Laundry & household: how many watts they use
Washers, dryers, vacuums, irons and hair dryers. The biggest draw here is the electric clothes dryer at about 5,000 W; the smallest is the washing machine at about 500 W.
| Clothes iron120 V | 1,2001,000–1,800 | — | 0.15 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric clothes dryer240 V | 5,0001,800–5,800 | 6,500 | 2.6 |
| Hair dryer120 V | 1,5001,000–1,875 | — | 0.26 |
| Vacuum cleaner120 V | 1,000500–1,440 | 1,500 | 0.25 |
| Washing machine120 V | 500350–1,150 | 1,200 | 0.25 |
Guides on this topic
What size generator do I need? A simple sizing method
Add running watts, then the largest starting load. Worked examples for outage essentials, a well pump and whole-house central AC, plus a size chart.
Watts to amps (and amps to watts): formulas and conversion table
Convert watts to amps (amps = watts ÷ volts) and amps to watts at 120 V and 240 V, with a chart, 1,500 W example, circuit limits, kWh and Ah to Wh.
How many kWh does a house use? US averages and what uses the most
The average US home used 865 kWh a month in 2024 (EIA), about 28 kWh a day. See what uses the most, how to read your bill, and what backup really needs.