How much does it cost to run an electric kettle?
An electric kettle drawing 1,500 watts, used about 12 minutes a day, uses about 0.30 kWh per day and costs about $0.06 per day, $1.77 per month, and $21.25 per year at the US average residential rate of 19.4¢/kWh. Enter your own wattage, hours, and state below for an exact figure.
Estimates only — based on typical wattages and average state rates, not your actual bill.
What drives the cost
An electric kettle draws high wattage for a very short time, which makes it one of the most efficient ways to heat water — nearly all the energy goes into the water rather than into the air around a stovetop burner. Cost is driven almost entirely by how much water you boil, not by the kettle itself.
Cost at different daily usage
Same electric kettle at 1,500 watts, run for different amounts of time, at 19.4¢/kWh.
| Usage | kWh/day | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 min/day | 0.15 kWh | $0.03 | $0.89 | $10.63 |
| 12 min/day | 0.30 kWh | $0.06 | $1.77 | $21.25 |
| 24 min/day | 0.60 kWh | $0.12 | $3.55 | $42.51 |
| 48 min/day | 1.20 kWh | $0.23 | $7.09 | $85.02 |
Cost by model power draw
Not all models are equal. At 12 min/day, here is what the range costs.
| Model | Power | kWh/day | Per day | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low-draw model | 1,200 W | 0.24 kWh | $0.05 | $1.42 |
| Typical | 1,500 W | 0.30 kWh | $0.06 | $1.77 |
| High-draw model | 3,000 W | 0.60 kWh | $0.12 | $3.55 |
Cost by state
An electric kettle at 1,500 W for 12 min/day, priced at each state's average residential rate.
| State | Rate | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16.8¢ | $0.05 | $1.53 | $18.36 |
| Alaska | 28.2¢ | $0.08 | $2.58 | $30.91 |
| Arizona | 15.2¢ | $0.05 | $1.39 | $16.68 |
| Arkansas | 14.4¢ | $0.04 | $1.31 | $15.72 |
| California | 33.2¢ | $0.10 | $3.04 | $36.41 |
| Colorado | 16.2¢ | $0.05 | $1.48 | $17.70 |
| Connecticut | 27.4¢ | $0.08 | $2.50 | $29.97 |
| Delaware | 19.4¢ | $0.06 | $1.77 | $21.22 |
| District of Columbia | 25.4¢ | $0.08 | $2.32 | $27.81 |
| Florida | 15.2¢ | $0.05 | $1.39 | $16.61 |
| Georgia | 15.8¢ | $0.05 | $1.45 | $17.34 |
| Hawaii | 52.0¢ | $0.16 | $4.75 | $56.94 |
| Idaho | 12.3¢ | $0.04 | $1.13 | $13.52 |
| Illinois | 23.9¢ | $0.07 | $2.18 | $26.12 |
| Indiana | 18.1¢ | $0.05 | $1.66 | $19.87 |
| Iowa | 14.1¢ | $0.04 | $1.29 | $15.48 |
| Kansas | 15.1¢ | $0.05 | $1.38 | $16.57 |
| Kentucky | 15.0¢ | $0.04 | $1.37 | $16.40 |
| Louisiana | 14.2¢ | $0.04 | $1.29 | $15.49 |
| Maine | 28.6¢ | $0.09 | $2.61 | $31.35 |
| Maryland | 21.8¢ | $0.07 | $1.99 | $23.84 |
| Massachusetts | 28.8¢ | $0.09 | $2.63 | $31.56 |
| Michigan | 22.0¢ | $0.07 | $2.01 | $24.10 |
| Minnesota | 16.9¢ | $0.05 | $1.55 | $18.56 |
| Mississippi | 16.2¢ | $0.05 | $1.48 | $17.70 |
| Missouri | 13.7¢ | $0.04 | $1.25 | $14.98 |
| Montana | 14.7¢ | $0.04 | $1.34 | $16.06 |
| Nebraska | 13.6¢ | $0.04 | $1.24 | $14.88 |
| Nevada | 13.6¢ | $0.04 | $1.24 | $14.89 |
| New Hampshire | 27.3¢ | $0.08 | $2.50 | $29.93 |
| New Jersey | 23.3¢ | $0.07 | $2.13 | $25.48 |
| New Mexico | 14.1¢ | $0.04 | $1.29 | $15.46 |
| New York | 29.9¢ | $0.09 | $2.73 | $32.77 |
| North Carolina | 15.1¢ | $0.05 | $1.38 | $16.52 |
| North Dakota | 13.6¢ | $0.04 | $1.24 | $14.90 |
| Ohio | 19.5¢ | $0.06 | $1.78 | $21.37 |
| Oklahoma | 13.4¢ | $0.04 | $1.22 | $14.65 |
| Oregon | 16.3¢ | $0.05 | $1.49 | $17.82 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.6¢ | $0.06 | $1.97 | $23.60 |
| Rhode Island | 29.5¢ | $0.09 | $2.69 | $32.26 |
| South Carolina | 16.2¢ | $0.05 | $1.48 | $17.72 |
| South Dakota | 15.7¢ | $0.05 | $1.44 | $17.22 |
| Tennessee | 14.5¢ | $0.04 | $1.32 | $15.84 |
| Texas | 16.4¢ | $0.05 | $1.50 | $18.00 |
| Utah | 13.0¢ | $0.04 | $1.18 | $14.19 |
| Vermont | 24.9¢ | $0.07 | $2.27 | $27.25 |
| Virginia | 17.6¢ | $0.05 | $1.61 | $19.28 |
| Washington | 14.9¢ | $0.04 | $1.37 | $16.37 |
| West Virginia | 16.8¢ | $0.05 | $1.53 | $18.40 |
| Wisconsin | 19.7¢ | $0.06 | $1.80 | $21.62 |
| Wyoming | 14.8¢ | $0.04 | $1.35 | $16.21 |
How to cut the cost
- Boil only the water you need; filling a kettle for one cup is the single biggest waste here.
- Descale regularly — limescale on the element slows heating and wastes energy.
- Use the kettle rather than a stovetop pot or microwave for boiling water; it is measurably more efficient.
Compare with related appliances
Monthly cost at typical usage and 19.4¢/kWh.
Questions
Is an electric kettle cheaper than boiling water on the stove?
Yes. A kettle puts nearly all its energy directly into the water, while a stovetop burner loses a significant share to the surrounding air.
How much does it cost to boil a kettle?
A full 1.7-litre boil at 1,500 watts takes roughly four minutes, using about 0.1 kWh — typically under two cents.
How do you calculate what an electric kettle costs to run?
Multiply its wattage by the hours it runs per day, divide by 1,000 to get kilowatt-hours, then multiply by your electricity rate. For an electric kettle: 1,500 W × 0.2 h ÷ 1,000 = 0.30 kWh per day, which at 19.4¢/kWh is $0.06 per day.
How many watts does an electric kettle use?
Typically 1,500 watts, with most models falling between 1,200 and 3,000 watts. The label on the appliance or its power supply gives the figure for your specific unit.