Best starting point
Use the general appliance calculator when you know the wattage or label details. Use the dedicated pages below when the question is already specific, such as electric showers, tumble drying or immersion heating.
Running cost hub
Work out what common household appliances and heating options cost to run
Use this section when the first question is simply “what is this costing me?” The best pages here give you a baseline quickly, then point you to the next decision if cost alone is not enough.
Strongest live running-cost tools
These pages give the number and the practical context on the same screen.
Appliance running cost calculator
Best general starting point for most electrical appliances, including optional standby use.
Electric heater running cost calculator
Estimate room-heating cost with a more realistic runtime pattern than full-power guessing.
Dehumidifier running cost calculator
Useful for damp control and indoor drying questions where moisture matters as much as electricity use.
Browse by household problem
These routes work better than one long appliance list because people usually start with the household job, not the category.
Drying clothes and dealing with damp
Best when cost, drying speed and indoor moisture all matter at once.
- Tumble dryer running costFast drying with higher electricity use.
- Heated airer running costLower cost, slower drying and more space trade-offs.
- Dehumidifier running costGood starting point for indoor drying and damp control.
- Dehumidifier clothes-drying guideSetup and usage guidance after the cost estimate.
Kitchen and utility appliances
Best when everyday use patterns matter more than the label wattage.
Heating and hot water
Best when timing, room fit and usage pattern change the answer quickly.
Paired routes that usually make this section more useful
Most running-cost visits become more useful when they are paired with the right follow-on page instead of stopping at one number.
Heat the room, then check whether the heater itself makes sense
Dry clothes, then decide which method earns its place
Measure the appliance cost, then decide whether to replace it
Running cost FAQ
Short answers to the questions that usually matter before you trust the number.
What do I need to estimate a running cost accurately enough?
You usually need three things: power or wattage, how long the appliance runs, and your electricity tariff. The biggest errors normally come from guessing runtime badly, not from the arithmetic.
Why can two electric heaters cost about the same per kWh but feel different to use?
Direct electric heaters all turn electricity into heat at broadly the same efficiency. The useful difference is how the room feels, how quickly heat arrives, and whether the heater suits the room and usage pattern.