How much does it cost to run a 3D printer?
EIA data · June 2026About $1.61 a month at the U.S. average price of 18.34¢ per kilowatt-hour — but that figure moves a long way depending on where you live. Set your state below.
8.8 kWh a month at the U.S. average, 18.34¢/kWh for June 2026. Excludes fixed charges, taxes and time-of-use rates, which vary by utility and are on your bill.
Typical 50–400 W. Use the figure on your own label if you have it.
60% duty cycle applied — it draws power for part of that time.
A 3D printer sits mid-table at #58 of 88, which means something else in the house costs more. See whether fitness & hobby or something else drives your bill.
Published figures for this appliance disagree by a wide margin. Why other sites price a 3D printer so differently.
How many watts a 3D printer uses
A desktop FDM printer draws 50–150 W in steady state: the heated bed dominates, the hotend is secondary, and the motors are minor. Large-format machines with a bigger bed reach 400 W.
- Low
- 50 W
- Typical
- 120 W
- High
- 400 W
What it costs across the country
Same appliance, same usage, different electricity price. Annual cost at 120 W and the default usage above.
| State | ¢/kWh | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 52.72 | $55.42 |
| California | 34.74 | $36.52 |
| Massachusetts | 29.61 | $31.13 |
| New York | 29.49 | $31.00 |
| Ohio | 19.19 | $20.17 |
| Texas | 15.94 | $16.76 |
| Florida | 15.10 | $15.87 |
| Utah | 13.37 | $14.05 |
| Nebraska | 13.25 | $13.93 |
| Nevada | 13.11 | $13.78 |
Worth knowing
- Heating the bed is most of the cost, so printing without a heated bed where the material allows cuts consumption sharply.
- Long prints are cheaper per hour than short ones, because the initial heat-up is amortised over more printing.
- An enclosure keeps heat in and lets the bed cycle less, which saves electricity as well as improving adhesion.
Other appliances
- Treadmill
- Exercise bike
- Aquarium
- Space heater
- Central air conditioner
- Window air conditioner
- Electric water heater
- Electric clothes dryer
Prices are statewide residential averages for June 2026 from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. They exclude fixed monthly charges, taxes and time-of-use rates. See how these figures are calculated.