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How Much Does It Cost to Run a Sewing Machine in California? (2026)
A home sewing machine motor draws 50 to 120 watts and only while the pedal is pressed. An hour of sewing uses less electricity than five minutes of a hair dryer.
A typical sewing machine (80 W) costs $0.028 per hour, or about $0.84 per month at 1 hours a day in California. Cheap to run
| Wattage | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low (50 W) | $0.017 | $0.017 | $0.52 | $6.39 |
| Typical (80 W) | $0.028 | $0.028 | $0.84 | $10.22 |
| High (120 W) | $0.042 | $0.042 | $1.26 | $15.33 |
Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 1 h/day ≈ 29 kWh per year.
In California, with electricity at $0.35 per kWh (source: EIA Table 5.6.A, 2026-06), a typical sewing machine costs $0.028 per hour and about $10.22 per year at 1 hours a day. That is about 94% more than the US national average of $0.43 per month, because electricity in California costs $0.35 per kWh against $0.18 nationally. Each $1.00 of electricity buys roughly 35.7 hours of use.
How to lower the cost of running a sewing machine
- The sewing light is often the only continuous draw. Switch to an LED bulb if it is incandescent.
- Nothing else. This is a negligible load.
- Turn it off at the switch when done.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a sewing machine use?
About 0.05 kWh per hour of active sewing.
Do industrial sewing machines use more?
Yes, 250 to 550 watt motors, but still small compared with heating appliances.
Does a sewing machine use electricity when on but idle?
Only the lamp, typically 5 to 15 watts.
Cost by region
- United States (average)
- California
- Texas
- New York
- Florida
- Canada (average)
- United Kingdom
- Germany
- France
- Australia
- India