How do I work out what my own kettle costs?

Multiply the kWh it uses each time by your unit rate. At the Great Britain average of 26.32p a kWh, every kWh costs 26p.

Does it cost more in some parts of the country?

Slightly. The electricity unit rate under the cap runs from 25.36p a kWh in East Midlands to 27.86p in Merseyside and North Wales, so the same use costs about 10% more in the dearest region. Pick yours in the calculator.

Running costs

How much does it cost to run a kettle?

About 4p a boil, at the price cap for 1 October 2026 to 31 December 2026. Used five boils a day, that’s about £66 a year.

A 2.5 kW to 3 kW kettle boiling for three minutes, from NEA’s power ratings.

Verified: 23 October 2026 from Ofgem price cap rates

Work out yours

Your electricity price

Energy for one boil

kWh

Times a week

A boil

3.6p

A week

£1.27

A month

£5.50

A year

£66

251 kWh a year. Unit rate only: the standing charge is paid whether or not anything is switched on.

A kettle is one of the most powerful things in a home, but it runs for only a few minutes, so each boil costs only a few pence. What adds up is boiling more water than you need, many times a day.

Ways to spend less

Boil only the water you need: a full kettle for one mug costs several times as much.
Descale it in hard-water areas; scale slows it down.

Compared with

Appliance	Typical cost	A year, used as shown
Kettle	4p a boil	£66 (five boils a day)
Air fryer	23p an hour	£20 (20 minutes, 5 times a week)
Electric oven	39p an hour	£81 (1 hour, 4 times a week)

At the Great Britain average electricity rate of 26.32p a kWh.

Common questions

How much does it cost to run a kettle?: About 4p a boil, at the price cap for 1 October 2026 to 31 December 2026. Used five boils a day, that’s about £66 a year. A 2.5 kW to 3 kW kettle boiling for three minutes, from NEA’s power ratings.
How do I work out what my own kettle costs?: Multiply the kWh it uses each time by your unit rate. At the Great Britain average of 26.32p a kWh, every kWh costs 26p.
Does it cost more in some parts of the country?: Slightly. The electricity unit rate under the cap runs from 25.36p a kWh in East Midlands to 27.86p in Merseyside and North Wales, so the same use costs about 10% more in the dearest region. Pick yours in the calculator.

Other appliances

Add up several appliances in the electricity cost calculator, or see what your own home uses with the smart meter analyser.