🚗 Outdoor, Garage & EV
How Much Does a Shop Vac Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh (July 2026), a shop vac costs about $0.24 per month at typical usage — 1 use/week at 0.3 kWh each.
Per use
5.5¢
0.3 kWh per use
Per day
0.8¢
1 use/week at 0.3 kWh each
Per month
$0.24
1.3 kWh
Per year
$2.86
16 kWh
Shop vacuums draw 1,000–1,400 watts of loud suction, in short bursts. Cleanup after projects amounts to cents per month — buy for filtration and capacity, not efficiency.
Calculate it for your home
Per use
5.5¢
Per day
0.8¢
Per month
$0.24
Per year
$2.86
Uses 1.3 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 use | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | 12.7 | 3.8¢ | $0.17 | $1.99 |
| Nevada | 12.8 | 3.8¢ | $0.17 | $2.00 |
| Utah | 13.1 | 3.9¢ | $0.17 | $2.05 |
| North Dakota | 13.4 | 4.0¢ | $0.17 | $2.10 |
| Idaho | 13.7 | 4.1¢ | $0.18 | $2.14 |
| Tennessee | 13.7 | 4.1¢ | $0.18 | $2.14 |
| Kentucky | 13.8 | 4.1¢ | $0.18 | $2.16 |
| Nebraska | 13.8 | 4.1¢ | $0.18 | $2.16 |
| Arkansas | 14.3 | 4.3¢ | $0.19 | $2.24 |
| Oklahoma | 14.4 | 4.3¢ | $0.19 | $2.25 |
| Wyoming | 14.4 | 4.3¢ | $0.19 | $2.25 |
| Mississippi | 14.5 | 4.3¢ | $0.19 | $2.27 |
| Washington | 14.7 | 4.4¢ | $0.19 | $2.30 |
| Florida | 15.0 | 4.5¢ | $0.20 | $2.35 |
| Montana | 15.0 | 4.5¢ | $0.20 | $2.35 |
| North Carolina | 15.2 | 4.6¢ | $0.20 | $2.38 |
| Kansas | 15.3 | 4.6¢ | $0.20 | $2.39 |
| Arizona | 15.4 | 4.6¢ | $0.20 | $2.41 |
| South Dakota | 15.4 | 4.6¢ | $0.20 | $2.41 |
| South Carolina | 15.5 | 4.7¢ | $0.20 | $2.42 |
| West Virginia | 15.8 | 4.7¢ | $0.21 | $2.47 |
| Texas | 15.9 | 4.8¢ | $0.21 | $2.49 |
| Iowa | 16.0 | 4.8¢ | $0.21 | $2.50 |
| Oregon | 16.0 | 4.8¢ | $0.21 | $2.50 |
| Missouri | 16.1 | 4.8¢ | $0.21 | $2.52 |
| New Mexico | 16.1 | 4.8¢ | $0.21 | $2.52 |
| Georgia | 16.3 | 4.9¢ | $0.21 | $2.55 |
| Alabama | 16.4 | 4.9¢ | $0.21 | $2.57 |
| Indiana | 16.7 | 5.0¢ | $0.22 | $2.61 |
| Colorado | 17.0 | 5.1¢ | $0.22 | $2.66 |
| Minnesota | 17.5 | 5.3¢ | $0.23 | $2.74 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | 5.3¢ | $0.23 | $2.75 |
| Delaware | 18.5 | 5.5¢ | $0.24 | $2.89 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1 | 5.7¢ | $0.25 | $2.99 |
| Illinois | 19.2 | 5.8¢ | $0.25 | $3.00 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 5.8¢ | $0.25 | $3.05 |
| Maryland | 21.4 | 6.4¢ | $0.28 | $3.35 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7 | 6.5¢ | $0.28 | $3.39 |
| Michigan | 23.1 | 6.9¢ | $0.30 | $3.61 |
| Vermont | 23.8 | 7.1¢ | $0.31 | $3.72 |
| Connecticut | 24.2 | 7.3¢ | $0.32 | $3.79 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.2 | 7.6¢ | $0.33 | $3.94 |
| New Jersey | 25.2 | 7.6¢ | $0.33 | $3.94 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6 | 8.0¢ | $0.35 | $4.16 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 8.5¢ | $0.37 | $4.43 |
| Alaska | 28.8 | 8.6¢ | $0.38 | $4.51 |
| New York | 29.9 | 9.0¢ | $0.39 | $4.68 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5 | 9.2¢ | $0.40 | $4.77 |
| Maine | 32.4 | $0.10 | $0.42 | $5.07 |
| California | 33.6 | $0.10 | $0.44 | $5.26 |
| Hawaii | 48.0 | $0.14 | $0.63 | $7.51 |
How to lower the cost
- Charge vehicles and batteries overnight if your utility offers time-of-use rates.
- Standby draw hides in garages — openers, chargers, and old fridges add up around the clock.
- Electric yard tools cost pennies per session; the battery’s lifespan is the real economics.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a shop vac use?
A typical shop vac uses about 0.3 kWh per use. At 1 uses per week, that's roughly 1.3 kWh per month.
How much does one use of a shop vac cost?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh, each use costs about 5.5¢. That ranges from 3.8¢ in Louisiana to $0.14 in Hawaii.
How much does a shop vac cost to run per month?
With typical usage (1 use/week at 0.3 kWh each), expect about $0.24 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $0.17 in Louisiana up to $0.63 in Hawaii. Rates are as of July 2026.
Does a shop vac 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.