📺 TV & Entertainment
How Much Does a Record Player / Turntable Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh (July 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
0.5¢
2 hours/day
Per month
$0.17
0.9 kWh
Per year
$2.00
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
0.5¢
Per month
$0.17
Per year
$2.00
Uses 0.9 kWh/month at 18.3¢ 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | 12.7 | 0.2¢ | $0.12 | $1.39 |
| Nevada | 12.8 | 0.2¢ | $0.12 | $1.40 |
| Utah | 13.1 | 0.2¢ | $0.12 | $1.43 |
| North Dakota | 13.4 | 0.2¢ | $0.12 | $1.47 |
| Idaho | 13.7 | 0.2¢ | $0.12 | $1.50 |
| Tennessee | 13.7 | 0.2¢ | $0.12 | $1.50 |
| Kentucky | 13.8 | 0.2¢ | $0.13 | $1.51 |
| Nebraska | 13.8 | 0.2¢ | $0.13 | $1.51 |
| Arkansas | 14.3 | 0.2¢ | $0.13 | $1.57 |
| Oklahoma | 14.4 | 0.2¢ | $0.13 | $1.58 |
| Wyoming | 14.4 | 0.2¢ | $0.13 | $1.58 |
| Mississippi | 14.5 | 0.2¢ | $0.13 | $1.59 |
| Washington | 14.7 | 0.2¢ | $0.13 | $1.61 |
| Florida | 15.0 | 0.2¢ | $0.14 | $1.64 |
| Montana | 15.0 | 0.2¢ | $0.14 | $1.64 |
| North Carolina | 15.2 | 0.2¢ | $0.14 | $1.66 |
| Kansas | 15.3 | 0.2¢ | $0.14 | $1.68 |
| Arizona | 15.4 | 0.2¢ | $0.14 | $1.69 |
| South Dakota | 15.4 | 0.2¢ | $0.14 | $1.69 |
| South Carolina | 15.5 | 0.2¢ | $0.14 | $1.70 |
| West Virginia | 15.8 | 0.2¢ | $0.14 | $1.73 |
| Texas | 15.9 | 0.2¢ | $0.15 | $1.74 |
| Iowa | 16.0 | 0.2¢ | $0.15 | $1.75 |
| Oregon | 16.0 | 0.2¢ | $0.15 | $1.75 |
| Missouri | 16.1 | 0.2¢ | $0.15 | $1.76 |
| New Mexico | 16.1 | 0.2¢ | $0.15 | $1.76 |
| Georgia | 16.3 | 0.2¢ | $0.15 | $1.78 |
| Alabama | 16.4 | 0.2¢ | $0.15 | $1.80 |
| Indiana | 16.7 | 0.3¢ | $0.15 | $1.83 |
| Colorado | 17.0 | 0.3¢ | $0.16 | $1.86 |
| Minnesota | 17.5 | 0.3¢ | $0.16 | $1.92 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | 0.3¢ | $0.16 | $1.93 |
| Delaware | 18.5 | 0.3¢ | $0.17 | $2.03 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1 | 0.3¢ | $0.17 | $2.09 |
| Illinois | 19.2 | 0.3¢ | $0.18 | $2.10 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 0.3¢ | $0.18 | $2.14 |
| Maryland | 21.4 | 0.3¢ | $0.20 | $2.34 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7 | 0.3¢ | $0.20 | $2.38 |
| Michigan | 23.1 | 0.3¢ | $0.21 | $2.53 |
| Vermont | 23.8 | 0.4¢ | $0.22 | $2.61 |
| Connecticut | 24.2 | 0.4¢ | $0.22 | $2.65 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.2 | 0.4¢ | $0.23 | $2.76 |
| New Jersey | 25.2 | 0.4¢ | $0.23 | $2.76 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6 | 0.4¢ | $0.24 | $2.91 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 0.4¢ | $0.26 | $3.10 |
| Alaska | 28.8 | 0.4¢ | $0.26 | $3.15 |
| New York | 29.9 | 0.4¢ | $0.27 | $3.27 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5 | 0.5¢ | $0.28 | $3.34 |
| Maine | 32.4 | 0.5¢ | $0.30 | $3.55 |
| California | 33.6 | 0.5¢ | $0.31 | $3.68 |
| Hawaii | 48.0 | 0.7¢ | $0.44 | $5.26 |
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 18.3¢/kWh, one hour costs about 0.3¢. In Louisiana (12.7¢/kWh) it's 0.2¢, while in Hawaii (48¢/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 $0.12 in Louisiana up to $0.44 in Hawaii. Rates are as of July 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.