How Much Electricity Does a 3D Printer Use?
Less than most people expect. Electricity is usually the smallest line item in a print's true cost.
Typical power draw
| Printer type | Typical power while printing |
|---|---|
| Open-frame FDM, PLA | ~50–150W |
| Open-frame FDM, ABS/ASA (higher bed temp) | ~120–250W |
| Enclosed FDM with active chamber heater | ~250–450W |
| Resin (SLA/LCD) | ~30–100W |
The heated bed is usually the single largest power draw on an FDM printer, more than the hotend, motors, or electronics combined. That's why ABS and ASA, which need a hotter bed, pull more power than PLA on the same machine.
The formula
electricity cost = (watts ÷ 1000) × hours × price per kWh
At the current US residential average of roughly $0.18 per kWh (it's been climbing through 2026), a 4-hour print on a 120W printer costs somewhere around 8–9 cents. A long 14-hour print on the same printer runs about 30 cents. A 250W enclosed printer running for a full day lands around a dollar, more in higher-cost states, less in cheaper ones like Idaho or North Dakota.
Where it fits in the bigger picture
Compared to filament and, especially, labor, electricity rarely moves the needle on whether a print is worth making. It's still worth including in a true-cost calculation, particularly for very long prints or if you're on a time-of-use electricity plan where off-peak rates run meaningfully lower than peak rates, but don't expect it to be the number that changes your pricing decisions.
Want your own numbers? Use the Electricity Cost Calculator for named printer presets, heat-up phase modeling, and a peak vs off-peak comparison, or the price calculator for a full true-cost breakdown.