Appliance wattage chart

Last reviewed 2026-10-26

Typical power use for 47 common appliances, with the three numbers that matter for backup power.

Running watts: While it's actually on. Decides what a station can run at once.
Startup surge: The brief spike when a motor or compressor starts.
Average watts: Averaged over normal use, including off-cycles. Decides runtime.

Kitchen

Appliance	Running W	Startup W	Average W	Wh per day (24 h)
Refrigerator (full size)The compressor runs roughly a third to half of the time, so the average is far below the running watts. Opening the door often, a hot room or an older model pushes it higher.	100–250	1,200	60 (cycles)	1,440
Mini fridge	50–100	400	30 (cycles)	720
Chest freezerChest freezers lose little cold when opened, which makes them one of the cheapest appliances to keep running in an outage.	80–150	600	35 (cycles)	840
Upright freezer	100–200	900	50 (cycles)	1,200
Microwave (1,000 W cooking power)The advertised cooking power is the output. The microwave draws about 1.4–1.6× that from the outlet.	1,200–1,700	1,800	1,500	36,000
Electric kettle	1,200–1,800	—	1,500	36,000
Coffee maker (drip)	600–1,200	—	900	21,600
Toaster	800–1,500	—	1,000	24,000
Slow cooker	150–300	—	150 (cycles)	3,600
Induction hot plate	1,200–1,800	—	1,200 (cycles)	28,800

Medical

Appliance	Running W	Startup W	Average W	Wh per day (24 h)
CPAP machine (no humidifier)Check your machine's power supply label and manual. A DC adapter from the manufacturer usually runs longer than the AC outlet.	20–60	—	35	840
CPAP with heated humidifierThe heated humidifier and heated tube use more power than the blower. Turning them off can double runtime.	50–110	—	60 (cycles)	1,440
Home oxygen concentrator (5 L/min)Life-support equipment needs a backup plan agreed with your supplier, not just a calculator estimate.	250–400	600	300	7,200

Internet & office

Appliance	Running W	Startup W	Average W	Wh per day (24 h)
Wi-Fi router	6–20	—	12	288
Modem + Wi-Fi router	12–30	—	20	480
Starlink Standard dishSnow-melt mode can push usage well above the average.	75–100	100	85	2,040
Starlink Mini	25–40	40	30	720
Laptop (charging and in use)	30–90	—	45	1,080
Desktop computer + monitor	100–400	250	150	3,600
Phone charging	5–20	—	10	240
Security camera (Wi-Fi)	3–10	—	5	120

Entertainment

Appliance	Running W	Startup W	Average W	Wh per day (24 h)
TV, 32" LED	30–60	—	40	960
TV, 55" LEDBrightness matters: vivid or HDR picture modes can use 50% more than eco mode.	60–150	—	90	2,160
TV, 65" LED	100–200	—	130	3,120
Game console (while playing)	100–220	—	150	3,600
Streaming stick / box	3–10	—	5	120

Heating & cooling

Appliance	Running W	Startup W	Average W	Wh per day (24 h)
Space heater (high, 1,500 W)Heaters on a thermostat switch off once the room is warm, but in a cold room they can run almost non-stop.	1,500	—	1,500 (cycles)	36,000
Space heater (low, 750 W)	600–900	—	750 (cycles)	18,000
Electric blanketHeating the person instead of the room makes an electric blanket roughly 15–25× more battery-friendly than a space heater.	50–200	—	60 (cycles)	1,440
Window AC, 5,000 BTU	400–550	1,200	380 (cycles)	9,120
Window AC, 8,000 BTUInverter (variable-speed) models start gently and average less once the room is cool.	600–850	1,800	580 (cycles)	13,920
Portable AC, 10,000 BTU	900–1,200	2,500	850 (cycles)	20,400
Ceiling fan	30–75	60	50	1,200
Box fan	40–100	80	60	1,440
Gas furnace blower fanHard-wired furnaces need a transfer switch or an approved inlet installed by an electrician. Never backfeed a house through an outlet.	300–800	1,000	300 (cycles)	7,200
Dehumidifier (50 pint)	300–700	900	400 (cycles)	9,600

Pumps & utility

Appliance	Running W	Startup W	Average W	Wh per day (24 h)
Sump pump, 1/3 HPHow often it switches on depends on the rain and your water table. In a heavy storm it may run half the time or more.	600–1,000	2,000	200 (cycles)	4,800
Sump pump, 1/2 HP	900–1,200	2,500	260 (cycles)	6,240
Well pump, 1/2 HPMany well pumps are 240 V and hard-wired. Most portable power stations only output 120 V.	800–1,200	3,000	150 (cycles)	3,600
Washing machine (cold wash)	350–1,000	1,200	500	12,000
Aquarium heaterHeaters are sized to the tank, roughly 3–5 W per gallon. Check the rating printed on yours.	50–300	—	50 (cycles)	1,200

Lighting & small

Appliance	Running W	Startup W	Average W	Wh per day (24 h)
LED light bulb	5–15	—	9	216
Radio / clock radio	2–10	—	5	120
Hair dryer	1,200–1,875	—	1,500	36,000

Tools & cleaning

Appliance	Running W	Startup W	Average W	Wh per day (24 h)
Vacuum cleaner	700–1,400	1,500	1,000	24,000
Circular saw (7¼")	1,200–1,800	2,500	1,400	33,600
Corded drill	400–900	900	600	14,400

Where these numbers come from

The figures are typical values for current US models on 120 V, compiled from manufacturer specifications, US EnergyGuide labels and published measurements. Individual appliances vary widely with age, size, settings and the room they're in. "Wh per day" assumes the appliance is plugged in for 24 hours. For things you only use briefly, like a microwave, multiply average watts by your actual hours instead.

How to find your appliance's exact wattage

Label: look for watts (W), or multiply amps (A) by volts (V). Labels give the maximum.
EnergyGuide label: divide yearly kWh by 8.76 to get average watts.
Watt meter: a plug-in meter measures real use over a day. Many power stations show live input and output watts too.

Put your numbers into the runtime calculator or the inverter size calculator.

Frequently asked questions

Why is the average so much lower than the running watts for a fridge?

The compressor switches off once the fridge is cold and only restarts when it warms up. Over a day it might run 35–50% of the time, so the average is well below its running watts.

What's the difference between watts and watt-hours?

Watts measure power at a moment. Watt-hours measure energy over time: a 100 W bulb on for 3 hours uses 300 Wh. Power stations are sized in watt-hours for capacity and watts for output.

Which appliances have the biggest startup surge?

Anything with a motor or compressor that starts under load: well pumps, sump pumps, air conditioners, refrigerators, freezers and power tools. Heaters, kettles and electronics have little or no surge.