Electricity Cost Calculator
Figure out what a 3D print actually costs to run. Enter your printer, print duration, and local electricity rate. Most people overestimate this by a factor of 5 or more.
How this works
A 3D printer is an electrical appliance. Its power draw, measured in watts, multiplied by the hours it runs, gives you energy used in watt-hours. Divide by 1000 for kilowatt-hours (kWh), then multiply by your electricity rate.
For most hobbyists, electricity is an afterthought. A 24 hour print on a Bambu X1C at the US average rate of $0.18/kWh costs about 50 cents. Same print on filament at $25/kg uses around $18 of material. Filament dominates.
The formula in detail
cost = (watts / 1000) × hours × rate_per_kWh
Worked example. Bambu P1S averaging 110W during a 12 hour print at $0.18/kWh:
- Energy used: (110 / 1000) × 12 = 1.32 kWh
- Cost: 1.32 × 0.18 = $0.24
Twenty-four cents. That print also probably used $4 of filament, so electricity is about 6% of the material cost. This ratio holds almost universally for hobbyist printing.
Average power draw by printer
These are average watt numbers across a full print, including the high-draw heating cycles. Numbers are pulled from manufacturer specs and community Kill-A-Watt measurements.
| Printer | Average draw | Peak draw |
|---|---|---|
| Bambu A1 mini | 85W | 350W |
| Bambu A1 | 95W | 400W |
| Bambu P1S | 110W | 500W |
| Bambu X1 Carbon | 115W | 500W |
| Prusa MK4 | 95W | 350W |
| Ender 3 V2 | 125W | 350W |
| Voron 2.4 (350mm) | 180W | 700W |
| Enclosed printer with chamber heater | +50W | +300W |
Bigger beds and chamber heaters drive numbers up. ABS or ASA prints with a 90C chamber can run 30 to 50% higher average draw than the same printer doing PLA at 60C bed.
Electricity rates by region
Where you live changes the math more than which printer you own. Reference rates as of early 2026 (residential, all-in including fixed charges):
- US national average: $0.18/kWh
- Hawaii: $0.42/kWh (highest in US)
- California: $0.32/kWh
- Northeast US: $0.22 to $0.28/kWh
- Texas, Pacific Northwest: $0.13 to $0.16/kWh
- Louisiana, North Dakota: $0.11 to $0.13/kWh (lowest in US)
- UK: ~£0.27/kWh
- Germany: ~€0.40/kWh
- Netherlands: ~€0.35/kWh
- Australia: ~$0.30 AUD/kWh
Your real number is on your utility bill, usually labeled "energy charge," "supply rate," or "delivery + supply" depending on provider. Use that, not the calculator default.
Per-month electricity cost for typical print volume
A few common scenarios at $0.18/kWh, Bambu P1S (110W average):
- Light: 20 hours/month = 0.40 kWh = $0.07
- Moderate: 60 hours/month = 6.6 kWh = $1.19
- Heavy: 200 hours/month = 22 kWh = $3.96
- Print farm (1 printer running 24/7): 720 hours = 79.2 kWh = $14.26
Even printing constantly, a single hobbyist printer adds about $14 per month to your bill in average-rate areas. In Hawaii or Germany, that same usage is closer to $30. Still small compared to filament cost over the same period.
When electricity actually starts to matter
- Print farms. 5+ printers running 24/7 turns electricity into a real line item. A 6-printer farm at typical loads can cost $80 to $120/month in average-rate areas.
- Production with engineering filaments. ABS and PA-CF need chamber heating that can push average draw to 200W+. At extreme rates this stops being negligible.
- Hawaii and similar. At $0.42/kWh, a 24-hour print on a Bambu X1C is $1.16, which is getting into "noticeable on top of filament" territory.
For a single hobbyist printer at average rates, electricity will basically never change a decision. Don't lose sleep over it.
Frequently asked
- How much electricity does a 3D printer actually use?
- Less than you probably think. A Bambu X1C averages around 115W during a print. An Ender 3 is closer to 125W. Over a 10 hour print at the US average rate of $0.18/kWh, you're looking at about 20 cents. Electricity is almost always a tiny fraction of filament cost.
- Is idle draw included?
- No. These numbers assume active printing. Most modern printers idle at 5 to 15W (screen, controller, fan), which adds up if you leave them on 24/7 but is negligible per print.
- What about bed heating?
- The wattage numbers in the printer presets are averages across a full print, including heated bed cycles. Bed heating is the biggest power draw (heaters pull 200 to 350W), but modern PID controllers cycle them on and off, so the average is much lower.
- Why are regional averages so different?
- Electricity markets vary. California and Hawaii average over $0.30/kWh. Louisiana and North Dakota are closer to $0.12. European rates are typically higher than the US. Your actual rate is printed on your utility bill, usually in the 'energy charge' or 'supply rate' line.
- Should I turn my printer off between prints?
- For cost: barely matters. 10W idle for 12 hours is 0.12 kWh, or about 2 cents at US average rates. For hardware longevity: probably yes, especially hotbed and power supply. For convenience: leave it on, it's fine.