How much does it cost to run a printer?
EIA data · June 2026About 8.4¢ 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.
0.5 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 5–900 W. Use the figure on your own label if you have it.
15% duty cycle applied — it draws power for part of that time.
A printer sits mid-table at #86 of 88, which means something else in the house costs more. See whether electronics or something else drives your bill.
Published figures for this appliance disagree by a wide margin. Why other sites price a printer so differently.
How many watts a printer uses
The range here is unusually wide because two technologies share the name. Inkjets draw 15–30 W while printing and 2–5 W idle. Laser printers draw 300–900 W while the fuser is hot, and that is what the typical figure reflects.
- Low
- 5 W
- Typical
- 500 W
- High
- 900 W
What it costs across the country
Same appliance, same usage, different electricity price. Annual cost at 500 W and the default usage above.
| State | ¢/kWh | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 52.72 | $2.89 |
| California | 34.74 | $1.90 |
| Massachusetts | 29.61 | $1.62 |
| New York | 29.49 | $1.61 |
| Ohio | 19.19 | $1.05 |
| Texas | 15.94 | 87.3¢ |
| Florida | 15.10 | 82.7¢ |
| Utah | 13.37 | 73.2¢ |
| Nebraska | 13.25 | 72.5¢ |
| Nevada | 13.11 | 71.8¢ |
Worth knowing
- A laser printer's fuser must reach around 200°C, which is why it briefly draws as much as a small heater — and why the first page is slow.
- Idle draw matters more than printing for most households, because the printer spends nearly all its life waiting.
- An inkjet left plugged in costs a few dollars a year; a laser printer in an always-ready mode can cost several times that.
Other appliances
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.