Electricity running cost
7.50 kW total · 1 hr 30 min · 20% VAT included
Cost per hour £2.07
Cost per job £3.10
Energy per job 11.25 kWh
Ex-VAT per hour £1.73
Free planning tool
Free Machine Running Cost Calculator Tool
Know your power costs in seconds.
Live calculator
Machine Running Cost Calculator
Enter your machine's kW rating, electricity cost per kWh, and the run time. Click Calculate to see cost per hour and cost per job.
Your estimate
Indicative electricity costs only — excludes consumables, gas, filters, and labour.
Note: This calculator provides indicative power costs only and excludes consumables, gas and labour. Use at your own risk; Mantech accepts no liability for decisions based on these figures.
How it helps
What this tool does
A quick way to work out your electricity cost per hour and per job for machines like CNC routers, CO₂ lasers, and fibre laser cutters. Enter your machine’s kW rating, your tariff per kWh, and the job run time. The calculator handles VAT automatically.
Using the tool
Step-by-step
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Enter Machine power (kW) — e.g., 7.5.
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Choose your Currency and enter Electricity cost (per kWh) — e.g., 0.23.
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Enter Run time — hours and minutes for a typical job.
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Tick Include VAT and pick the correct rate if applicable.
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Click Calculate.
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Read your Cost per hour and Cost per job in the results panel
Sample calculation
Worked example
Inputs
- kW = 7.5
- Tariff = £0.23 / kWh
- Run time = 1 hour 30 minutes
- VAT = 20%
Planning accuracy
Tips for realistic results
Idle vs load
Nameplate kW is a maximum. Real usage varies with workload, materials, vacuum pumps, and dust extraction.
Accessories
If your extractor or chiller is significant, add their kW to the main machine’s kW for a fuller picture.
Batching
Enter a longer total run time to see cost per job across a batch (it scales linearly).
Update tariffs
Energy rates change—keep your per kWh figure current.
Common questions
FAQs
My plate shows amps, not kW. What do I enter?
Three-phase: kW ≈ √3 × Volts × Amps × Power Factor ÷ 1000 If PF isn’t listed, a rough 0.8 is often used for estimation. For accuracy, use the manufacturer’s data. No. It’s electricity only. Add tooling, gas, filters, materials, and labour separately for full job costing.
Does this include consumables or labour?
Real-world usage depends on duty cycles, standby time, and other site loads. Use the calculator as a planning guide, then refine with your own meter or smart plug readings.
Why don’t my bills match exactly?
CNC routers: Don’t forget the vacuum pump/compressor. These can add meaningful kW.
Notes for CNC & laser users
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CNC routers
Don’t forget the vacuum pump/compressor. These can add meaningful kW.
-
CO₂ & fibre lasers
Include chiller units and fume extraction. Cutting thicker material or higher duty cycles increases average draw.
Good practice for quoting
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Re-check your tariff quarterly.
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Use conservative (slightly higher) kW if you’re unsure.
-
Document your assumptions on quotes so customers understand the basis.
Troubleshooting
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No results? Click Calculate after entering values.
-
Odd numbers? Ensure decimals use a dot or comma (both are accepted).
-
Nothing changes? Clear the inputs and try again; then set VAT back to 20% if required.
More free tools
Enter your machine's kW rating, electricity cost per kWh, and the run time. Click Calculate to see cost per hour and cost per job.
A quick way to work out your electricity cost per hour and per job for machines like CNC routers, CO₂ lasers, and fibre laser cutters. Enter your machine’s kW rating, your tariff per kWh, and the job run time. The calculator handles VAT automatically.
Machine power (kW): Use the rating plate or the manual.
Electricity tariff (per kWh): Check your latest energy bill or contract.
Run time: Estimate the active cutting/processing time per job.
VAT: Leave at 20% for most UK businesses unless you’re exempt.
Note: This calculator provides indicative power costs only and excludes consumables, gas and labour. Use at your own risk; Mantech accepts no liability for decisions based on these figures.
Enter Machine power (kW) — e.g., 7.5.
Choose your Currency and enter Electricity cost (per kWh) — e.g., 0.23.
Enter Run time — hours and minutes for a typical job.
Tick Include VAT and pick the correct rate if applicable.
Read your Cost per hour and Cost per job in the results panel
Run time = 1 hour 30 minutes
VAT = 20% Cost per hour: ≈ £2.07 Cost per job: ≈ £3.11
Idle vs load: Nameplate kW is a maximum. Real usage varies with workload, materials, vacuum pumps, and dust extraction.
Accessories: If your extractor or chiller is significant, add their kW to the main machine’s kW for a fuller picture.
Batching: Enter a longer total run time to see cost per job across a batch (it scales linearly).
Update tariffs: Energy rates change—keep your per kWh figure current.
Single-phase: kW ≈ (Volts × Amps × Power Factor) ÷ 1000
Three-phase: kW ≈ √3 × Volts × Amps × Power Factor ÷ 1000 If PF isn’t listed, a rough 0.8 is often used for estimation. For accuracy, use the manufacturer’s data.
No. It’s electricity only. Add tooling, gas, filters, materials, and labour separately for full job costing.
Real-world usage depends on duty cycles, standby time, and other site loads. Use the calculator as a planning guide, then refine with your own meter or smart plug readings.
CNC routers: Don’t forget the vacuum pump/compressor. These can add meaningful kW.
CO₂ & fibre lasers: Include chiller units and fume extraction. Cutting thicker material or higher duty cycles increases average draw.
Re-check your tariff quarterly.
Use conservative (slightly higher) kW if you’re unsure.
Document your assumptions on quotes so customers understand the basis.
No results? Click Calculate after entering values.
Odd numbers? Ensure decimals use a dot or comma (both are accepted).
Nothing changes? Clear the inputs and try again; then set VAT back to 20% if required.
Running cost planning
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