Checked against official sources on 15 October 2026
How much does a coffee maker cost to run?
About $0.84 a month
for a 4-cup drip coffee maker used 15 minutes a day in No match. Pick "Another country" to type your own price. , at 18.31 cents per kWh.
Type your electricity price to see the cost.
- Draws while on
- 600 W
- Costs per hour
- $0.11
- Start-up surge
- None
A drip coffee maker draws about 600 W while it brews, so a pot a day costs very little. Where it adds up is the warming plate: leave the jug sitting on it all morning and it keeps drawing power the whole time.
Work out your own coffee maker
Draws about 600 W
Look on the label or plug for a number followed by W.
What it costs in other countries
For a 4-cup drip coffee maker used 15 minutes a day, at each country's official average electricity price.
| Country | Price per kWh | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 18.31 cents | $0.84 | $10 |
| United Kingdom | 26.32 pence | £1.20 | £14 |
| Germany | 36.18 cents | €1.65 | €20 |
| Ireland | 38.71 cents | €1.77 | €21 |
| France | 24.85 cents | €1.13 | €14 |
| Spain | 25.09 cents | €1.14 | €14 |
| Italy | 31.42 cents | €1.43 | €17 |
| Netherlands | 24.40 cents | €1.11 | €13 |
Prices from the U.S. EIA, Ofgem and Eurostat; see Sources below. To see another country, pick it at the top of the page; we cover 51.
How to cut the cost of running your coffee maker
-
Use a thermal carafe instead of the warming plate
The warming plate keeps drawing power as long as the jug sits on it.
-
Brew only what you'll drink
Less water to heat means less power.
What can power it
It has no start-up surge: Honda's generator guide lists no extra power at start-up for a coffee maker. A generator or power station needs to supply its running power, about 600 W for the option above, plus anything else running at the same time.
Common questions
How many watts does a coffee maker use?
Honda's generator guide lists a 4-cup coffee maker at about 600 W.
How much does one pot of coffee cost in electricity?
A 600 W coffee maker running for 15 minutes uses 0.15 kWh, which is under 3 cents at the average US price. Keeping the pot warm on the plate afterwards adds to that.
How much does it cost to run a coffee maker per hour?
About $0.11 an hour in the United States, at the average price of 18.31 cents per kWh, or about £0.16 in the UK at 26.32 pence, for a 4-cup drip coffee maker drawing 600 W.
Sources
- Honda Power Equipment, generator wattage estimation guide
- Eurostat, Electricity prices for household consumers (nrg_pc_204): consumption band 2,500–4,999 kWh, all taxes and levies included, January–June 2026 (updated 13 October 2026)
- Ofgem energy price cap: average Direct Debit electricity unit rate, England, Scotland and Wales, 1 October to 31 December 2026
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electricity Monthly Update: average residential price, July 2026 (released 24 September 2026)
Last checked 15 October 2026. How we get our numbers.