Appliance Power Draw Database
Running watts, surge watts, and typical daily watt-hours for 56+ common appliances — matched to the size of solar generator that can actually run them. Bench-verified numbers, not manufacturer marketing claims.
How to use this table
The steady-state power the appliance draws in normal operation. Your solar generator's continuous AC output must exceed this.
The peak draw at startup — especially for anything with a compressor or motor. The generator's surge rating must exceed this or the appliance won't start.
Running watts × typical daily use hours. Sum these for every appliance you plan to run to get your total daily kWh budget.
Solar generator classes (reference)
| Class | Capacity | AC output |
|---|---|---|
| Small | 200–700 Wh | 300–800W continuous |
| Mid | 700–1,500 Wh | 800–1,800W continuous |
| Large | 1,500–3,600 Wh | 1,800–3,600W continuous |
| XL | 3,600 Wh+ (often expandable) | 3,600W+ with surge handling |
Kitchen
| Appliance | Running W | Min class |
|---|---|---|
Full-size refrigerator (Energy Star) Compressor cycles — plan for 1.2–1.8 kWh/day | 150 | Mid |
Mini fridge (dorm size) Compressor cycles — plan for 0.5–0.8 kWh/day | 80 | Small |
Chest freezer (7 cu ft) | 100 | Mid |
Microwave (1000W) Running draw usually exceeds rating label | 1200 | Mid |
Coffee maker (drip) | 900 | Mid |
Coffee maker (single-serve) | 1500 | Large |
Electric kettle | 1500 | Large |
Toaster (2-slice) | 900 | Mid |
Instant Pot (6qt) | 1000 | Mid |
Blender | 400 | Small |
Induction cooktop (single burner) | 1500 | Large |
Air fryer | 1500 | Large |
Medical
| Appliance | Running W | Min class |
|---|---|---|
CPAP (no heated humidifier) Most critical use case — prioritize battery capacity over AC output | 30 | Small |
CPAP with heated humidifier | 60 | Small |
BiPAP | 40 | Small |
Oxygen concentrator (continuous flow, 5 LPM) Life-critical — recommend dual-battery redundancy | 350 | Large |
Oxygen concentrator (portable, pulse dose) | 120 | Mid |
Nebulizer | 150 | Small |
Insulin cooler / mini refrigerator 24/7 runtime — pair with solar panel input | 40 | Mid |
Climate Control
| Appliance | Running W | Min class |
|---|---|---|
Space heater (low, 750W) High-drain — consumes 3 kWh in just 4 hours | 750 | Mid |
Space heater (high, 1500W) Requires 3000W+ AC output; most portables cannot run on high | 1500 | Large |
Electric blanket | 100 | Small |
Portable AC (8,000 BTU) | 900 | Large |
Mini-split (12,000 BTU inverter) | 700 | Large |
Window AC (5,000 BTU) | 450 | Mid |
Ceiling fan | 30 | Small |
Box fan | 50 | Small |
Tower fan | 60 | Small |
Electric heated mattress pad | 80 | Small |
Electronics & Entertainment
| Appliance | Running W | Min class |
|---|---|---|
Smartphone charge (per cycle) | 10 | Small |
Laptop (15-inch, productivity) | 65 | Small |
Laptop (gaming, RTX-class) | 200 | Small |
32-inch LED TV | 50 | Small |
55-inch 4K TV | 80 | Small |
Gaming console (PS5/Xbox) | 200 | Small |
WiFi router | 12 | Small |
Starlink (standard dish) Frequently overlooked for overlanding / off-grid | 55 | Small |
Desktop PC + monitor | 300 | Mid |
Tools
| Appliance | Running W | Min class |
|---|---|---|
Corded circular saw | 1400 | Large |
Corded drill | 600 | Mid |
Shop vacuum (5 gal) | 900 | Mid |
Angle grinder | 900 | Mid |
Battery charger (18V drill pack) | 60 | Small |
Electric lawn mower (push) | 1200 | Large |
RV & Camping
| Appliance | Running W | Min class |
|---|---|---|
12V RV fridge (on AC, 1.8 cu ft) | 60 | Small |
Portable 40qt fridge/freezer (12V) | 45 | Small |
Camping lantern (LED) | 5 | Small |
Electric cooler (thermoelectric) Much worse efficiency than compressor — avoid for long trips | 50 | Small |
Roof AC (RV, 13,500 BTU) Generally needs 3500W+ AC output plus soft-start kit | 1500 | XL |
RV water pump | 50 | Small |
Lighting & Misc
| Appliance | Running W | Min class |
|---|---|---|
LED bulb (10W equivalent 60W) | 10 | Small |
String lights (20 LED) | 20 | Small |
Garage door opener | 350 | Mid |
Sump pump (1/3 HP) Surge requirement often exceeds inverter limit — check spec | 800 | Large |
Well pump (1/2 HP) | 1000 | XL |
Electric toothbrush charger | 5 | Small |
How to calculate what you need
Step 1 — List every device you'll run. Be specific. A fridge plus three phones plus a CPAP is a very different load than a microwave plus a coffee maker.
Step 2 — Sum the running watts. Your solar generator's continuous AC output rating must exceed this number. Leave 20% headroom.
Step 3 — Find the highest single surge draw. Your generator's surge spec must exceed this. Compressors (fridges, ACs, sump pumps) typically hit 3–5× their running watts for about half a second at startup.
Step 4 — Sum the daily watt-hours. That's your minimum battery capacity for a single day of backup. Double it if you want a safety margin or two days without solar recharge.
Step 5 — Size your solar input. To recharge the generator during the day, aim for at least 200W of solar panels per 1,000 Wh of battery. More is better when weather is variable.
Methodology & sources
Figures are measured with a bench-grade Kill A Watt P4460 meter on 120V/60Hz grid power, averaged across five-minute operating windows. Surge measurements use a Sense Monitor with 1-second resolution. Appliance selection follows the most common US retail models as of Q1 2026. For specific units, manufacturer nameplate data may vary by ±10–15%.
Cross-references: US DOE Energy Saver, ENERGY STAR product database, CPUC rate data. Corrections: hello@solargenreview.com.