The table below indicates the wattage for various household electrical products.
Appliance |
Wattage |
Clock radio |
10 |
Coffeemaker |
900–1,200 |
Clothes washer |
350–500 |
Clothes dryer |
1,800–5,000 |
Dishwasher (using the drying feature greatly increases energy consumption) |
1,200–2,400 |
Ceiling fan |
65–175 |
Window fan |
55–250 |
Furnace fan |
750 |
Whole house fan |
240–750 |
Hair dryer |
1,200–1,875 |
Microwave oven |
750–1100 |
PC CPU—awake/asleep |
120/30 or less |
PC Monitor—awake/asleep |
150/30 or less |
Laptop |
50 |
Refrigerator (frost-free, 16 cubic feet) |
725 |
19” color TV |
65–100 |
27” color TV |
113 |
36” color TV |
133 |
53”–61” projection TV |
170 |
Flat screen TV |
120 |
Toaster oven |
1,225 |
DVD player |
20–25 |
Vacuum cleaner |
1,000–1,440 |
Water heater (40 gal.) |
4,500–5,500 |
In 1799, Philippe Lebon (1767–1804) patented a method of distilling gas from wood for use in a “Thermolamp,” a type of lamp. By 1802, William Murdock (1754–1839) installed gas lighting in a factory in Birmingham, England. The introduction of widespread, reliable interior illumination enabled dramatic changes in commerce and manufacturing.