Energy Costs Calculator

CNET Editors' review

by: CNET staff on June 28, 2012

With energy costs perpetually rising, you don't have to be all that green to want to reduce your energy use and expenditures. Energy Cost Calculator from AB-Tools is freeware that calculates how much energy your appliances use, and how much it's costing you. It's easy to use, but you'll need to know your electric utility rates, usage habits, and appliance types for the program to calculate your energy costs. Energy Cost Calculator's database includes many examples, and you can add new ones, too.

Energy Cost Calculator's compact interface opened with an optional tool tip with energy-saving advice. The layout is divided into two colorful parts for the Power and Water calculators. A drop-down list of appliances had everything from cell phone chargers to power-hungry electric washers and dryers. We could also enter energy consumption (in watts) directly. We entered the average daily use in hours and our utility's price per kilowatt-hour in U.S. dollars and pressed Calculate. The program returned a total annual cost for operating the appliance, based on our estimates. The Water section of the program is quite similar, except that it calculates how much water appliances like bathtubs and activities like watering the garden or washing the car use. You'll need to know the rate your water utility charges (in hundred cubic feet or HCF). Were we surprised by how much certain things cost? Absolutely. The annual estimate shows energy and water use in a different light than day by day. Energy Cost Calculator includes links to more information on saving energy (and saving money on energy) including some things that are easy to do, such as changing the time of day when you do laundry.

Using Energy Cost Calculator can help you save money and reduce your environmental impact by helping you understand how much energy you're using for daily chores like washing and drying clothes. There's no shortage of calculating engines online and free to download, but few have this tool's capability to help you reduce your current energy use as well as plan for efficiency down the road. Energy Cost Calculator is recommended for all energy consumers.