How Much Does It Cost to Run a Hot and Cold Water Dispenser in Missouri? (2026)
Water coolers keep a tank of water hot and another cold around the clock. The hot side is the bigger draw, and the pair typically uses 300 to 600 kWh a year, more than many refrigerators.
A typical hot and cold water dispenser (150 W) costs $0.024 per hour, or about $2.92 per month at 4 hours a day in Missouri. Average running cost
| Wattage | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low 100 W | $0.016 | $0.065 | $1.95 | $23.68 |
| Typical 150 W | $0.024 | $0.097 | $2.92 | $35.52 |
| High 500 W | $0.081 | $0.32 | $9.73 | $118.41 |
Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 4 h/day ≈ 219 kWh per year.
One hour of a hot and cold water dispenser (0.15 kWh) is the same electricity as
- 3.0hours of a fridge
- 3.3hours of a laptop
- 15hours of Wi-Fi
- 17hours of an LED bulb
In Missouri, with electricity at 16.2¢ per kWh (source: EIA Table 5.6.A, 2026-06), a typical hot and cold water dispenser costs $0.024 per hour and about $35.52 per year at 4 hours a day. That is about 12% less than the national average for the US ($3.30 per month), because electricity in Missouri costs 16.2¢ per kWh against 18.3¢ nationally. Each $1.00 of electricity buys roughly 41.1 hours of use.
How to lower the cost of running a hot and cold water dispenser
- Turn off the hot tank if you rarely use it. It is usually a separate switch at the back.
- Use a timer to switch the whole unit off overnight.
- Keep it out of sunlight and away from the oven.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a water dispenser cost to run?
Around 30 to 50 kWh a month with both hot and cold enabled.
Does a water cooler use a lot of electricity?
More than people expect. It is comparable to a fridge because it never switches off.
Is it cheaper to boil a kettle than use the hot tap?
Yes if you use hot water occasionally. The dispenser wins only with frequent use.
Cost by region
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
Use the generic electricity cost calculator · Which uses more? Take the quiz