How Much Electricity Does a Treadmill Use?

A treadmill is a significant financial investment. However, the spending isn't over after you purchase your machine. You might have considered the cost of maintenance and repairs, but what about the cost of running your treadmill? It will cost you a little less than $1 to run your treadmill an hour per day if your electricity costs .1305 cents per kilowatt.

Women on treadmills at the gym. (Image: Denis Raev/iStock/Getty Images)

Watts

All electric appliances, including motorized treadmills, have a wattage power rating. This is the amount of energy that the appliance consumes. The appliance that we most commonly use this rating with is a microwave. The length of time you cook a food item is dependent on the wattage rating of your microwave. The wattage rating on your treadmill depends on the type and size of the motor, among other factors. Look for the wattage rating on the serial number sticker on your machine or in the owner's manual.

Usage

The more you use your treadmill, the more energy it uses. However, how you use the treadmill also determines the amount of energy consumption. A 3.0 horsepower treadmill motor doesn't always run at 3.0 horsepower. If you are walking at a leisurely pace with no incline, it might only use 1-1/2 horsepower to power the machine, consuming only half the energy during that time.

Caluculations

You can calculate the amount of energy your treadmill consumes and how much it costs to run it. Because you can't realistically figure how often you are using the treadmill at full capacity, these calculations are based on the full wattage rating. Multiply the wattage of your machine by the number of hours you use it in a given month. Divide this number by 1,000 to get the total kilowatt hours per month. Multiply the kilowatt hours by the cost of electricity to figure your monthly cost. Find the cost of electricity per kilowatt hour on your electric bill.

Manual Treadmills

Not all treadmills require electricity to power the machine. Manual treadmills do not have a motor. The belt only moves when you are walking or running on it. Most manual treadmills still have consoles that provide information about your workout, such as time, distance and calories. Some models have manually adjustable incline ramps. Not only do you save money on electricity, but manual treadmills don't have as many moving parts and usually require less maintenance and service.