How much does each appliance cost to run in Perth?

Your Synergy electricity bill totals the consumption of every appliance in your home. But most households don't know which appliances are responsible for most of that spending. The answer typically surprises people — a few major appliances dominate, and many "obvious" suspects (phone chargers, lights) contribute relatively little.

The following figures use Perth's A1 tariff rate of 33.26c/kWh and Midday Saver peak rate of 55.33c/kWh (3pm–9pm) where noted.

High-cost appliances

Air conditioning

The dominant variable cost for most Perth households in summer.

| Type | Power draw | 3hr daily use | Annual cost (A1) | Cost at Midday Saver peak (55.33c) | |---|---|---|---|---| | Small split system (bedroom) | 0.6–1.2kW | 1.8–3.6kWh | $220–$437 | 99c–$2.00/hr | | Medium split system (living) | 1.5–2.5kW | 4.5–7.5kWh | $547–$912 | $0.83–$1.38/hr | | Large split system | 2.5–4kW | 7.5–12kWh | $912–$1,458 | $1.38–$2.21/hr | | Ducted system (4 zones) | 4–8kW | 12–24kWh | $1,459–$2,918 | $2.21–$4.43/hr | | Ducted system (whole house) | 8–12kW | 24–36kWh | $2,918–$4,377 | $4.43–$6.64/hr |

Costs assume 90 days/year of significant use (Perth summer). Actual variation is large — ducted AC is the largest electricity cost for many Perth families.

Hot water

| Type | Daily consumption | Annual cost (A1) | |---|---|---| | Electric resistance storage (3.6kW element) | 5–8kWh | $608–$973 | | Heat pump (COP 3.5) | 1.5–2.5kWh | $182–$304 | | Solar thermal (with electric booster) | 1–3kWh booster | $122–$365 |

Hot water is typically 15–25% of a Perth household's electricity bill — the second-largest category after air conditioning for most homes.

Pool pump

| Type | Power | Daily run | Annual cost (A1) | |---|---|---|---| | Fixed-speed single phase (750W) | 750W | 6hr | $548 | | Fixed-speed (1.1kW) | 1.1kW | 6hr | $803 | | Variable speed (VS pump, 0.3kW at low) | 0.3kW avg | 8hr | $292 |

Running a fixed-speed pool pump during solar hours (9am–3pm) saves significantly on Midday Saver; a VS pump on low during solar hours is particularly economical.

Medium-cost appliances

Clothes dryer

| Type | Per cycle | Annual (5 cycles/week) | |---|---|---| | Vented electric dryer (2.4kW, 45min) | 1.8kWh = 60c | $156 | | Heat pump dryer (0.9kW, 60min) | 0.9kWh = 30c | $78 |

Perth's sun makes line drying free and effective for 9+ months of the year. Using the dryer only in winter reduces annual cost by 70%+.

Oven and cooking

| Appliance | Power | Per use | Notes | |---|---|---|---| | Electric oven | 2–3kW | 1.5–2.5kWh (45min) = 50–83c | | | Induction cooktop | 1.5–3kW per zone | 0.5–1kWh per meal = 17–33c | More efficient than resistive element | | Resistive element cooktop | 2–3kW per zone | 0.8–1.5kWh per meal = 27–50c | | | Air fryer | 1.4kW | 0.35kWh (15min) = 12c | Replaces oven for small meals | | Slow cooker | 0.2kW | 1.2kWh (6hr) = 40c | Much less than oven despite longer run time | | Microwave | 1.2kW | 0.03kWh (90s) = 1c | Very low cost per use |

Dishwasher

| Type | Per cycle | |---|---| | Standard (older) | 1.5–2kWh = 50–66c | | Eco mode (modern) | 0.8–1.2kWh = 27–40c |

Annual cost: 1 cycle/day × $0.35 avg = $128/yr. Run during solar hours (9am–3pm) to self-consume rather than import.

Washing machine

| Type | Per cycle | |---|---| | Top-loader (full cycle) | 2–3kWh = 66c–$1.00 | | Front-loader (warm wash) | 0.6–1kWh = 20–33c | | Front-loader (cold wash) | 0.15–0.3kWh = 5–10c |

Cold wash uses minimal electricity — most of a warm cycle's energy goes to heating water. Perth's subtropical climate means cold washes clean effectively year-round.

EV charging

| Charger | kW | 8hr session | Cost (A1) | Cost (Midday Saver super off-peak 8.85c) | |---|---|---|---|---| | Level 1 (standard socket 2.4kW) | 2.4kW | 19.2kWh | $6.38 | $1.70 | | Level 2 (7.4kW) | 7.4kW | 59.2kWh | $19.68 | $5.24 |

An EV charged overnight at Level 2 on A1 costs approximately $20/session. The same session on Midday Saver super off-peak costs $5.24. The tariff choice is the dominant variable in EV running costs.

Low-cost appliances

Refrigerator

| Type | Annual consumption | Annual cost (A1) | |---|---|---| | Modern fridge (250L, A++ rating) | 150–200kWh | $50–$66 | | Older fridge (300L+, pre-2000) | 400–600kWh | $133–$200 | | Second/beer fridge in garage | 300–500kWh | $100–$166 |

An old fridge running in the garage can cost more than two modern fridges. This is often the highest-value appliance replacement for reducing energy bills.

Lighting

| Type | Annual cost (12hr/day) | |---|---| | 9W LED (replaces 60W incandescent) | 39kWh = $13 | | 60W incandescent (for comparison) | 263kWh = $87 | | 1 room of 6 LED downlights (54W total) | 197kWh = $65 |

LED lighting is already cheap to run. Upgrading from LEDs to LEDs saves nothing. The impact of switching off lights is real but modest relative to AC and hot water.

Entertainment and standby

| Device | Annual cost | |---|---| | 65" OLED TV (4hr/day) | 115kWh = $38 | | Gaming console (active 2hr/day) | 60–150kWh = $20–$50 | | Phone charging (nightly) | 15kWh = $5 | | Router and NBN modem (always on) | 35–50kWh = $12–$17 | | PC (4hr/day, 100W desktop) | 146kWh = $49 |

"Leave your phone charger plugged in all night" contributes approximately $5/year. It's genuinely negligible — focus on the big three: AC, hot water, pool pump.

Where to prioritise

By annual impact on a typical Perth household:

1. Air conditioning (summer): $500–$4,000+ depending on usage and system type
2. Hot water: $200–$1,000 depending on system type and tariff optimisation
3. Pool pump: $200–$800 depending on type and operation hours
4. Dryer and cooking: $200–$400
5. EV charging: $0 to $2,000+ depending on mileage and tariff
6. Everything else: typically < $300 combined

Optimising the top 2–3 categories delivers 80%+ of available savings.

Upload your Synergy bill to BillWise to see how your consumption compares to Perth averages by household size and get tailored recommendations for reducing your bill.