In order to select the right generator size, you need to calculate how much energy you use. This is done by noting down the power consumption of all your appliances that will be running at the same time. This is where an appliance wattage chart comes in handy.
We prepared a chart containing information on starting and running wattage many appliances require. You can consult these charts for rough estimates to get an idea of how much watts each appliance uses. Before you make the final purchasing decision, make sure you check the label of every appliance or machine for exact wattage requirements.
We gathered the information in these charts from reputable industry and government websites, renowned generator manufacturers such as Generac, Honda, Yamaha, and store websites.
Home Appliance Wattage Chart
Heating and Cooling
| Appliance | Running Watts | Starting Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Ceiling Fan | 75 W | 120 W |
| Central AC (24,000 BTU / 2 Ton) | 2,800 W | 8,600 W |
| Central AC (30,000 BTU / 2.5 Ton) | 3,600 W | 10,800 W |
| Dehumidifier | 300 W | 0 W |
| Electric Heater (Fan) | 1,500 W | 0 W |
| Electric Thermal Radiator | 500 W | 0 W |
| Electric Water Heater | 4,000 W | 0 W |
| Electric Water Heater (Immersion) | 3,000 W | 0 W |
| Electric Water Heater (Tankless) | 6,600 W | 0 W |
| Evaporative AC | 700 W | 0 W |
| Fan (Pedestal) | 50 W | 0 W |
| Fan (Table) | 30 W | 0 W |
| Fan (Wall) | 55 W | 0 W |
| Furnace Blower (1/2 HP) | 850 W | 2,350 W |
| Furnace Blower (1/3 HP) | 700 W | 1,400 W |
| Heat Pump (3 Ton) | 5,400 W | 7,200 W |
| Humidifier (13 Gallon) | 175 W | 0 W |
| Portable AC (5,000 BTU) | 600 W | 1,800 W |
| Window AC (8,000 BTU) | 960 W | 2,800 W |
| Window AC (10,000 BTU) | 1,200 W | 3,600 W |
| Mini-Split AC (12,000 BTU) | 1,500 W | 4,500 W |
| Mini-Split AC (18,000 BTU) | 2,200 W | 6,500 W |
Lighting
| Appliance | Running Watts | Starting Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Light Bulb (Common) | 75 W | 0 W |
| Light Bulb (LED) | 9 W | 0 W |
| Night Light | 1 W | 0 W |
| Outdoor Light String | 250 W | 0 W |
| Tube Light (1500 MM) | 25 W | 0 W |
Pumps
| Appliance | Running Watts | Starting Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Sump Pump (1/2 HP) | 1,050 W | 2,150 W |
| Sump Pump (1/3 HP) | 800 W | 1,300 W |
| Well Water Pump (1/2 HP) | 1,000 W | 2,100 W |
| Well Water Pump (1/3 HP) | 750 W | 1,600 W |
Kitchen
| Appliance | Running Watts | Starting Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Air Fryer | 1,500 W | 0 W |
| Blender | 500 W | 800 W |
| Chest Freezer | 450 W | 900 W |
| Coffee Maker | 750 W | 1,200 W |
| Crock Pot | 250 W | 0 W |
| Deep Freezer | 500 W | 1,500 W |
| Dishwasher | 1,500 W | 1,800 W |
| Electric Grill | 1,650 W | 0 W |
| Electric Kettle | 1,200 W | 3,000 W |
| Electric Oven | 2,150 W | 0 W |
| Electric Skillet | 1,500 W | 0 W |
| Electric Stove (8" Element) | 2,100 W | 0 W |
| Espresso Coffee Machine | 900 W | 1,500 W |
| Food Dehydrator | 800 W | 0 W |
| Food Processor | 400 W | 0 W |
| Garbage Disposal | 450 W | 1,600 W |
| Hot Water Dispenser | 150 W | 750 W |
| Induction Cooktop (Per Hob) | 1,200 W | 1,800 W |
| Microwave (1000 W) | 1,000 W | 0 W |
| Modern Fridge | 400 W | 600 W |
| Pressure Cooker | 700 W | 0 W |
| Range Hood | 65 W | 0 W |
| Refrigerator | 700 W | 2,200 W |
| Rice Cooker | 200 W | 500 W |
| Sandwich Maker | 700 W | 0 W |
| Slow Cooker | 160 W | 0 W |
| Smart Fridge | 500 W | 750 W |
| Steriliser | 650 W | 0 W |
| Toaster | 850 W | 0 W |
| Toaster Oven | 1,200 W | 0 W |
| Waffle Iron | 1,200 W | 1,725 W |
| Water Cooler | 80 W | 0 W |
| Water Dispenser | 100 W | 0 W |
| Wine Cooler (18 Bottles) | 83 W | 0 W |
Bathroom
| Appliance | Running Watts | Starting Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Curling Iron | 1,500 W | 0 W |
| Electric Shaver | 15 W | 20 W |
| Extractor Fan | 12 W | 0 W |
| Hair Dryer | 1,250 W | 0 W |
| Power Shower | 7,500 W | 10,500 W |
| Straightening Iron | 75 W | 300 W |
Laundry
| Appliance | Running Watts | Starting Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Clothes Dryer (Electric) | 5,400 W | 6,750 W |
| Clothes Dryer (Gas) | 700 W | 1,800 W |
| Clothes Iron | 1,200 W | 0 W |
| Steam Iron | 350 W | 1,200 W |
| Washing Machine | 1,150 W | 2,250 W |
Cleaning
| Appliance | Running Watts | Starting Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Air Purifier | 30 W | 40 W |
| Robotic Vacuum Home Stand | 30 W | 90 W |
| Steam Cleaner | 1,000 W | 1,800 W |
| Vacuum Cleaner | 1,000 W | 1,500 W |
Entertainment
| Appliance | Running Watts | Starting Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Echo | 3 W | 0 W |
| Amplifier | 300 W | 0 W |
| Apple TV | 3 W | 0 W |
| AV Receiver | 450 W | 0 W |
| Blu Ray Player | 25 W | 0 W |
| Cell Phone | 25 W | 0 W |
| Computer Monitor | 25 W | 0 W |
| Desktop Computer | 100 W | 350 W |
| Home Phone | 3 W | 5 W |
| Home Sound System | 95 W | 0 W |
| Laptop | 60 W | 0 W |
| Mi Box | 5 W | 0 W |
| Nintendo Wii | 15 W | 0 W |
| Playstation 4 | 165 W | 0 W |
| Playstation 5 | 340 W | 0 W |
| Set Top Box | 27 W | 0 W |
| Soundbar | 30 W | 0 W |
| Stereo | 450 W | 0 W |
| Tablet | 10 W | 0 W |
| Television (CRT) | 500 W | 0 W |
| TV (43" LED) | 80 W | 0 W |
| TV (55" LED) | 90 W | 0 W |
| TV (65" LED) | 100 W | 0 W |
| TV (75" LED) | 115 W | 0 W |
| VCR / DVD Player | 100 W | 0 W |
| Video Game System | 40 W | 0 W |
| WiFi Router | 5 W | 15 W |
| Xbox 360 | 160 W | 0 W |
| Xbox Series X | 200 W | 0 W |
Garden
| Appliance | Running Watts | Starting Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Cultivator (1/3 HP) | 700 W | 1,400 W |
| Electric Leaf Blower (Handheld) | 750 W | 1,440 W |
| Electric Lawn Mower | 900 W | 1,500 W |
| Electric Strimmer | 300 W | 500 W |
| Hedge Trimmer | 600 W | 1,500 W |
| Weed Cutter | 500 W | 600 W |
Home Gym
| Appliance | Running Watts | Starting Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Elliptical Bike | 240 W | 0 W |
| Exercise Bike | 100 W | 0 W |
| Treadmill | 300 W | 900 W |
Other
| Appliance | Running Watts | Starting Watts |
|---|---|---|
| EV Home Charger | 1,600 W | 1,800 W |
| Garage Door Opener | 875 W | 2,350 W |
| Security System | 500 W | 0 W |
Work Tools Wattage Chart
Work Essentials
| Appliance | Running Watts | Starting Watts |
|---|---|---|
| 2-Way Radio | 40 W | 0 W |
| Floodlight | 1,000 W | 0 W |
| Heater (Liquid Fuel 100,000 BTU) | 420 W | 1,260 W |
| Heater (Liquid Fuel 50,000 BTU) | 225 W | 675 W |
| Quartz Halogen Work Light (1000 W) | 1,000 W | 0 W |
| Quartz Halogen Work Light (500 W) | 500 W | 0 W |
| Sump Pump (1 HP) | 1,440 W | 4,000 W |
| Sump Pump (1/2 HP) | 1,050 W | 2,150 W |
Construction and Jobsite Tools
| Appliance | Running Watts | Starting Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Air Compressor (1/2 HP) | 1,000 W | 2,000 W |
| Air Compressor (1/4 HP) | 970 W | 1,600 W |
| Air Compressor (1 HP) | 1,600 W | 4,500 W |
| Air Compressor (2 HP) | 2,800 W | 7,700 W |
| Airless Sprayer (1/3 HP) | 600 W | 1,200 W |
| Angle Grinder | 900 W | 1,500 W |
| Belt Sander | 1,200 W | 2,400 W |
| Bench Grinder | 1,400 W | 2,500 W |
| Chainsaw (14”) | 1,200 W | 2,400 W |
| Circular Saw (7.25") | 1,400 W | 2,300 W |
| Concrete Vibrator (1 HP) | 1,100 W | 2,500 W |
| Concrete Vibrator (2 HP) | 1,800 W | 3,600 W |
| Electric Drain Cleaner | 250 W | 0 W |
| Electric Drill | 600 W | 900 W |
| Hammer Drill | 1,000 W | 3,000 W |
| High-Pressure Washer (1 HP) | 1,200 W | 3,600 W |
| Impact Wrench (1") | 1,200 W | 1,400 W |
| Jig Saw | 300 W | 700 W |
| Jointer/Planer | 1,800 W | 4,500 W |
| Miter Saw (10") | 1,800 W | 3,300 W |
| Orbital Sander | 600 W | 1,200 W |
| Reciprocating Saw | 960 W | 1,040 W |
| Shop Vac (6.5 HP / 14 Gal.) | 1,000 W | 1,500 W |
| Table Saw (10") | 1,800 W | 4,500 W |
| Welder (Electric) | 2,000 W | 2,500 W |
| Wood Router | 600 W | 1,500 W |
Office
| Appliance | Running Watts | Starting Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Copy Machine | 1,600 W | 0 W |
| Fax | 70 W | 0 W |
| Paper Shredder | 200 W | 220 W |
| Printer (Inkjet) | 30 W | 50 W |
| Printer (Laser) | 300 W | 550 W |
| Projector | 220 W | 270 W |
| Scanner | 10 W | 18 W |
Farm
| Appliance | Running Watts | Starting Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Electric Fence (25 Miles) | 250 W | 0 W |
| Milk Cooler | 1,100 W | 1,800 W |
| Milker / Vacuum Pump (2 HP) | 1,000 W | 2,300 W |
Camping and RV Wattage Chart
RV Camping Essentials
| Appliance | Running Watts | Starting Watts |
|---|---|---|
| AM/FM Radio | 100 W | 0 W |
| Box Fan | 200 W | 0 W |
| Coffee Pot | 550 W | 900 W |
| Electric Water Heater (6 Gal.) | 1,440 W | 0 W |
| Furnace Fan (1/3 HP) | 700 W | 1,400 W |
| Hot Plate | 1,200 W | 1,725 W |
| Inflator Pump | 50 W | 150 W |
| LED Lights | 5.6 W | 0 W |
| Microwave (650 W) | 650 W | 0 W |
| Mini Fridge | 100 W | 200 W |
| RV Rooftop AC (11,000 BTU) | 1,000 W | 2,100 W |
| RV Rooftop AC (13,500 BTU) | 1,400 W | 2,900 W |
| RV Rooftop AC (15,000 BTU) | 1,700 W | 3,500 W |
| Space Heater | 1,800 W | 0 W |
| TV (32" LED) | 50 W | 0 W |
Note: All charts are rough power estimates. Your actual power consumption may vary.
Starting Watts VS Running Watts Explained
When calculating power consumption, it’s important to factor in both starting and running watts of tools/appliances and your generator.
Running (rated, continuous) watts: This is the constant wattage that a generator can supply and that the tools/appliances need to keep working.
Starting (surge) watts: This is the wattage that the generator can supply momentarily and that the tools/appliances need to start.
Note: Some appliances don’t require extra wattage to start. So there will be only one wattage for it to start and run. A good example of that is a light bulb. It requires 75 watts to work and doesn’t require extra wattage to start.
How to calculate your wattage requirements?
Once you know how many running and starting watts every appliance has, calculating wattage requirements is a matter of doing some simple math.
Here are the 5 steps to follow:
- List all the appliances you are going to use
- Put them all in a table together with starting and running watts (make sure you find this info on the tag of the appliance)
- Add up all the running watts
- Find the appliance with the highest starting watts requirement
- Add this number to the total running watts
The number you get is the starting wattage rating your generator needs to have. Here’s a simple example to illustrate this:
Example
| Appliance | Running Watts | Starting Watts |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Light Bulb (LED) | 27 W | 0 W |
| Floor Fan | 50 W | 70 W |
| Microwave | 1,000 W | 0 W |
| Refrigerator / Freezer | 700 W | 2,200 W |
| Television (50" LED) | 85 W | 0 W |
| Total Running Watts: | 1,862 W | |
| Total Starting Watts: | 4062 W |
If you can’t find wattage requirements on the appliance/tool, you can calculate it using the following formula:
Watts (W or kW) = Volts (V) x Amps (A)
Amps (A) = Watts (W or kW) / Volts (V)
As you can see, all you need to calculate this are required volts and amps. Alternatively, you can get an appliance load tester and avoid doing equations.
FAQ
In a typical, average-sized home, 5000 to 7500 watts would be enough to run essential items. A 10,000 watt generator would cover essentials as well as some extras. A typical home generator would need more than 15,000 watts to run an entire home with everything in it.
A refrigerator uses 700 watts to run and 2200 watts to start (rough estimates). The average use is between 400 and 750 watts, depending on the type and size of the fridge, how old it is, the room temperature, etc.
A freezer uses 500 watts to run and 1500 watts to start (rough estimates). Running watts average is between 450 and 900 watts depending on the size of the freezer and the model. The older the model, the more power it will need to run.
To calculate the generator size, for running a refrigerator and a freezer, calculate the total running wattage by adding the two and the higher starting wattage to the total. An average electric generator will usually have enough power to run both a freezer and a refrigerator.
Depending on the size and type of the TV screen (LCD vs. LED), a TV needs from 20 to 200 watts to run. For example, a 24″ LED TV needs 40W, a 49″ LED TV needs 85W, an 85″ LED TV needs 120W, while a 30″ LCD TV needs 60W, a 42″ LCD TV needs 120W, and a 50″ LCD TV needs 150W.
Electric water heaters (4000-6500 watts), heat pumps (5500 watts), and air conditioners (1000-4000 watts) use the most power in every household. In general, cooling and heating use 47% of all energy in an average home. Next is washing (1200W) and drying (5500W) clothes, which uses around 13% of the power. Electric grill, oven, and stove are also significant electricity users (1500-2500 watts).
