How many watts does an incandescent bulb use? (60 W)
An incandescent bulb uses about 60 W
Typical range 40–100 watts.
Typical range 40–100 watts.
Running cost calculator
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An incandescent bulb wastes most of its energy as heat, making it many times more expensive to run than an LED of the same brightness.
Incandescent bulb power specs
| Typical running power | 60 W |
| Typical range | 40–100 W |
| Energy use | 0.30 kWh/day · 9.0 kWh/mo |
What affects an incandescent bulb's wattage
An incandescent bulb is rated around 60 W, but the real figure shifts with a few things:
- Model and rating: An incandescent bulb ranges from about 40 W on efficient units to 100 W on larger or older ones — a spread of ~60 W.
- Usage: the real draw depends on the bulb type and brightness.
- Run time: because an incandescent bulb typically runs about 5 h/day, hours of use matter as much as raw wattage on your bill.
Running cost at $0.17/kWh
| Electricity rate | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.10/kWh | $0.03 | $0.90 | $10.95 |
| $0.15/kWh | $0.05 | $1.35 | $16.43 |
| $0.20/kWh | $0.06 | $1.80 | $21.90 |
| $0.25/kWh | $0.08 | $2.25 | $27.38 |
| $0.30/kWh | $0.09 | $2.70 | $32.85 |
| $0.40/kWh | $0.12 | $3.60 | $43.80 |
See the full breakdown of what it costs to run an incandescent bulb, or what size power station runs an incandescent bulb.
FAQ
How many watts does an incandescent bulb use?
Common incandescent bulbs draw 40-100 watts.
Is it worth replacing incandescent bulbs?
Yes - swapping to LEDs cuts lighting energy by around 85%.