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Kettle power consumption and electricity cost

The electricity consumption of an electric kettle is quite modest. 

Still, if you have an old kettle and are considering buying a new one, it may be worth checking the electricity usage of both the old kettle and any kettle you are interested in.

How much power does a kettle use

Depending on the model, kettles use between 2000 and 3000 Watts of power, being 3000 Watts the most common wattage for kettles.

For example, our kettle is rated as 3000 Watts (W), so for every hour of use to boil water, it will consume 3 Kilowatts (kW). 

3000 W / 1000 = 3 kWh

kettle power consumption

We use our kettle for maybe half an hour daily, so the kettle consumes 1,5 Kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity daily.

3 kWh x 0,5 hours = 1,5 kWh

Because we are paying our electricity provider 0,217 euros per kilowatt hour (kWh) that we consume using our kettle, it costs us around 32 cents daily.

1,5 kWh x 0,217 euro per kWh = 0,32 euro per day

How to calculate power from voltage and current

If you only know the voltage and current of your kettle, you can calculate the power consumption, in Watts, using the calculator below.

 

For more information about Power, Voltage, and Current, scroll down to the ‘Electricity Measurement Units’ section.

Kettle electricity cost calculator

The calculator below can be used to estimate the electricity cost of a kettle based on daily usage.

 

As you can see, running 3000 Watts for half an hour a day and 320 days per year will cost us around 104 euros per year on electricity.

If instead, we had a 2000 Watts kettle, with the same usage, it would cost us around 70 euros per year on electricity.

But, consider that we lower the wattage (W), the longest it takes to boil the water. A 3000 Watts (W) kettle does boil the water faster than a 2000 Watts (W) kettle.

With this, we want to inform you that saving electricity and money is good, but if you are considering buying an efficient kettle, be aware of the price. You don’t want to pay much more for a fancy kettle for just saving 3 euros a year in electricity.

Choosing between two kettles

If we had to buy a new kettle and we had to choose between:

> Kettle A: Very energy efficient, it only consumes 28 cents daily on electricity but costs 25 euros more than kettle B.

> Kettle B: Same energy efficient as our old kettle, it does consume 32 cents per day on electricity, but it does cost 25 euros less than kettle A.

We would choose kettle B because the additional 25 euros would have a very long payback period if we only saved 4 cents daily.

How much does electricity cost

If you don’t know how much you are paying per kWh, you should be able to find the cost per kWh on your electricity contract or in one of the electricity bills.

how much does electricity cost

Alternatively, if you don’t have access to your contract or electricity bills, this website shows the electricity cost per country.

Home appliances and devices electricity calculators

Here are a few other examples from our ‘Electricity usage and electricity cost calculators‘ page that may be of your interest:

Kettle electricity usage monitor

Suppose you want to know the exact electricity usage of an air conditioner. In that case, your best option is to use a plug-in power meter to measure the exact power consumption and electricity cost. 

Clicking on the image below will redirect you to the Amazon page, where you can look at the specifications of the power meter we use for our measurements.

plug in power meter

Our house appliances and devices like the washing machine, the dishwasher, the TV, or the printer are plugged into a wall socket. 

So, with a power consumption meter, we can determine how much electricity our appliances or devices are using, and, more importantly, we can measure the electricity usage over time.

Have a look at this YouTube video for more information.

Plug in power meter

How to lower the electricity bill of a kettle

If you think that your kettle is using too much electricity, here there are two simple ways to reduce the power consumption of the kettle:

1.- Clean up the limescale accumulation

If you have hard water at home and you use that water to fill up your kettle, the limestone will accumulate over time on the heating elements.

Eventually, that limestone accumulation will make your kettle less efficient and prone to use more electricity. 

Watch this informative YouTube video to learn if you have hard water at home.

Hard water test

2.- Buy an energy-efficient model

If you have an old kettle, buying a newer and more efficient model may be worth trying. 

But be careful, do not spend too much money on a mega-efficient kettle because it may not be worth it. In case of doubt, look at this post explaining how to calculate the payback period.

Kettle electricity usage FAQ

Do electric kettles use a lot of electricity

Depending on what it is considered a lot of electricity.

The calculator from the ‘Electricity cost calculator’ will show you the electricity cost based on the wattage of your electric kettle, how often you use it, and how much you pay per kWh.

How many watts does a kettle use

Between 2200 and 3000 Watts.

Most of the electric kettles use 3000 Watts.

How do I descale my kettle

You can use a commercial descaler or you can create your own solution.

Mix one part of white vinegar and two parts of water and pour it into the kettle. Switch the kettle on but make sure that you switch it off before it gets to the boiling point. Repeat if necessary, and once you are happy with the results, rinse the kettle with fresh water several times.

Electricity measurement units

Not everybody is familiar with terms like Watts, Kilowatts, or Kilowatt hours, so if you would like to learn more about them, look at this YouTube video we have prepared for you.

What is a Kilowatt hour (kWh)

Electricity measurement units calculators

Or you can have a look at this electricity measurement units calculators to get a better understanding of:

> What is a Watt (W), and how to transform Watts into Kilowatts

> What is a Kilowatt (kW) and how to transform Kilowatts into Kilowatts hour

> What is a Kilowatt hour (kWh), and how to transform Kilowatts hours to other units

> What are Power (P), Voltage (V), and Current (I)

Watt (W)
Watt
Kilowatt (kW)
Kilowatt
Kilowatt hour (kWh)
Kilowatt hour
Power, voltage, current
Power, Voltage, Current

Kettles and energy conservation

Energy conservation can be defined as the decision and the act of using less energy

Energy conservation both benefit you and the environment

The act of saving and conserving electricity does benefit you because you will be paying less for your energy bills. 

And it also benefits the environment because conserving electricity prevents unnecessary waste of natural resources.

At the individual level, it may not look worth trying to save a few watts here or there. 

Still, every little counts, and if hundreds or thousands of us save a little every time, it will make an essential contribution towards conserving our natural resources.

Energy conservation calculator

Reducing our kettle’s electricity usage, even a very small amount, would greatly impact preserving our natural resources.

 

For example, if 9000 households save as little as 10 Watts per day (0,01 kWh) on the kettles electricity usage, that would add to 32850 Kilowatt hours (kWh) saved per year. 

9000 households x 0,01 kWh per day x 365 days per year 

32,850 kWh saved per year

That is a considerable amount of electricity, but let’s add additional perspectives for clarity:

> Assuming an average cost of 0,18 euros (or dollars, pounds, or any other currency) per kWh, we would collectively save nearly 6000 euros per year.

> To produce 32,850 kWh of electricity, it is necessary to use around 17 metric tons of coal or 56 barrels of residual fuel oil.

Look at this page for more information about the resources needed to produce electricity.
 

In any case, small energy savings do count when looking into the bigger picture.

Proven ways to save electricity at home

If you want to save electricity ideas at home, look at this YouTube video where we provide some useful tips to reduce electricity usage and decrease the electricity bill.

How to save electricity at home
How to save
How to save
How to earn
How to earn

Calculators

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