How much does it cost to run an oil-filled radiator?
An oil-filled radiator drawing 1,500 watts, used 8 hours a day, uses about 12.00 kWh per day and costs about $2.33 per day, $70.90 per month, and $850.16 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 oil-filled radiator is a resistance heater like any other, capped at 1,500 watts on a standard outlet. The oil is a heat reservoir, not a fuel — it is never burned or replaced. That thermal mass makes the heat feel steadier and lets the element cycle off while the unit keeps radiating, but it does not change the fundamental cost per unit of heat.
Cost at different daily usage
Same oil-filled radiator at 1,500 watts, run for different amounts of time, at 19.4¢/kWh.
| Usage | kWh/day | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 h/day | 6.00 kWh | $1.16 | $35.45 | $425.08 |
| 8 h/day | 12.00 kWh | $2.33 | $70.90 | $850.16 |
| 12 h/day | 18.00 kWh | $3.49 | $106.35 | $1,275.24 |
| 16 h/day | 24.00 kWh | $4.66 | $141.80 | $1,700.32 |
Cost by model power draw
Not all models are equal. At 8 h/day, here is what the range costs.
| Model | Power | kWh/day | Per day | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low-draw model | 700 W | 5.60 kWh | $1.09 | $33.09 |
| Typical | 1,500 W | 12.00 kWh | $2.33 | $70.90 |
| High-draw model | 1,500 W | 12.00 kWh | $2.33 | $70.90 |
Cost by state
An oil-filled radiator at 1,500 W for 8 h/day, priced at each state's average residential rate.
| State | Rate | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16.8¢ | $2.01 | $61.26 | $734.53 |
| Alaska | 28.2¢ | $3.39 | $103.12 | $1,236.47 |
| Arizona | 15.2¢ | $1.83 | $55.63 | $667.07 |
| Arkansas | 14.4¢ | $1.72 | $52.45 | $628.97 |
| California | 33.2¢ | $3.99 | $121.46 | $1,456.35 |
| Colorado | 16.2¢ | $1.94 | $59.03 | $707.81 |
| Connecticut | 27.4¢ | $3.28 | $99.98 | $1,198.81 |
| Delaware | 19.4¢ | $2.33 | $70.79 | $848.84 |
| District of Columbia | 25.4¢ | $3.05 | $92.78 | $1,112.52 |
| Florida | 15.2¢ | $1.82 | $55.41 | $664.45 |
| Georgia | 15.8¢ | $1.90 | $57.86 | $693.79 |
| Hawaii | 52.0¢ | $6.24 | $189.95 | $2,277.60 |
| Idaho | 12.3¢ | $1.48 | $45.11 | $540.93 |
| Illinois | 23.9¢ | $2.86 | $87.12 | $1,044.63 |
| Indiana | 18.1¢ | $2.18 | $66.30 | $794.97 |
| Iowa | 14.1¢ | $1.70 | $51.65 | $619.33 |
| Kansas | 15.1¢ | $1.82 | $55.27 | $662.69 |
| Kentucky | 15.0¢ | $1.80 | $54.72 | $656.12 |
| Louisiana | 14.2¢ | $1.70 | $51.69 | $619.77 |
| Maine | 28.6¢ | $3.44 | $104.58 | $1,253.99 |
| Maryland | 21.8¢ | $2.61 | $79.52 | $953.53 |
| Massachusetts | 28.8¢ | $3.46 | $105.27 | $1,262.32 |
| Michigan | 22.0¢ | $2.64 | $80.40 | $964.04 |
| Minnesota | 16.9¢ | $2.03 | $61.91 | $742.41 |
| Mississippi | 16.2¢ | $1.94 | $59.03 | $707.81 |
| Missouri | 13.7¢ | $1.64 | $49.97 | $599.18 |
| Montana | 14.7¢ | $1.76 | $53.59 | $642.55 |
| Nebraska | 13.6¢ | $1.63 | $49.64 | $595.24 |
| Nevada | 13.6¢ | $1.63 | $49.68 | $595.68 |
| New Hampshire | 27.3¢ | $3.28 | $99.83 | $1,197.05 |
| New Jersey | 23.3¢ | $2.79 | $85.00 | $1,019.23 |
| New Mexico | 14.1¢ | $1.69 | $51.58 | $618.46 |
| New York | 29.9¢ | $3.59 | $109.33 | $1,310.93 |
| North Carolina | 15.1¢ | $1.81 | $55.12 | $660.94 |
| North Dakota | 13.6¢ | $1.63 | $49.71 | $596.12 |
| Ohio | 19.5¢ | $2.34 | $71.30 | $854.98 |
| Oklahoma | 13.4¢ | $1.61 | $48.87 | $586.04 |
| Oregon | 16.3¢ | $1.95 | $59.43 | $712.63 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.6¢ | $2.59 | $78.72 | $943.89 |
| Rhode Island | 29.5¢ | $3.54 | $107.61 | $1,290.35 |
| South Carolina | 16.2¢ | $1.94 | $59.10 | $708.68 |
| South Dakota | 15.7¢ | $1.89 | $57.46 | $688.97 |
| Tennessee | 14.5¢ | $1.74 | $52.86 | $633.79 |
| Texas | 16.4¢ | $1.97 | $60.05 | $720.07 |
| Utah | 13.0¢ | $1.56 | $47.34 | $567.65 |
| Vermont | 24.9¢ | $2.99 | $90.92 | $1,090.18 |
| Virginia | 17.6¢ | $2.11 | $64.33 | $771.32 |
| Washington | 14.9¢ | $1.79 | $54.61 | $654.81 |
| West Virginia | 16.8¢ | $2.02 | $61.37 | $735.84 |
| Wisconsin | 19.7¢ | $2.37 | $72.11 | $864.61 |
| Wyoming | 14.8¢ | $1.78 | $54.06 | $648.24 |
How to cut the cost
- Use the lower wattage setting and let the thermal mass carry the room between cycles.
- Place it in the coolest part of the room, away from the thermostat, so it doesn't fool the control.
- Heat one occupied room and lower the central thermostat rather than running both.
- Give it time — the thermal mass means slow warm-up, so short bursts waste energy.
Compare with related appliances
Monthly cost at typical usage and 19.4¢/kWh.
Questions
Are oil-filled radiators cheaper to run than other space heaters?
Slightly, in practice, because the thermal mass lets the element cycle off more. At the same wattage setting, though, energy in equals heat out for any resistance heater.
Do you have to refill the oil?
No. The oil is a permanently sealed heat reservoir, not a fuel. It is never consumed or topped up.
How do you calculate what an oil-filled radiator 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 oil-filled radiator: 1,500 W × 8 h ÷ 1,000 = 12.00 kWh per day, which at 19.4¢/kWh is $2.33 per day.
How many watts does an oil-filled radiator use?
Typically 1,500 watts, with most models falling between 700 and 1,500 watts. The label on the appliance or its power supply gives the figure for your specific unit.