 24 hours for 8 ½ units