electronics · 500W typical
Running a laser printer costs about $0.02/month.
That's the typical laser printer at 500W, 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
A laser printer draws full power only while the thermostat/compressor is running — about 0.0 effective hours at 500W across your 0.1-hour window.
How you use it
Cost shifts with how long it's on.
The same laser printer can cost very different amounts depending on usage patterns. Three common scenarios, at the US-average rate.
active printing
$0.02
per month
500-900W during fuser warm-up
standby
$5.94
per month
networked idle 3-8W
Where you live
$0.04 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¢ | $0.06 | $0.75 |
| California | 31.4¢ | $0.05 | $0.57 |
| Massachusetts | 30.8¢ | $0.05 | $0.56 |
| Connecticut | 28.7¢ | $0.04 | $0.52 |
| Rhode Island | 27.9¢ | $0.04 | $0.51 |
| New Hampshire | 24.6¢ | $0.04 | $0.45 |
| Alaska | 24.3¢ | $0.04 | $0.44 |
| New York | 22.3¢ | $0.03 | $0.41 |
| Maine | 22.1¢ | $0.03 | $0.40 |
| Vermont | 21.5¢ | $0.03 | $0.39 |
| Michigan | 19.3¢ | $0.03 | $0.35 |
| New Jersey | 19.1¢ | $0.03 | $0.35 |
| Maryland | 18.4¢ | $0.03 | $0.34 |
| Pennsylvania | 18.1¢ | $0.03 | $0.33 |
| District of Columbia | 17.8¢ | $0.03 | $0.32 |
| Wisconsin | 17.4¢ | $0.03 | $0.32 |
| Delaware | 17.2¢ | $0.03 | $0.31 |
| Illinois | 16.9¢ | $0.03 | $0.31 |
| Ohio | 16.6¢ | $0.02 | $0.30 |
| Nevada | 16.3¢ | $0.02 | $0.30 |
| Indiana | 15.8¢ | $0.02 | $0.29 |
| Virginia | 15.7¢ | $0.02 | $0.29 |
| Minnesota | 15.6¢ | $0.02 | $0.28 |
| Colorado | 15.4¢ | $0.02 | $0.28 |
| Alabama | 15.2¢ | $0.02 | $0.28 |
| West Virginia | 15.2¢ | $0.02 | $0.28 |
| Florida | 15.1¢ | $0.02 | $0.28 |
| New Mexico | 14.8¢ | $0.02 | $0.27 |
| Texas | 14.8¢ | $0.02 | $0.27 |
| Arizona | 14.7¢ | $0.02 | $0.27 |
| South Carolina | 14.7¢ | $0.02 | $0.27 |
| Kansas | 14.6¢ | $0.02 | $0.27 |
| Georgia | 14.2¢ | $0.02 | $0.26 |
| Iowa | 14.1¢ | $0.02 | $0.26 |
| North Carolina | 13.9¢ | $0.02 | $0.25 |
| Missouri | 13.6¢ | $0.02 | $0.25 |
| Oregon | 13.4¢ | $0.02 | $0.24 |
| Tennessee | 13.3¢ | $0.02 | $0.24 |
| Kentucky | 13.2¢ | $0.02 | $0.24 |
| Mississippi | 13.1¢ | $0.02 | $0.24 |
| Oklahoma | 13.1¢ | $0.02 | $0.24 |
| South Dakota | 12.7¢ | $0.02 | $0.23 |
| Montana | 12.4¢ | $0.02 | $0.23 |
| Nebraska | 12.2¢ | $0.02 | $0.22 |
| Arkansas | 12.1¢ | $0.02 | $0.22 |
| Washington | 12.1¢ | $0.02 | $0.22 |
| Louisiana | 11.9¢ | $0.02 | $0.22 |
| Wyoming | 11.6¢ | $0.02 | $0.21 |
| North Dakota | 11.5¢ | $0.02 | $0.21 |
| Utah | 11.4¢ | $0.02 | $0.21 |
| Idaho | 11.3¢ | $0.02 | $0.21 |
Efficient vs. inefficient
A $0.30/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
400W
$0.02 per month
$0.24 per year
Typical
500W
$0.02 per month
$0.30 per year
High draw
900W
$0.04 per month
$0.54 per year
When it hits hardest
year-round peak
Constant low-use baseline.
Ways to cut the cost
- 1
Batch print jobs — each wake-up draws 400-900W for 20-30 sec
Saves 50-100 Wh per batch
- 2
Use smart plug to kill overnight
Saves 30-50 kWh/year
- 3
Keep firmware updated — some updates improve sleep states
5-10% standby reduction
Real-world wattages
Pulled from actual spec sheets.
| Brand | Model | Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Brother | HL-L2350DW | 470W |
| HP | LaserJet M209dwe | 400W |
| Canon | imageCLASS MF264dw II | 580W |
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.energystar.gov · www.energy.gov
Last updated: 2026-04-13