Air purifiers protect us at a low price from free-flowing atmospheric contaminations, leading to fewer doctor visits.
But, how much electricity does an air purifier use? Considering an air purifier’s electricity bill, it may be out of budget for some consumers. Thus, we have compiled a guide on air purifier electricity usage to make things more transparent.
How Much Electricity Does An Air Purifier Use?
A typical air purifier employs around 50W of electricity on average for its operation. According to reports by Energy Star, a usual air purifier that is turned on for the entire day uses approximately 458 kWh/year.
That much amount is quite extra for only air purifiers since even big refrigerators consume lower energy per year. Comparing it to other appliances, a new LCD TV runs at 91.5 W, and a typical incandescent bulb at 60 W.
Therefore, many experts recommend using an air purifier with higher energy efficiency. It will help save electricity and cut costs of getting an expensive electricity bill.
The standard measurement unit is the kilowatt (kW) when you talk about measuring electricity. Generally, 1 kW translates to 1000 watts, and when you consume electricity, it is billed as per kilowatt-hour (kWh).
To calculate how much electricity does an air purifier use, you only need to divide the air purifier’s wattage by 1000. Then multiply the time (in hours) of the appliance’s usage.
If you have a 50-watt air purifier and use it for an hour a day, you will have to divide the air purifier’s wattage by 1000 first.
50 W/1000 = 0.05 kW
This calculation shows that you used around 0.05 kW of electricity to keep your air purifier running. If you keep using it for one hour every day for an entire month, you only must multiply kW usage per hour by thirty days.
0.05 × 30 = 1.5 kW
The entire electricity cost will be based on the electricity rates in your county or locality. You must multiply the monthly electrical consumption of your air purifier by your area’s electricity rates.
However, keep in mind that the electricity rates vary depending on generation price, operational costs, and government taxes.
With all that said, questions like how much electricity does a Honeywell air purifier use or how much electricity does an Alen air purifier use are sure to graze your mind as you search for an air purifier for your house. Here is a table to help you understand the energy consumption of your new air purifier so you can answer your questions like how much electricity does a Dyson air purifier use.
| Brand/Model | Power Consumption – Honeywell (kW) | Power Consumption – IQAir Healthpro Plus (kW) | Power Consumption – Alen (kW) | |||
| Hours of Operation | 12 hrs | 24 hrs | 12 hrs | 24 hrs | 12 hrs | 24 hrs |
| Daily | 1.98 | 3.96 | 1.62 | 3.24 | 0.9 | 1.8 |
| Monthly | 59.4 | 118.8 | 38.88 | 97.2 | 21.6 | 43.2 |
| Yearly | 722.7 | 1445.4 | 591.3 | 1182.6 | 328.5 | 657 |
| Brand/Model | Power Consumption – Xiaomi Air Purifier (kW) | Power Consumption – Dyson Air Purifier (kW) | Power Consumption – Philips Air Purifier (kW) | |||
| Hours of Operation | 12 hrs | 24 hrs | 12 hrs | 24 hrs | 12 hrs | 24 hrs |
| Daily | 0.456 | 0.912 | 1.476 | 2.952 | 0.72 | 1.44 |
| Monthly | 10.944 | 21.888 | 35.424 | 70.848 | 17.28 | 34.56 |
| Yearly | 166.44 | 332.88 | 538.74 | 1077.48 | 262.8 | 525.6 |
Hopefully, the table answered some of your questions, such as how much electricity does the IQAir HealthPro Plus air purifier use per day or how much electricity does a Xiaomi air purifier use. Keep in mind that the above measurements are an average of the energy consumption, and they depend on various factors discussed below.
Calculating Air Purifier Energy Costs
Calculating your air purifier energy costs and how much electricity does a small air purifier use is as easy as 1 2 3. Firstly, you must calculate the total consumption of wattage per day. Like if your unit consumer 70 watts per hour, then the 12-hour power consumption would be:
70 watts × 12 hours = 840 watts
Then you convert it to the electricity measurement (kilowatt).
840 watts / 1000 = 0.840 kilowatts
You can then continue calculating your monthly usage by multiplying it accordingly, like:
0.840 kWh × 30 = 25.2 kWh/month
Finally, you use the local electricity rates, multiply the figures, and there you have it:
25.2 kWh × 0.15 = 3.78 USD per month
Using this calculation as a baseline, you will be paying around $3 to $8 monthly with twelve hours of daily operation, which is hardly a spike in the electricity bill.
To recall, here is the complete formula for the example we used above:
Cost per month = W × 12 hours / 1000 (kilowatts) × 30 (days) × 0.15 (electric rates)
To calculate the yearly costs, simply multiply the monthly cost by 12.
Cost per year = monthly cost × 12
Factors Affecting Air Purifier Electricity Usage?
Some of the air purifiers carry much more power than their counterparts, and they are not limited to various features such as the room capacity they can serve and their design. Here are the factors that affect the power consumption of your air purifier:
Energy Rating
It is said to be the sole contributor to the electricity amount you will be billed and the electricity rate supplier charge. To put it simply, the higher your energy consumption, the greater your bills will be.
Filter Used
To answer how much electricity does a 120v HEPA air purifier use is simple. If your unit uses HEPA filters, the fans will blow more than regular fans to force air through tiny HEPA filter pores.
Fan Size
Often time, the bigger the unit, the larger the fan will be needed, and more power will be needed to power the fan. A big fan always requires more energy for efficient operations, and it goes a long way to adding to the electricity bills.
Room Coverage Area
You will not expect your air purifier designed for use in small, confined spaces to consume energy like the ones for bigger rooms. This is because air purifiers for bigger rooms consume much more energy than ones for smaller rooms.
Related Article – Where Should I Place My Air Purifier?
How To Save Money When Using An Air Purifier?
Searching for Energy-Star rated models is a great starting point if you want to save money while using an air purifier. Then you can also refer to the power usage of your air purifier in the specification. Features such as Auto/Sleep mode will also help you manage the power consumption.
Specific models also have an Eco-mode, which will turn the motor fan off while not in use, so select the right air purifier for yourself that also covers the exact room size. An air purifier that will not cover the area will take more time and higher speed to purify the entire room.
The less airflow is present, the less energy consumption. An additional bonus tip is to keep the windows closed when your air purifier operates. Doing so will block all the external pollutants from entering. Furthermore, replace the filters once they wear out to increase the filtration efficiency. Keep in mind that even a good and cheap air purifier does not operate at maximum speed the whole time.
People Also Ask (FAQ)
Frequently asked questions on air purifier electricity consumption.
Should I leave the air purifier on all day?
Since air pollution is an ongoing and pervasive issue, leaving the air purifier running all day is better. There are no apparent disadvantages to keeping the unit running the whole day, and if you change the filters on time, it will help you reduce pollutants in the home.
Will running an air purifier with windows open impact performance?
Typically, an air purifier will work with the windows open. However, it will not work with the same efficiency with sealed rooms. It will take extra time to complete the purification process when a window is open; contaminated air will always come in.
Are certain brands cheaper to run than others?
Yes, the more expensive your air filters are, the more efficient they will be. However, a single person with no allergies and pets may not require as much filtration as a family of four with two pets and an asthmatic child.
Conclusion
Not all air purifiers are made the same. Some are made to work excellently while taking up extra energy, whereas others can perform well without too much energy consumption. Hopefully, this guide was able to help you understand the electric consumption of air purifiers, though keep in mind that there are multiple factors in play when it comes to air purifier electricity consumption.
Related Article – Are Air Purifiers Worth It?
Last Updated on February 13, 2023
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