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How Much Does It Cost to Run a Garbage Disposal? (2026)
A garbage disposal runs for seconds at a time. A half-horsepower unit draws around 550 watts, so even daily use adds only a few kWh a year.
A typical garbage disposal (550 W) costs $0.099 per hour, or about $0.15 per month at 0.05 hours a day in United States (average). Cheap to run
| Wattage | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low (375 W) | $0.068 | $0.003 | $0.10 | $1.23 |
| Typical (550 W) | $0.099 | $0.005 | $0.15 | $1.81 |
| High (750 W) | $0.14 | $0.007 | $0.20 | $2.46 |
Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 0.05 h/day ≈ 10 kWh per year.
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How to lower the cost of running a garbage disposal
- Run cold water, not hot, while grinding. Heating water costs more than the disposal.
- Grind in small batches to avoid stalling the motor.
- Keep it clear of fibrous scraps that make it run longer.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a garbage disposal use?
Around 3 to 5 kWh a year with daily use, almost nothing on the bill.
Does a garbage disposal raise the water bill?
Slightly, since it needs running water while it works.
What is the biggest running cost of a disposal?
Water and, if you use hot water, the energy to heat it.
Cost by region
- United States (average)
- California
- Texas
- New York
- Florida
- Canada (average)
- United Kingdom
- Germany
- France
- Australia
- India