How Much Does It Cost to Run a Humidifier? (2026)
Ultrasonic and evaporative humidifiers draw 20 to 50 watts. Warm mist models boil water and draw 250 to 300 watts, making them five to ten times more expensive to run.
A typical humidifier (40 W) costs $0.007 per hour, or about $2.20 per month at 10 hours a day in the US. Cheap to run
| Wattage | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low 20 W | $0.004 | $0.037 | $1.10 | $5.50 |
| Typical 40 W | $0.007 | $0.073 | $2.20 | $11.00 |
| High 300 W | $0.055 | $0.55 | $16.51 | $82.53 |
Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 10 h/day for about 150 days a year (the heating season) ≈ 60 kWh per year.
One day of a humidifier (0.96 kWh) is the same electricity as
- 5.3km in an electric car
- 9.6hours of TV
- 21hours of a laptop
- 107hours of an LED bulb
Around the world per year at typical use, local prices
How to lower the cost of running a humidifier
- Choose cool mist over warm mist. The humidity result is the same.
- Use a hygrometer and stop at 40 to 50 percent humidity.
- Clean it weekly. Mineral buildup makes ultrasonic models work harder.
In standby it draws about 1 W, which adds roughly 9 kWh ($1.61) per year if it is never unplugged.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run a humidifier all night?
A 40 watt cool mist unit for 10 hours uses 0.4 kWh.
Do warm mist humidifiers use a lot of electricity?
Yes. At 300 watts they use as much as a small heater.
Does a humidifier use power when the tank is empty?
Most shut off automatically and draw about a watt.
Cost by region
- United States (average)
- Canada (average)
- United Kingdom
- Germany
- France
- Australia
- India
US states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Canadian provinces
Related appliances
- Electric Blanket100 W typical
- Heat Pump (Ducted or Mini-Split)2,000 W typical
- Baseboard Heater1,500 W typical
- Portable Fan (Box or Pedestal)50 W typical
Use the generic electricity cost calculator · Which uses more? Take the quiz