How to reduce your electricity bill in 2026
26 tactics that actually move the needle, ranked by dollar impact. Every number sourced from EIA and utility audits.
18 min read · Updated April 2026
2026 Edition · Updated monthly
Know exactly what electricity really costs you.
Free calculator, wattage database of 300+ appliances, and no-nonsense guides to cut your bill in the US, UK, and Europe.
300+Appliances
5Countries
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Five purpose-built tools for every electrification decision. Numbers from EIA, NREL and Energy Star. No installer upsell, no email gate.
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Electricity cost calculator
Any appliance, any country. Daily, monthly, yearly cost in USD / GBP / EUR.
Open → ☀️Solar ROI
State-by-state payback, with or without the federal tax credit.
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4 climate zones × 4 fuels × HSPF rating. Real annual cost side-by-side.
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Real per-mile and per-year cost. Tesla, Ford, Hyundai, GM, Rivian. Home vs DC fast vs Supercharger.
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Solar + heat pump + EV in one cash-flow model. Single break-even year.
Open → 📚All 20 guides
Honest deep-dives sourced from EIA, NREL and DSIRE — solar, EV, heat pump, appliances and savings.
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Wattage reference
How many watts does a common appliance use?
Typical power draw and monthly cost at the US average rate (17¢/kWh, 3 hours/day).
Refrigerator
150 W~$22 / monthAC (window)
1,000 W~$153 / monthSpace heater
1,500 W~$230 / monthWater heater
4,000 W~$612 / monthTV (55" LED)
100 W~$15 / monthGaming PC
400 W~$61 / monthLaptop
60 W~$9 / monthEV charger (L2)
7,200 W~$110 / sessionWashing machine
500 W~$8 / monthDishwasher
1,800 W~$28 / monthOven
2,400 W~$37 / monthLED bulb
10 W~$0.15 / month
Why Watt Guide
Built for real households, not spreadsheets
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US, UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia. Pick your country — we load a realistic 2026 rate automatically and convert every calculation.
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Updated for 2026 rates
We refresh country-average tariffs every quarter using EIA (US), Ofgem (UK), Eurostat and CRU (Ireland) public data.
Works on any device
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Public-data sourced
Every number tied to EIA, NREL, DSIRE, Ofgem or a manufacturer spec sheet. If we can't source it, we don't print it.
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Level 1 vs Level 2 vs DC fast charging. Real kWh math for Tesla, Mach-E, Ioniq and Leaf.
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Sizing formula based on your last 12 months of kWh usage. Panel count, inverter size and break-even period.
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Monthly heating cost for a 2,000 sq ft home in cold, mild and warm climates.
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Phantom load: how much do "off" devices really cost?
We measured 40 plugged-in devices. Some cost more off than on. Here's what to unplug first.
Coming soon
Ready to cut your bill?
Plug your main appliances into the calculator and see where the real money goes. It takes 60 seconds.
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