Cost to run a kettle
This page gives a quick running-cost estimate for common household appliances. It is useful when users want to compare a dryer with a heated airer, a shower with a short wash, or a background-load appliance against the cost of keeping it on.
How tariff changes affect this appliance
The same appliance becomes more or less expensive as the unit rate changes. Use the tariff comparison to judge the effect of a cheaper or more expensive electricity plan before switching supplier.
- 20p/kWh
- £0.05 per use
- 25p/kWh
- £0.06 per use
- 27p/kWh
- £0.07 per use
- 30p/kWh
- £0.07 per use
- 35p/kWh
- £0.09 per use
What changes this appliance’s cost?
Kettle cost is driven by repeat use. Boiling only what you need, avoiding re-boils and keeping the element clear of limescale are the practical levers.
kitchen appliance is the right mental model here because the runtime pattern matters as much as the wattage.
This page is for kitchen appliance comparisons where small differences in usage pattern can change the answer quickly.
At the illustration above, one use consumes 0.25 kWh. Five uses would cost about £0.34 and twenty uses about £1.35 at 27p/kWh. Your unit rate and measured consumption produce the most useful estimate.
Worked example
A single appliance session for 5 minutes at 3000W consumes about 0.25 kWh. At 27p/kWh that works out at roughly £0.07 per use, before adding any standing charge. Repeating the same routine five times would cost about £0.34 on the same tariff.
What this calculator does
This page estimates the incremental electricity cost of a single appliance use. It does not include the standing charge, buying price, repairs, detergent or installation. The most accurate input is a measured wall-plug reading or the unit’s energy label rather than the nameplate maximum.
For small appliances, repeated use matters more than a single session, which is why the right question is how often the appliance gets used.
Boiling fewer cups at once usually saves more than chasing a tiny tariff change.
For a kettle, repeated boils and unused water are usually the wasteful part, not the sticker wattage.
How this example is calculated
Energy equals watts ÷ 1,000 × hours used. The headline uses 27p/kWh and excludes the daily standing charge.
Last reviewed: 1 September 2026 · Ofgem: Energy price cap ↗
Results are estimates for planning and are not personal financial advice.
Why results differ
Programmatic pages use fixed example assumptions, so a different salary, rate, term, tariff or property value changes the output. Fees, eligibility checks, product rules and legal thresholds may not be fully modelled on this example page. Use the main calculator and official source links if you need a result for a decision.
Why the result can differ
Programmatic pages use fixed example assumptions, so a different salary, rate, term, tariff or property value changes the output.
Fees, eligibility checks, product rules and legal thresholds may not be fully modelled on this example page.
Use the main calculator and official source links if you need a result for a decision.
Frequently asked questions
Will every model cost the same?
No. Rated power, cycle length and efficiency differ by model and programme.
Is the standing charge included?
No. This example measures the appliance's incremental unit-rate cost.