How Much Energy Does Your Laser Printer Use?

When shopping for a new home appliance, it’s a good idea to consider how much energy it consumes. For example:

• A front load washing machine is cheaper to run than a top loader.
• A laser printer costs more to run than the computer does.
• An electric hair dryer costs more to run than the refrigerator and is almost as expensive to run as the oven!

Below, are the typical annual energy costs of appliances, based on a rate of 6 cents per kilowatt-hour for a family of four living in an 1,800-square-foot home in the Tennessee Valley Authority’s service area. Actual costs may be more or less in your area.

Kitchen

Blender: 18 kilowatt-hours annual use — $1.10 a year

Coffee maker: 328 kilowatt-hours annual use — $19.78 a year

Dishwasher: 195 kilowatt-hours annual use — $11.77 a year

Electric frying pan: 125 kilowatt-hours annual use — $7.53 a year

Microwave: 312 kilowatt-hours annual use — $18.84 a year · Mixer: 7 kilowatt-hours annual use — 40 cents a year

Cook-top range: 325 kilowatt-hours annual use — $19.62 a year

Oven: 910 kilowatt-hours annual use — $54.94 a year

Refrigerator and freezer: 420 kilowatt-hours annual use — $25.36 a year

Toaster: 57 kilowatt-hours annual use — $3.45 a year

Toaster oven: 312 kilowatt-hours annual use — $18.84 a year

Trash compactor: 21 kilowatt-hours annual use — $1.26 a year

Waffle iron: 312 kilowatt-hours annual use -$18.84 a year

Water heater · Less than 30 gallons: 3,744 kilowatt-hours annual use — $226.03 a year, 30-49 gallons: 3,826 kilowatt-hours annual use — $230.98 a year

General appliances

Clock radio: 2 kilowatt-hours annual use — 10 cents a year

Large television: 364 kilowatt-hours annual use — $21.97 a year

Small television: 182 kilowatt-hours annual use — $10.99 a year

CD, DVD, VCR players: 22 kilowatt-hours annual use — $1.33 a year

Vacuum cleaner: 218 kilowatt-hours annual use — $13.18 a year

Hair dryer: 686 kilowatt-hours annual use — $41.44 a year

Electric shaver: 4 kilowatt-hours annual use — 24 cents a year

Stereo: 42 kilowatt-hours annual use — $2.51 a year

Iron: 312 kilowatt-hours annual use — $18.84 a year

Electric blanket: 117 kilowatt-hours annual use — $7.06 a year

Curling iron: 18 kilowatt-hours annual use — $1.11 a year

Home office

Computer: 961 kilowatt-hours annual use — $58.01 a year

Small-sized printer: 156 kilowatt-hours annual use — $9.44 a year

Printer, medium: 184 kilowatt-hours annual use — $11.10 a year

Laser printer, small: 1,173 kilowatt-hours annual use — $70.82 a year

Laser printer, medium: 1,568 kilowatt-hours annual use — $94.68 a year

Small multi-function (print, scan, copy, fax): 119 kilowatt-hours annual use — $7.18 a year

Medium multi-function (print, scan, copy, fax): 171 kilowatt-hours annual use — $10.30 a year

Lighting · Incandescent bulb (75 watts): 273 kilowatt-hours annual use — $16.48 a year

Compact fluorescent bulb (20 watts): 73 kilowatt-hours annual use — $4.39 a year

Laundry

Washer: 118 kilowatt-hours annual use — $7.12 a year

Dryer: 324 kilowatt-hours annual use — $19.59 a year

Source: TVA energy cost calculator, as published in Times Daily Newspaper.