How many watts does it use?

Running and starting watts for common appliances. Each figure links to the page it came from. Where sources disagree we show the full range, because real appliances differ by model and age.

ApplianceRunning WStarting WAverage WSources
Blender 300 to 1,380 W 650 W [1][2]
Box fan 85 to 200 W None listed [1][3]
Ceiling fan 31 to 175 W None listed [4][5]
Chest freezer 700 W 2,900 W 25 W [6][7]
Coffee maker 900 to 1,500 W No motor surge [1][5][6]
Electric kettle 1,500 W No motor surge [8][9]
Gas furnace blower 600 to 875 W 1,000 to 3,175 W [1][5][6]
Laptop 35 to 70 W None listed [5][10]
LED light bulb 8.8 W None listed [11]
LED TV 63 to 150 W None listed [1][5][12]
Microwave oven 750 to 1,480 W None listed [1][5][6][13]
Phone charger 5 to 20 W None listed [14][15]
Portable electric grill 1,560 to 1,650 W No motor surge [1][16]
Refrigerator 700 to 725 W 2,200 to 2,900 W 52 W [1][5][6][17]
Slow cooker 200 to 250 W No motor surge [1][6]
Space heater 750 to 1,500 W No motor surge [5][18][19]
Sump pump (1/3 HP to 1/2 HP) 800 to 1,200 W 1,300 to 3,200 W [1][6][20][21][22]
Well pump 250 to 1,100 W 2,100 to 3,100 W [1][5][6]
Wi-Fi router 18 to 30 W None listed [1][23]
Window air conditioner 720 to 3,250 W 2,800 to 7,200 W [1][6][24][25]

Starting watts are the brief extra draw when a motor or compressor starts. Average watts are for appliances that cycle on and off, worked out from ENERGY STAR annual energy figures. How we use these numbers.

Notes by appliance

Blender

A countertop blender draws from about 300 W to about 1380 W for a high-power model, with a short motor starting surge.

Box fan

A 20 inch box fan draws well under 200 W; the Lasko B20401 is rated at 85 W.

Ceiling fan

The median ENERGY STAR certified indoor ceiling fan draws 31 W on high speed. Older nameplate figures run from 65 to 175 W.

Chest freezer

A chest freezer cycles its compressor like a refrigerator, so its average draw is low: about 25 W for the median ENERGY STAR full-size chest freezer (218 kWh a year).

Coffee maker

A drip coffee maker draws about 900 to 1500 W while it heats water. It is a resistive heating load with no motor starting surge.

Electric kettle

A 1.7 liter electric kettle is typically rated at 1500 W. It is a resistive heating load that draws its full rating for the few minutes it takes to boil.

Gas furnace blower

The blower fan in a gas furnace draws about 600 to 875 W running in generator charts, plus a motor starting surge of 1000 to 2300 W depending on motor size.

Laptop

A laptop draws at most what its power adapter is rated for, commonly 35 to 70 W for a MacBook Air, and often less once the battery is charged.

LED light bulb

An LED bulb that replaces a 60 W incandescent draws about 9 W; the Philips A19 model here is rated at 8.8 W for 800 lumens.

LED TV

An LED TV draws roughly 60 to 150 W while on, rising with screen size. The median ENERGY STAR certified 55 inch TV draws 96 W and the median 65 inch model 118 W.

Microwave oven

A countertop microwave draws more from the outlet than its cooking power rating: a 1200 W Panasonic model lists 1480 W of power consumption. Generator charts list a typical microwave at 1000 W.

Phone charger

A phone charger is a small load: Apple's USB power adapters are rated at 5 to 20 W, and the draw falls as the phone fills up.

Portable electric grill

A portable electric grill draws about 1560 to 1650 W with the element on. It is a resistive heating load with no motor starting surge.

Refrigerator

A full-size refrigerator draws a few hundred watts while the compressor runs and needs a short starting surge when it kicks on. Because it cycles on and off, its average draw over a day is far lower: about 52 W for the median ENERGY STAR full-size model (457 kWh a year).

Slow cooker

A slow cooker draws about 200 to 250 W, a low steady heating load that suits long outages and camping.

Space heater

A portable electric space heater draws about 1500 W on high and about 750 W on low. It is a resistive load, so it has no motor starting surge but holds its full draw while the element is on.

Sump pump (1/3 HP to 1/2 HP)

A typical 1/3 HP to 1/2 HP sump pump runs at about 800 to 1200 W from the figures here. Its motor needs a starting surge of 1300 to 3200 W in generator sizing charts, so the surge rating of a power station matters as much as its running rating.

Well pump

A 1/2 HP well pump runs at about 1000 W and needs about 2100 W to start in generator charts. Deep well pumps range from 250 to 1100 W on the nameplate.

Wi-Fi router

A home Wi-Fi router draws about 20 W or less. NETGEAR says a router never draws more than its power adapter rating, which is 18 to 30 W for many of its Wi-Fi 6 models.

Window air conditioner

Manufacturer specs for 8000 to 10000 BTU window air conditioners list cooling draws of 720 to 1020 W. Generator charts give higher running figures for 12000 to 13000 BTU units and add a compressor starting peak of 2800 to 7200 W.

Runtime calculator

Runtime (hours) = battery Wh x inverter efficiency / load W

Efficiency is the share of battery energy that reaches the outlet. Where the maker does not publish it we use 0.85. Average W is for loads that cycle on and off, like a fridge; leave it blank to use running watts. Starting surge assumes one motor starts at a time. How the estimates work.

Sources

  1. Champion Power Equipment Wattage Reference Chart (help.championpowerequipment.com), read Oct 22, 2026
  2. Vitamix 5200 Standard Getting Started, specifications (vitamix.com), read Oct 22, 2026
  3. Lasko B20401 20 inch box fan, specifications (Ameco), read Oct 22, 2026
  4. ENERGY STAR Certified Ceiling Fans dataset (data.energystar.gov, 2te3-nmxp), fan_power_consumption_high_speed_w, read Oct 22, 2026
  5. Virginia Cooperative Extension BSE-301NP, Estimating Appliance and Home Electronic Energy Use (typical nameplate wattages), read Oct 22, 2026
  6. Generac GP Series portable generator brochure, wattage reference chart (PDF), read Oct 22, 2026
  7. ENERGY STAR Certified Residential Freezers dataset (data.energystar.gov, 8t9c-g3tn), chest freezers, read Oct 22, 2026
  8. Hamilton Beach Stainless Steel Electric Kettle, specifications (Do it Best), read Oct 22, 2026
  9. Cuisinart PerfecTemp 1.7L Stainless Steel Electric Kettle CPK-17P1 (cuisinart.com), read Oct 22, 2026
  10. Apple MacBook Air technical specifications, In the Box and power adapter options (apple.com), read Oct 22, 2026
  11. Philips 8.8-Watt A19 LED Bulb, 60-Watt Incandescent Equivalent, 800 lumens (Super Bright LEDs), read Oct 22, 2026
  12. ENERGY STAR Certified Televisions dataset (data.energystar.gov, pd96-rr3d), power_consumption_in_on_mode_watts, read Oct 22, 2026
  13. Panasonic Features and Specifications, Microwave Oven NN-SN686SAZH (help.na.panasonic.com), read Oct 22, 2026
  14. Apple 20W USB-C Power Adapter (apple.com), read Oct 22, 2026
  15. About Apple USB power adapters (support.apple.com), read Oct 22, 2026
  16. Weber Q 1400 Electric Grill 52020001, specifications (Park Ave Appliance), read Oct 22, 2026
  17. ENERGY STAR Certified Residential Refrigerators dataset (data.energystar.gov, p5st-her9), full-size models, read Oct 22, 2026
  18. Vornado FAQs, How much energy does a Vornado heater consume?, read Oct 22, 2026
  19. Lasko 1500W 120V Cyclonic Ceramic Space Heater CC24910, specifications (Do it Best), read Oct 22, 2026
  20. Zoeller Technical Data Sheet FM2778, Mighty-Mate Series Models 53, 57, 55, 59, read Oct 22, 2026
  21. Zoeller Technical Data Sheet FM2779, Flow-Mate Series Model 98, read Oct 22, 2026
  22. WAYNE sump pump owner's manual specifications, horsepower and amp ratings (CDU790, CDU800 and others), read Oct 22, 2026
  23. NETGEAR Knowledge Base, How much power does my NETGEAR router use?, read Oct 22, 2026
  24. Frigidaire FHWC083TC1 8000 BTU window air conditioner, electrical specifications (Town Appliance), read Oct 22, 2026
  25. GE ASV10AB 115 Volt Room Air Conditioner Window Unit, GE spec sheet (PDF), read Oct 22, 2026