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
Per hour—
Per day—
Per month—
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Energy/mo—
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 the wattage
- Model size, age and energy rating.
- Settings and how hard it works (heat, speed, load).
- How many hours a day you run it.
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%.