kitchen · 1500W typical
Running a electric kettle costs about $0.74/month.
That's the typical electric kettle at 1500W, run 0.1 hours a day at the US-average rate of 16.5¢/kWh. Change any of those and the number moves — use the calculator below to see yours.
Estimated cost
Full-power draw for 0.1 hours at 16.5¢/kWh.
How you use it
Cost shifts with how long it's on.
The same electric kettle can cost very different amounts depending on usage patterns. Three common scenarios, at the US-average rate.
morning tea
$0.74
per month
4-6 min to boil once per day
multiple cups daily
$1.86
per month
3-4 boils spread across the day
Where you live
$1.35 spread between the cheapest and priciest states.
Same appliance, same hours of use, different zip code — the monthly cost varies this much.
| State | Rate | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 41.2¢ | $1.85 | $22.56 |
| California | 31.4¢ | $1.41 | $17.19 |
| Massachusetts | 30.8¢ | $1.39 | $16.86 |
| Connecticut | 28.7¢ | $1.29 | $15.71 |
| Rhode Island | 27.9¢ | $1.26 | $15.28 |
| New Hampshire | 24.6¢ | $1.11 | $13.47 |
| Alaska | 24.3¢ | $1.09 | $13.30 |
| New York | 22.3¢ | $1.00 | $12.21 |
| Maine | 22.1¢ | $0.99 | $12.10 |
| Vermont | 21.5¢ | $0.97 | $11.77 |
| Michigan | 19.3¢ | $0.87 | $10.57 |
| New Jersey | 19.1¢ | $0.86 | $10.46 |
| Maryland | 18.4¢ | $0.83 | $10.07 |
| Pennsylvania | 18.1¢ | $0.81 | $9.91 |
| District of Columbia | 17.8¢ | $0.80 | $9.75 |
| Wisconsin | 17.4¢ | $0.78 | $9.53 |
| Delaware | 17.2¢ | $0.77 | $9.42 |
| Illinois | 16.9¢ | $0.76 | $9.25 |
| Ohio | 16.6¢ | $0.75 | $9.09 |
| Nevada | 16.3¢ | $0.73 | $8.92 |
| Indiana | 15.8¢ | $0.71 | $8.65 |
| Virginia | 15.7¢ | $0.71 | $8.60 |
| Minnesota | 15.6¢ | $0.70 | $8.54 |
| Colorado | 15.4¢ | $0.69 | $8.43 |
| Alabama | 15.2¢ | $0.68 | $8.32 |
| West Virginia | 15.2¢ | $0.68 | $8.32 |
| Florida | 15.1¢ | $0.68 | $8.27 |
| New Mexico | 14.8¢ | $0.67 | $8.10 |
| Texas | 14.8¢ | $0.67 | $8.10 |
| Arizona | 14.7¢ | $0.66 | $8.05 |
| South Carolina | 14.7¢ | $0.66 | $8.05 |
| Kansas | 14.6¢ | $0.66 | $7.99 |
| Georgia | 14.2¢ | $0.64 | $7.77 |
| Iowa | 14.1¢ | $0.63 | $7.72 |
| North Carolina | 13.9¢ | $0.63 | $7.61 |
| Missouri | 13.6¢ | $0.61 | $7.45 |
| Oregon | 13.4¢ | $0.60 | $7.34 |
| Tennessee | 13.3¢ | $0.60 | $7.28 |
| Kentucky | 13.2¢ | $0.59 | $7.23 |
| Mississippi | 13.1¢ | $0.59 | $7.17 |
| Oklahoma | 13.1¢ | $0.59 | $7.17 |
| South Dakota | 12.7¢ | $0.57 | $6.95 |
| Montana | 12.4¢ | $0.56 | $6.79 |
| Nebraska | 12.2¢ | $0.55 | $6.68 |
| Arkansas | 12.1¢ | $0.54 | $6.62 |
| Washington | 12.1¢ | $0.54 | $6.62 |
| Louisiana | 11.9¢ | $0.54 | $6.52 |
| Wyoming | 11.6¢ | $0.52 | $6.35 |
| North Dakota | 11.5¢ | $0.52 | $6.30 |
| Utah | 11.4¢ | $0.51 | $6.24 |
| Idaho | 11.3¢ | $0.51 | $6.19 |
Efficient vs. inefficient
A $4.82/year difference across the wattage range.
Swapping a high-draw model for an efficient one pays for itself. Here's what that looks like annually at typical usage.
Most efficient
1000W
$0.50 per month
$6.02 per year
Typical
1500W
$0.74 per month
$9.03 per year
High draw
1800W
$0.89 per month
$10.84 per year
When it hits hardest
winter peak
Heavier winter use for hot drinks.
Ways to cut the cost
- 1
Boil only what you need — filling to max doubles kWh
Cuts per-boil energy 40-60%
- 2
Use electric kettle instead of stovetop
Kettles are ~30% more efficient than stove burners
- 3
Descale every 3 months — limescale insulates the element
Restores 5-10% efficiency
Real-world wattages
Pulled from actual spec sheets.
| Brand | Model | Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Cuisinart | CPK-17 | 1500W |
| Hamilton Beach | 40880 | 1500W |
| Breville | BKE820XL IQ Kettle | 1500W |
Picks that actually move the needle
Three products worth comparing if you're thinking about upgrading or supplementing what you have.
Some links below are affiliate links. If you buy, we may earn a small commission — it never changes the price you pay, and we only recommend picks we would stand behind.
See also
Related appliances
Sources: www.energy.gov · www.energystar.gov
Last updated: 2026-04-13