Electricity Cost Calculator — Power Usage for 3D Print Jobs

A typical FDM printer averages 100-180W at the wall (more for ABS-capable heated beds) while printing, including the bed. The non-bed components (hot end ~30W, steppers, mainboard, fans) total only about 40-60W; the heated bed is the largest single draw. A 6-hour print with a 50W printer plus a 120W bed cycling at 85% works out to roughly 1.1 kWh, costing about 28p at the UK rate of 26.11p/kWh (Ofgem, Jul-Sep 2026).

Yes, the heated bed is usually the single largest power draw. It cycles on and off to maintain temperature, typically active 70-90% of print time. PLA at 60°C uses much less than ABS at 100°C. Insulating your bed saves 20-30% energy.

Power supply units convert mains electricity to DC power with some energy lost as heat. A typical 3D printer PSU is 80-90% efficient. At 85% efficiency, 100W at the wall delivers only 85W to the printer, so you use more electricity than the component ratings suggest.

For most prints, filament costs far more than electricity. A typical PLA print uses about £0.10-0.15/hour in filament versus £0.04-0.08/hour in electricity. Electricity is typically 15-40% of the material cost.