🏠 Household
How Much Does a Sewing Machine Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.8¢/kWh (April 2026), a sewing machine costs about $0.29 per month at typical usage — 0.5 hours/day.
Per hour
1.9¢
at 60–150 W
Per day
0.9¢
0.5 hours/day
Per month
$0.29
1.5 kWh
Per year
$3.43
18 kWh
Sewing machines draw about 100 watts including the light. Even a serious quilting habit costs pennies per month — the fabric stash is the budget item.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
1.9¢
Per day
0.9¢
Per month
$0.29
Per year
$3.43
Uses 1.5 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 | 1.2¢ | $0.19 | $2.26 |
| Idaho | 12.7 | 1.3¢ | $0.19 | $2.32 |
| Nebraska | 13.3 | 1.3¢ | $0.20 | $2.43 |
| Oklahoma | 13.3 | 1.3¢ | $0.20 | $2.43 |
| Utah | 13.3 | 1.3¢ | $0.20 | $2.43 |
| Iowa | 13.9 | 1.4¢ | $0.21 | $2.54 |
| Montana | 13.9 | 1.4¢ | $0.21 | $2.54 |
| Missouri | 14.0 | 1.4¢ | $0.21 | $2.56 |
| Arkansas | 14.2 | 1.4¢ | $0.22 | $2.59 |
| Nevada | 14.3 | 1.4¢ | $0.22 | $2.61 |
| Louisiana | 14.4 | 1.4¢ | $0.22 | $2.63 |
| Washington | 14.4 | 1.4¢ | $0.22 | $2.63 |
| South Dakota | 14.5 | 1.4¢ | $0.22 | $2.65 |
| Wyoming | 14.7 | 1.5¢ | $0.22 | $2.68 |
| Tennessee | 14.9 | 1.5¢ | $0.23 | $2.72 |
| Kentucky | 15.0 | 1.5¢ | $0.23 | $2.74 |
| New Mexico | 15.2 | 1.5¢ | $0.23 | $2.77 |
| Florida | 15.4 | 1.5¢ | $0.23 | $2.81 |
| Georgia | 15.4 | 1.5¢ | $0.23 | $2.81 |
| Arizona | 15.5 | 1.6¢ | $0.24 | $2.83 |
| Kansas | 15.8 | 1.6¢ | $0.24 | $2.88 |
| Oregon | 15.8 | 1.6¢ | $0.24 | $2.88 |
| West Virginia | 16.1 | 1.6¢ | $0.24 | $2.94 |
| North Carolina | 16.3 | 1.6¢ | $0.25 | $2.97 |
| Minnesota | 16.4 | 1.6¢ | $0.25 | $2.99 |
| Colorado | 16.5 | 1.7¢ | $0.25 | $3.01 |
| Mississippi | 16.8 | 1.7¢ | $0.26 | $3.07 |
| Texas | 17.0 | 1.7¢ | $0.26 | $3.10 |
| South Carolina | 17.1 | 1.7¢ | $0.26 | $3.12 |
| Alabama | 17.4 | 1.7¢ | $0.26 | $3.18 |
| Virginia | 17.4 | 1.7¢ | $0.26 | $3.18 |
| Indiana | 17.9 | 1.8¢ | $0.27 | $3.27 |
| Delaware | 18.8 | 1.9¢ | $0.29 | $3.43 |
| Wisconsin | 19.2 | 1.9¢ | $0.29 | $3.50 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 2.0¢ | $0.30 | $3.56 |
| Illinois | 20.5 | 2.1¢ | $0.31 | $3.74 |
| Michigan | 21.4 | 2.1¢ | $0.33 | $3.91 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.5 | 2.2¢ | $0.33 | $3.92 |
| Maryland | 22.1 | 2.2¢ | $0.34 | $4.03 |
| New Jersey | 23.5 | 2.4¢ | $0.36 | $4.29 |
| Vermont | 24.6 | 2.5¢ | $0.37 | $4.49 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.4 | 2.5¢ | $0.39 | $4.64 |
| New Hampshire | 27.2 | 2.7¢ | $0.41 | $4.96 |
| Alaska | 27.4 | 2.7¢ | $0.42 | $5.00 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 2.8¢ | $0.43 | $5.16 |
| Maine | 28.4 | 2.8¢ | $0.43 | $5.18 |
| Massachusetts | 29.5 | 2.9¢ | $0.45 | $5.38 |
| New York | 29.5 | 2.9¢ | $0.45 | $5.38 |
| Connecticut | 32.2 | 3.2¢ | $0.49 | $5.88 |
| California | 35.3 | 3.5¢ | $0.54 | $6.44 |
| Hawaii | 46.6 | 4.7¢ | $0.71 | $8.50 |
How to lower the cost
- Always-on devices are the quiet budget line: audit anything that runs 24/7.
- Auto modes with sensors (purifiers, dehumidifiers) cut runtime dramatically versus always-on.
- A smart plug with energy monitoring answers “what does this actually use?” for $10.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a sewing machine use?
A typical sewing machine draws about 100 watts in use. At 0.5 hours/day, that works out to roughly 0.1 kWh per day, or 1.5 kWh per month.
How much does it cost to run a sewing machine for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.8¢/kWh, one hour costs about 1.9¢. In North Dakota (12.4¢/kWh) it's 1.2¢, while in Hawaii (46.6¢/kWh) it's 4.7¢.
How much does a sewing machine cost to run per month?
With typical usage (0.5 hours/day), expect about $0.29 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $0.19 in North Dakota up to $0.71 in Hawaii. Rates are as of April 2026.
Does a sewing machine 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.