📺 TV & Entertainment
How Much Does a Record Player / Turntable Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.8¢/kWh (April 2026), a record player / turntable costs about $0.17 per month at typical usage — 2 hours/day.
Per hour
0.3¢
at 5–30 W
Per day
0.6¢
2 hours/day
Per month
$0.17
0.9 kWh
Per year
$2.06
11 kWh
Turntables draw 5–30 watts including the phono stage — vinyl's running cost is effectively zero. The amplifier and speakers behind it are where the watts actually go.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
0.3¢
Per day
0.6¢
Per month
$0.17
Per year
$2.06
Uses 0.9 kWh/month at 18.8¢ per kWh.
Cheapest and most expensive states
Monthly cost at typical usage, using each state's current average residential rate.
Cost in every state
| State | Rate (¢/kWh) | Per hour | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | 12.4 | 0.2¢ | $0.11 | $1.36 |
| Idaho | 12.7 | 0.2¢ | $0.12 | $1.39 |
| Nebraska | 13.3 | 0.2¢ | $0.12 | $1.46 |
| Oklahoma | 13.3 | 0.2¢ | $0.12 | $1.46 |
| Utah | 13.3 | 0.2¢ | $0.12 | $1.46 |
| Iowa | 13.9 | 0.2¢ | $0.13 | $1.52 |
| Montana | 13.9 | 0.2¢ | $0.13 | $1.52 |
| Missouri | 14.0 | 0.2¢ | $0.13 | $1.53 |
| Arkansas | 14.2 | 0.2¢ | $0.13 | $1.55 |
| Nevada | 14.3 | 0.2¢ | $0.13 | $1.57 |
| Louisiana | 14.4 | 0.2¢ | $0.13 | $1.58 |
| Washington | 14.4 | 0.2¢ | $0.13 | $1.58 |
| South Dakota | 14.5 | 0.2¢ | $0.13 | $1.59 |
| Wyoming | 14.7 | 0.2¢ | $0.13 | $1.61 |
| Tennessee | 14.9 | 0.2¢ | $0.14 | $1.63 |
| Kentucky | 15.0 | 0.2¢ | $0.14 | $1.64 |
| New Mexico | 15.2 | 0.2¢ | $0.14 | $1.66 |
| Florida | 15.4 | 0.2¢ | $0.14 | $1.69 |
| Georgia | 15.4 | 0.2¢ | $0.14 | $1.69 |
| Arizona | 15.5 | 0.2¢ | $0.14 | $1.70 |
| Kansas | 15.8 | 0.2¢ | $0.14 | $1.73 |
| Oregon | 15.8 | 0.2¢ | $0.14 | $1.73 |
| West Virginia | 16.1 | 0.2¢ | $0.15 | $1.76 |
| North Carolina | 16.3 | 0.2¢ | $0.15 | $1.78 |
| Minnesota | 16.4 | 0.2¢ | $0.15 | $1.80 |
| Colorado | 16.5 | 0.2¢ | $0.15 | $1.81 |
| Mississippi | 16.8 | 0.3¢ | $0.15 | $1.84 |
| Texas | 17.0 | 0.3¢ | $0.16 | $1.86 |
| South Carolina | 17.1 | 0.3¢ | $0.16 | $1.87 |
| Alabama | 17.4 | 0.3¢ | $0.16 | $1.91 |
| Virginia | 17.4 | 0.3¢ | $0.16 | $1.91 |
| Indiana | 17.9 | 0.3¢ | $0.16 | $1.96 |
| Delaware | 18.8 | 0.3¢ | $0.17 | $2.06 |
| Wisconsin | 19.2 | 0.3¢ | $0.18 | $2.10 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 0.3¢ | $0.18 | $2.14 |
| Illinois | 20.5 | 0.3¢ | $0.19 | $2.24 |
| Michigan | 21.4 | 0.3¢ | $0.20 | $2.34 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.5 | 0.3¢ | $0.20 | $2.35 |
| Maryland | 22.1 | 0.3¢ | $0.20 | $2.42 |
| New Jersey | 23.5 | 0.4¢ | $0.21 | $2.57 |
| Vermont | 24.6 | 0.4¢ | $0.22 | $2.69 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.4 | 0.4¢ | $0.23 | $2.78 |
| New Hampshire | 27.2 | 0.4¢ | $0.25 | $2.98 |
| Alaska | 27.4 | 0.4¢ | $0.25 | $3.00 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 0.4¢ | $0.26 | $3.10 |
| Maine | 28.4 | 0.4¢ | $0.26 | $3.11 |
| Massachusetts | 29.5 | 0.4¢ | $0.27 | $3.23 |
| New York | 29.5 | 0.4¢ | $0.27 | $3.23 |
| Connecticut | 32.2 | 0.5¢ | $0.29 | $3.53 |
| California | 35.3 | 0.5¢ | $0.32 | $3.87 |
| Hawaii | 46.6 | 0.7¢ | $0.42 | $5.10 |
How to lower the cost
- Disable instant-on standby modes — they can idle at 10–20 watts around the clock.
- Stream on a stick, not a console: the same show can use 10× less power.
- Turn down screen brightness or enable the ambient light sensor.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a record player / turntable use?
A typical record player / turntable draws about 15 watts in use. At 2 hours/day, that works out to roughly 0.0 kWh per day, or 0.9 kWh per month.
How much does it cost to run a record player / turntable for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.8¢/kWh, one hour costs about 0.3¢. In North Dakota (12.4¢/kWh) it's 0.2¢, while in Hawaii (46.6¢/kWh) it's 0.7¢.
How much does a record player / turntable cost to run per month?
With typical usage (2 hours/day), expect about $0.17 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $0.11 in North Dakota up to $0.42 in Hawaii. Rates are as of April 2026.
Does a record player / turntable use a lot of electricity?
Not really — at typical usage it's under 1% of an average home's monthly consumption. Heating, cooling, hot water, and drying are the loads that move bills.