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Appliance Cost Calculator: Buy and Run

Compare two appliances or keeping versus replacing one: purchase price, electricity, total cost and payback time.

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Appliance Cost Calculator: Buy and Run
Use 0 to keep an existing appliance. For a purchase, include the full price and delivery.
Include delivery and required one-off costs. Do not count money already spent.
Your variable electricity rate, excluding unchanged fixed charges. All defaults are invented examples.
Whole years from 1 to 30. This is not a prediction of appliance lifespan.

This calculation runs on our server and is not stored – neither your result nor your entry.

Example: the calculation with the default values

The defaults are example values, not an average. Enter your own numbers and press “Calculate” to run it with yours.

Cost difference over 10 years

$100.00

Appliance A costs less over the selected period.

Total cost over 10 yearsA $800.00 B $900.00
UpfrontElectricity
Total cost over 10 years
CostAB
Upfront cost from today$0.00$600.00
Electricity per year$80.00$30.00
Electricity over 10 years$800.00$300.00
Total cost$800.00$900.00
Annual electricity saving with B
$50.00
B’s premium recovered after
144 months

Electricity savings do not recover the premium within your selected period.

Assumptions behind this calculation

  • Unchanged electricity rate and annual use throughout the selected period. Annual costs are rounded to cents. Excludes repairs, financing, price changes, resale value and environmental impacts. Payback spreads annual savings evenly and rounds up to whole months. An assumed period is not a lifespan guarantee.

How we calculate

Annual electricity in kWh times the rate in cents per kWh gives annual electricity cost in cents. Each annual amount is rounded to whole cents.

Upfront cost from today plus annual electricity cost times comparison years gives total cost. To keep an appliance you already own, enter zero upfront. Do not count its original purchase price again.

A positive premium for B divided by a positive annual electricity saving gives payback time. We convert to months and round up. Without electricity savings there is no such payback. Defaults are invented examples.

The reasoning behind these numbers, with sources, is in the article: Replace an old refrigerator: does the saving pay off?.

Frequently asked

When does an efficient appliance pay for itself?

When avoided electricity costs recover the extra purchase price within a suitable period. Also compare capacity, features, repair options and how long you expect to use it.

What do I enter for an appliance I already own?

Use zero for A’s upfront cost if keeping it requires no new expense. For B enter today’s full purchase price including delivery. The original purchase price has already been paid.

Can I compare two new appliances?

Yes. Enter the complete purchase price and annual electricity use for each. Compare appliances with similar capacity and features.

Will my bill match the EnergyGuide label?

Not necessarily. The label uses standardized assumptions. Use its kWh figure with your own electricity rate, and allow for differences in actual use.

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