🚗 Outdoor, Garage & EV
How Much Does a Shop Vac Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.4¢/kWh (May 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
$2.88
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
$2.88
Uses 1.3 kWh/month at 18.4¢ 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | 12.4 | 3.7¢ | $0.16 | $1.94 |
| Utah | 13.0 | 3.9¢ | $0.17 | $2.03 |
| Oklahoma | 13.4 | 4.0¢ | $0.17 | $2.10 |
| Nebraska | 13.6 | 4.1¢ | $0.18 | $2.13 |
| Nevada | 13.6 | 4.1¢ | $0.18 | $2.13 |
| North Dakota | 13.6 | 4.1¢ | $0.18 | $2.13 |
| Missouri | 13.7 | 4.1¢ | $0.18 | $2.14 |
| Iowa | 14.1 | 4.2¢ | $0.18 | $2.21 |
| New Mexico | 14.1 | 4.2¢ | $0.18 | $2.21 |
| Louisiana | 14.2 | 4.3¢ | $0.19 | $2.22 |
| Arkansas | 14.4 | 4.3¢ | $0.19 | $2.25 |
| Tennessee | 14.5 | 4.3¢ | $0.19 | $2.27 |
| Montana | 14.7 | 4.4¢ | $0.19 | $2.30 |
| Wyoming | 14.8 | 4.4¢ | $0.19 | $2.32 |
| Kentucky | 15.0 | 4.5¢ | $0.20 | $2.35 |
| Washington | 15.0 | 4.5¢ | $0.20 | $2.35 |
| Kansas | 15.1 | 4.5¢ | $0.20 | $2.36 |
| North Carolina | 15.1 | 4.5¢ | $0.20 | $2.36 |
| Arizona | 15.2 | 4.6¢ | $0.20 | $2.38 |
| Florida | 15.2 | 4.6¢ | $0.20 | $2.38 |
| South Dakota | 15.7 | 4.7¢ | $0.20 | $2.46 |
| Georgia | 15.8 | 4.7¢ | $0.21 | $2.47 |
| Colorado | 16.2 | 4.9¢ | $0.21 | $2.53 |
| Mississippi | 16.2 | 4.9¢ | $0.21 | $2.53 |
| South Carolina | 16.2 | 4.9¢ | $0.21 | $2.53 |
| Oregon | 16.3 | 4.9¢ | $0.21 | $2.55 |
| Texas | 16.4 | 4.9¢ | $0.21 | $2.57 |
| Alabama | 16.8 | 5.0¢ | $0.22 | $2.63 |
| West Virginia | 16.8 | 5.0¢ | $0.22 | $2.63 |
| Minnesota | 17.0 | 5.1¢ | $0.22 | $2.66 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | 5.3¢ | $0.23 | $2.75 |
| Indiana | 18.2 | 5.5¢ | $0.24 | $2.85 |
| Delaware | 19.4 | 5.8¢ | $0.25 | $3.03 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 5.8¢ | $0.25 | $3.05 |
| Wisconsin | 19.7 | 5.9¢ | $0.26 | $3.08 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.6 | 6.5¢ | $0.28 | $3.38 |
| Maryland | 21.8 | 6.5¢ | $0.28 | $3.41 |
| Michigan | 22.0 | 6.6¢ | $0.29 | $3.44 |
| New Jersey | 23.3 | 7.0¢ | $0.30 | $3.64 |
| Illinois | 23.9 | 7.2¢ | $0.31 | $3.74 |
| Vermont | 24.9 | 7.5¢ | $0.32 | $3.90 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.4 | 7.6¢ | $0.33 | $3.97 |
| New Hampshire | 27.3 | 8.2¢ | $0.36 | $4.27 |
| Connecticut | 27.4 | 8.2¢ | $0.36 | $4.29 |
| Alaska | 28.2 | 8.5¢ | $0.37 | $4.41 |
| Maine | 28.6 | 8.6¢ | $0.37 | $4.47 |
| Massachusetts | 28.8 | 8.6¢ | $0.38 | $4.51 |
| Rhode Island | 29.5 | 8.8¢ | $0.38 | $4.61 |
| New York | 29.9 | 9.0¢ | $0.39 | $4.68 |
| California | 33.3 | $0.10 | $0.43 | $5.21 |
| Hawaii | 52.0 | $0.16 | $0.68 | $8.13 |
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 18.4¢/kWh, each use costs about 5.5¢. That ranges from 3.7¢ in Idaho to $0.16 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 $0.16 in Idaho up to $0.68 in Hawaii. Rates are as of May 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.