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How much does it cost to charge iPhones, Android phones and Macs?

Published Jan 18th, 2016 5:10PM EST
iPhone Android iPad Mac Electricity
Image: YouTube

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Are you worried your smartphone addiction also comes with hidden additional costs, like a higher energy bill? You actually shouldn’t as the yearly cost for charging your fancy toys, including your iPhone, iPad and Android devices, is more than affordable.

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According to Forbes, charging an iPad every day for a year will require 12kWh of electricity per year, which will cost you a whopping $1.50.

A smartphone with a 1,440 mAh battery will require 2,000-watt hours of energy per year or 2kWh. That would amount to $0.25 per year – and that’s assuming you charge your phone every day. Obviously, newer iPhone and Android devices have bigger batteries, but that simply means the costs will go slightly up, so add a few cents per year to your electricity budget.

Your laptop computer is a bit more expensive to keep charged during the year. It’ll cost you $8/year to provide some 72kWh of power to your notebook.

Here’s what other electronics and home appliances (and a Tesla) cost to keep powered on for a year:

  • Heating and cooling: $1,000 per year. This is the biggest electricity cost in most homes.
  • Water heater: $600 per year, which amounts to 18% of the average home’s energy bill.
  • Tesla: $450 per year assuming you drive 15,000 miles a year. 85kWh of electricity gives the Tesla a 300-mile range for about $10.
  • Clothes washer and dryer: $300 per year. $100 of that is used by the washer, assuming it’s a newer model, and some $200 is needed for drying all your clothes each year.
  • Desktop computer: $46 per year, as it uses 390kWh each year. $10 of that is for your wireless modem and router.
  • Refrigerator: $42 per year. Your new fridge needs just 350kWh of electricity to operate for a year, compared to older models (think 1980 and older) whose energy consumption can go up to 1,400mWh per year.
  • Plasma TV: 360kWh of power a year if used for 5 hours per day, or around $45 per year. LCD TVs will cost you just $20 per year.
  • Xbox One: $40 per year based on average usage habits
  • 60-watt light bulb: $26 per year if using a standard light bulb for 10 hours a day (220kWh of electricity per year)
  • LED light bulb: $4.40 per year, as it requires just 10 watts of power to offer the same amount of light as a 60-watt incandescent bulb. Annual consumption is at 37kWh.
  • Microwave: $0.04 for 15 minutes on high. Obviously, yearly microwave usage varies.
Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.