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Energy consumption
Estimates measured in watt-hours (Wh).
Select products to compare their energy use
Compare energy consumption of different products and activities
Estimates measured in watt-hours (Wh).
This is a prototype tool. It was designed to get a sense of the differences in energy consumption between different products. It's often difficult to understand whether activities matter a lot or very little for our overall energy consumption.
These numbers represent typical products and usage (specifically for the UK, although it will often generalise elsewhere), and might not reflect your own personal circumstances. If you want to get precise measurements, you will need to use dedicated energy monitoring equipment.
Actual energy consumption will vary a lot depending on factors such as the age and efficiency of the product, how you're using it (for example, how warm your showers are, or how fast you drive), weather and climate conditions (which is particularly important for the energy usage of heaters and air conditioners).
Add and remove products or activities in the sidebar to compare them on the chart. Most have the option of adjusting the number of hours used, miles driven, or other units of usage.
This tool was built by Hannah Ritchie, with the help of Claude Code.
All energy consumption values in this tool are measured in watt-hours (Wh), which is the amount of energy consumed over time. The basic formula for calculating energy consumption is:
Energy (Wh) = Power (Watts) × Time (Hours)
For example, a 100-watt light bulb used for 2 hours would consume 200 watt-hours of energy.
Most products on this list are electrical, but energy use for non-electric products (such as petrol car or gas heating) are converted into watt-hour equivalents.
Below, I list the assumptions and sources for each product or activity. Again, the actual level of energy consumption will depend on factors such as the specific efficiency of the product, user settings, and climate so these should be interpreted as approximations to give a sense of magnitude.
Traditional incandescent bulbs typically range from 25 to 100 watts, with 60 watts being relatively standard for a household bulb. One hour of use would consume 60 Watt-hours (Wh).
LED bulbs use around 80% less energy than incandescent bulbs for the same amount of light output. A standard LED bulb has an energy rating of around 10 W. Using it for one hour would consume 10 Wh.
Modern smartphones have battery capacities of 3,000-5,000 mAh at approximately 3.7-4.2V, resulting in batteries around 15-20 watt-hours. If we assume there is around 10% to 20% loss due to charging efficiencies, a full charge likely requires around 20 Wh.
Medium-efficiency TVs (for example, 40-50 inch LED TVs) consume approximately 60 watts during active viewing.
Larger modern TVs (55-60 inches with 4K capability) typically consume 80-100 watts. I've gone with 90 watts as a reasonable average.
The power consumption of Apple MacBooks vary depending on the model and what applications users are running, but usage typically ranges from 30-100 watts. A MacBook Pro under moderate use averages around 70 watts.
Laptops (other than MacBooks) often use slightly less power during moderate usage. Desktop computers vary widely, but more efficient models consume approximately 50 watts. Note that gaming computers can use far more, especially during peak usage (often several hundred watts).
The power consumption of game consoles can vary a lot, depending on the model. The Xbox Series S typically consumes around 70 watts during active gameplay. The Xbox Series X consumes around twice as much: 150 watts.
Game consoles use much less when streaming TV or film, or when in menu mode.
Streaming one hour of HD video consumes approximately 18 Wh. This is only for the data transmission; it does not include the electricity usage of the device (the laptop or TV itself). To get the total for that hour of viewing, combine it with the power usage of whatever device you're watching it on.
Similar to Netflix, YouTube streaming consumes approximately 20 Wh per hour of HD content, slightly higher due to typical streaming patterns and ad delivery. Again, you need to add the power consumption of the device you're watching on, separately.
Recent research estimates that the median ChatGPT query using GPT-4o consumes approximately 0.3 watt-hours of electricity.
Actual electricity consumption varies a lot depending on the length of query and response. More detailed queries — such as Deep Research — will consume more (but there is insufficient public data to confirm how much).
If improved data becomes available on more complex queries, image generation and video, I would like to add them.
E-readers like the Kindle use e-ink displays that consume power primarily when refreshing the page. A typical Kindle device has a battery of around 1000–1700 mAh at ~3.7 V, which is 3.7 to 6 Wh. People report it lasting weeks on a full charge with moderate (30 minute per day) reading frequency.
That works out to less than 1 Wh per hour. Here I've been conservative and have rounded it up to 1 Wh.
Electric kettles typically have power rating between 1500 and 2000 watts. Boiling a full kettle (1.5-1.7 litres) takes around 3 to 4 minutes.
A 2000-watt kettle that takes 3 minutes to boil will consume around 100 watt-hours.
Microwaves typically have a power rating between 800 and 1,200 watts. If we assume 1000 watts, five minutes of use would consume 83 Wh (1000 * 0.08).
Electric ovens can have a power rating ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 watts. A typical one is around 2500 watts. 30 minutes of use would consume 1,250 Wh.
Gas ovens consume natural gas for heating but also use electricity for ignition and controls (approximately 300-400 watts). When converting the thermal energy from gas combustion to electrical equivalents for comparison purposes, gas ovens typically use slightly more total energy than electric ovens due to combustion inefficiency. Thirty minutes = approximately 1,500 Wh equivalent.
Small air fryers typically operate at 800W to 1500W. Larger models (especially with two trays) can be as much as 2500W. I've assumed 1500 watts in these calculations. Once an air fryer is on, it typically cycles and only runs at around 50% to 60% of capacity. Averaged over a cycle, 1000W is likely more realistic.
Ten minutes of use would consume 167 Wh (1000W * 0.17 hours = 167 Wh).
Induction hobs are efficient, and tend to have a power rating of 1,000W to 2,000W per ring. I've assumed 1,500 watts in these calculations. Like air fryers, they're often not operating at maximum power draw for the full cooking session. 50% is more typical. That means the average power usage is closer to 750W.
Most cooking activities take less time; typically 5 to 10 minutes, which reduces electricity consumption.
Gas hobs convert natural gas to heat. They tend to consume 2 to 2.5-times as much energy as induction hobs to achieve the same heat output. This is because they typically operate at around 40% efficiency, compared to 85% for an electric hob.
If an induction hob has an average rating of 750W over a cooking cycle, the useful heat delivered is 638W (750W * 85% efficiency). To get that useful heat from a gas hob with 40% efficiency would need 1595W (638W / 0.4). Here I've assumed an equivalent power input of 1600W.
A small-to-medium refrigerator (around 130 litres) typically consumes around 100 kWh per year, which equals approximately 275 Wh per day on average.
Standard refrigerator-freezer combinations consume anywhere between 200 and 500 kWh per year. Some very efficient models can achieve less than 200 kWh. Here, I have assumed one consumes 300 kWh per year. That is approximately 822 Wh per day.
Vacuum cleaners typically use 500W to over 1,500W. Popular models in the UK use around 620W or 750W. Here, I have assumed a power rating of 750W. Ten minutes of usage would consume 120 Wh (750 * 0.16).
Washing machine energy usage varies a lot depending on load size, cycle type and water temperature. An average load in an efficient, modern machine might use 600 Wh to 1,000 Wh per cycle. A large load could be use than 1,500 Wh. Here I have assumed 800 Wh, which is typical for a medium load.
Electric tumble dryers are among the highest energy consumers in the home. Heat pump models are much more efficient than condenser or vented models. A condenser or vented model might consume between 4000 and 5000 Wh per cycle. A heat pump model, around half as much.
Here, I have assumed 4500 Wh for condenser or vented cycles, and 2000 Wh for a heat pump cycle. Actual energy consumption will depend on factors such as load size and user settings.
Most energy in a dishwasher is used for heating the water. They typically use between 1,000 and 1,500 Wh per cycle. Very efficient models can use closer to 500 Wh per cycle. Operating on eco modes will also consume less than 1,000 Wh.
Here, I have assumed 1,250 Wh per cycle, which is fairly average for most users.
Clothes irons typically have an energy rating between 1500W and 3000W. Steam irons are towards the higher end of the range. Here, I have assumed 2500W, which is fairly standard for a steam iron.
Using one for 10 minutes would consume 400 Wh of power (2500 * 0.16).
Hairdryers typically range from 1,000 to 2,000 watts. I have assumed a power rating of 1,750W. Five minutes of use would consume 140 Wh (1750W * 0.08).
Electric showers are high-power appliances, rated between 7,500W to 11,500W. Specific models of 7.2 kW, 7.5 kW, 8.5 kW, 9.5 kW, 10.5 kW, and 11.5 kW are typical.
I have assumed a 9,500W model here. A 10-minute shower at 9,500 watts would consume 1,520 Wh (9500W * 0.16 hours).
If we take the gas equivalent of an electric shower (rated at 9500W) and assume a boiler efficiency of 90%, we get around 10,500W in energy input equivalents. A 10-minute shower would consume 1,690 Wh (10,500 * 0.16).
Standard fans typically use 30-75 watts, with 50 watts being a reasonable average.
Small portable electric heaters typically range from 400-1,000 watts. A 400-watt heater = 400 Wh per hour.
Large space heaters typically operate at 1,000-1,500 watts at their highest setting. 1,500 watts for one hour = 1,500 Wh.
Modern high-efficiency heat pumps for single rooms (mini-splits) typically consume 400-600 watts per hour of heating operation, being 3-4 times more efficient than resistive heating.
Gas heating systems convert natural gas to heat. When accounting for the electrical equivalent energy, a typical gas heater for a single room = approximately 1,000 Wh per hour equivalent, though actual efficiency varies by system.
Window or portable air conditioning units for single rooms typically use 900-1,500 watts, with 1,000 watts being a reasonable average for medium-sized rooms.
Electric bicycles typically consume between 10 to 30 watt-hours per mile depending on speed, the cycling conditions, and how high the level of electric assist is. I've assumed a value of 25 Wh per mile.
Electric scooters typically consume 15-30 watt-hours per mile depending on the model and conditions. Here, I've assumed a usage of 25 Wh per mile.
Electric motorbikes typically consume 100 to 250 watt-hours per mile depending on the model, driver weight and conditions. Real-world tests of motorbike efficiency find efficiencies of around 100 Wh per mile for moderate urban driving. People report higher usage when driving at higher speeds or motorway driving.
Here I've assumed around 150 Wh per mile.
Petrol motorbikes can consume between 50 and 100 miles per gallon. Let's take an average of 75mpg. A gallon is around 4.5 litres, so 75mpg is equivalent to 0.06 litres per mile.
The energy content of petrol is around 32 MJ per litre (or 8.9 kWh per litre). That equates to 0.53 kWh per mile (8.9kWh per litre * 0.06 litres per mile). Driving one mile uses around 530 Wh per mile.
In terms of energy inputs, this means an electric motorbike is 3 to 4 times as efficient as a petrol one.
Electric vehicles average approximately 0.3 kWh (300 Wh) per mile. However, this can range from 200 to 400 Wh per mile depending on the type of vehicle, driving conditions and speed.
Petrol cars average around 40 miles per gallon (ranging from around 25 to 50).
Taking an energy density of ~40 kWh per UK gallon for petrol, there are around 40.5 kWh in a UK gallon (there are 4.546 litres in a gallon * 8.9kWh per litre).
This means a petrol car uses around 1kWh (1,000 Wh) per mile. This means an electric car is around 3 to 4 times more efficient, since it has far less energy losses from the engine, heat production, and braking.
Most corded electric lawnmowers have an energy rating between 1000W and 2000W. Here I have assumed 1500W.
Petrol lawnmowers are much less efficient than their electric equivalents, as much less input energy is converted into turning the blades.
A standard petrol lawnmower uses around 1 litre of petrol an hour (slightly less in more efficient models). Since the energy content of petrol is 8.9kWh per litre, they therefore use 8,000 to 10,000 Wh per hour. Here I have assumed 9,000 Wh.