How Many Watts Does It Use? Appliance Wattage Chart for Power Stations
To choose the right portable power station, you need to know how many watts your appliances use. Use this chart as a starting point, then check each device’s label for exact figures.
Quick answer
Small electronics use 5–100W, fridges average 50–70W (with 600–1,200W start-up surge), and heating appliances like microwaves, coffee makers and space heaters use 900–1,500W+.
Appliance Wattage Chart
| Appliance | Running watts | Start-up surge | Runtime on 1,000Wh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone charging | 5–20W | — | ~57 charges |
| Laptop | 45–100W | — | ~8–19 hrs |
| Wi-Fi router | 6–15W | — | ~57–140 hrs |
| LED bulb | 8–12W | — | ~70–100 hrs |
| CPAP (no humidifier) | 30–60W | — | ~14–28 hrs |
| 50″ LED TV | 60–100W | — | ~8.5–14 hrs |
| Full-size fridge | 100–250W (avg ~60W) | 600–1,200W | ~14 hrs (avg) |
| Chest freezer | ~80–150W (avg 30–50W) | ~500–900W | ~17–28 hrs (avg) |
| 12V compressor cooler | 40–60W (avg ~40W) | Low | ~21 hrs (avg) |
| Desk fan | 25–50W | — | ~17–34 hrs |
| Electric blanket | 50–100W | — | ~8.5–17 hrs |
| Coffee maker | 800–1,200W | — | ~45–60 min |
| Microwave (1,000W) | ~1,300–1,500W draw | — | ~35 min |
| Space heater | 750–1,500W | — | ~35–70 min |
| Window AC (5,000 BTU) | ~450–500W | ~1,000–1,500W | ~1.7 hrs |
| Sump pump (1/3 HP) | ~800W | ~1,500–2,500W | ~1 hr running |
| Circular saw | 1,200–1,800W | ~2,000–3,500W | Intermittent use |
How to Find Your Appliance’s Exact Watts
- Check the label or nameplate: watts, or volts × amps (e.g. 120V × 1.5A = 180W).
- For fridges, divide yearly kWh on the EnergyGuide label by 8.76 for average watts.
- Use a plug-in watt meter for the most accurate reading.
- Many power stations show live watt draw on their display or app.
Plug your numbers into our runtime calculator, or read watts vs watt-hours explained. Then compare the best portable power stations.
FAQ
How many watts does a refrigerator use per day?
A typical modern fridge uses about 1–2kWh per day, roughly 40–80W on average.
What size power station runs a microwave?
You need continuous output above the microwave’s input draw, typically 1,500W+ for a 1,000W microwave.
