In Brussels, the median electricity consumption for a household that cooks with gas and does not use an electric water heater revolves around 2,036 kWh per year. But what does the detailed breakdown look like in your own home? Discover the updated consumption figures for every room in the house and learn how to track down the most energy-hungry appliances.
Behind these amounts lies a very simple formula: energy consumption depends on the power of the appliance and its total usage time. To allow you to compare options easily, all our calculations are based on the average, all-inclusive electricity price in Belgium, which is €0.35/kWh.
Want to try this at home? Discover how to calculate the energy consumption of any electrical appliance in just a few clicks.
Download the infographicKitchen
| Appliance type | Usage duration | Annual consumption | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Modern fridge-freezer combination | Continuous | 170 kWh | € 60 |
| Old fridge-freezer combination | Continuous | 450 kWh | € 160 |
| Modern dishwasher (Highly efficient) | 240 cycles/year | 150 kWh | € 55 |
| Old dishwasher | 240 cycles/year | 300 kWh | € 105 |
| Coffee maker (1,000 W) | 5 min/day | 30 kWh | € 10 |
| Modern extractor hood | 40 min/day, 300 days/year | 15 kWh | € 5 |
| Old extractor hood | 40 min/day, 300 days/year | 25 kWh | € 9 |
| Microwave oven (1,000 W) | 1.5 hours/week, 48 weeks/year | 70 kWh | € 25 |
| Electric oven (3,000 W) | 4.5 hours/week | 150 kWh | € 55 |
| Ceramic hob (2,000 W) | 1 meal/day | 350 kWh | € 125 |
| Induction hob (2,500 W) | 1 meal/day | 350 kWh | € 125 |
| Cast iron hob (2,500 W) | 1 meal/day | 525 kWh | € 185 |
Good to know
The European Union has simplified energy labels. The old "A+++", "A++", etc., ratings have been phased out to return to a clearer scale from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient). This is why a "Class A" appliance today is much more energy-efficient than a "Class A" appliance purchased a few years ago.
Living room
| Appliance type | Usage duration | Annual consumption | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old plasma TV (117 cm) | 4 hours active/day & 20 hours standby/day | 400 + 37 kWh | € 150 |
| LED TV (140 cm) | 4 hours active/day & 20 hours standby/day | 100 + 4 kWh | € 35 |
| Gaming console | 2 hours/day | 140 kWh | € 50 |
| TV decoder (in standby) | Continuous | 50 kWh | € 20 |
The living room vampire
Your TV decoder and television remain turned on in standby mode so they are "ready" when you return. This invisible comfort comes at a price: standby consumption. On its own, a TV decoder left plugged in 24/7 often consumes more electricity in standby mode than it does when you are actually watching your programs. A switchable power strip solves this problem in a single click!
Laundry room
| Appliance type | Usage duration | Annual consumption | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Modern tumble dryer (heat pump) | 160 cycles/year | 210 kWh | € 75 |
| Old tumble dryer (vented) | 160 cycles/year | 425 kWh | € 150 |
| Modern washing machine (highly efficient) | 200 cycles/year | 125 kWh | € 45 |
| Old washing machine (10 years old) | 200 cycles/year | 175 kWh | € 60 |
| Clothes iron (2,200 W) | 2 hours/week | 230 kWh | € 80 |
| Vacuum cleaner (800 W) | 2 hours/week | 80 kWh | € 30 |
| Under-sink water heater (2,500 W) | 10 l/jour | 510 kWh | € 180 |
Home office
| Appliance type | Usage duration | Annual consumption | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desktop PC with monitor (150 W) | 4 hours active/day & 20 hours standby/day | 218 + 53 kWh | € 95 |
| Laptop computer (45 W) | 4 hours active/day & 20 hours standby/day | 54 + 11 kWh | € 25 |
| Wi-Fi router | Continuous | 80 kWh | € 30 |
| Smartphone charger (5 W) | 4 hours/day | 7 kWh | € 2 |
| Halogen floor lamp (300 W) | 4 hours/day | 438 kWh | € 155 |
| Energy-saving bulb (12 W) | 4 hours/day | 18 kWh | € 6 |
| LED bulb (8 W) | 4 hours/day | 12 kWh | € 4 |
Halogen vs. LED: a generational clash
On its own, a halogen floor lamp (300 W) consumes 438 kWh/year (€155).
- That is 37 times more than a modern LED bulb (€4/year)!
- This single lamp consumes more electricity than your tumble dryer and washing machine combined!
If you replace the halogen bulb of this floor lamp with a compatible LED version (which consumes only 30 W for the exact same light output), your bill for this single lamp drops from €155 to just €15 per year.
Bedroom
| Appliance type | Usage duration | Annual consumption | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| LED TV (100 cm) | 1.5 hours active/day & 22.5 hours standby/day | 31 kWh | 10 € |
| Radio alarm clock (2 W) | Continuous | 18 kWh | 6 € |
| Space heater (2 000 W) | 3 hours/day, 150 days | 450 kWh | 160 € |
The illusion of the small space heater
Used for just 3 hours a day during the winter, a simple little electric space heater in a bedroom consumes around 450 kWh per year (about €160). That is 16 times more than a bedroom television! Appliances that generate heat using a simple electrical resistor remain, by far, the absolute most energy-hungry devices in the home.
Bathroom
| Appliance type | Usage duration | Annual consumption | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric toothbrush (1.2 W - base continuously plugged in) | 5 min/day, 335 days/year | 12 kWh | € 4 |
| Space heater (2,000 W) | 0.5 hours/day, 150 days/year | 150 kWh | € 55 |
| Hairdryer (1,600 W) | 2 hours/week | 166 kWh | € 60 |
| Electric water heater (2,200 W) | 3.5 hours/day | 2,810 kWh | € 1,000 |
Where should you begin?
This data highlights 3 main priorities to regain control of your budget without sacrificing your comfort:
- Track down electric heating appliances: The electric boiler and space heaters are the undisputed champions of energy expenditure. Reducing your shower time and limiting space heaters to the strict minimum number of minutes necessary changes everything.
- Eliminate standby power: Appliances running continuously (TVs in standby, decoders, routers, alarm clocks) account for a massive share of overall consumption simply because they never stop. Turning them off at night or utilizing smart power strips becomes profitable immediately.
- Focus on the energy label when replacing appliances: Swapping out an old Class C refrigerator or a conventional tumble dryer for recent, highly efficient models (Class A or B under the new energy labels) allows you to divide the consumption of these stations by three. A winning choice for the long term!
