How much electricity does a 3D printer use?

Less than most people expect. Bambu Lab measures its P1S at about 105 W on average while printing PLA. At $0.18 per kWh that is $0.02 an hour, $0.09 for a 5-hour print, or about $3.40 a month printing 6 hours a day. Enter your printer and electricity price below.

Updated · Sources · How we calculate

  • Bambu Lab measured averages
  • Per hour, print, month, year
  • Your kWh price
  • US default from EIA

Your printer

Bambu Lab’s published average while printing PLA.

For other printers, a plug-in power meter over one print gives the real average.

W

On your bill. US average ≈ $0.18 (EIA, 2026).

$
h
h

Electricity for this print

$0.09

0.53 kWh · $0.02 per printing hour

Running cost
1Per hour of printing$0.02
2Per 5 h print$0.09
3Energy per month18.9 kWh
4Per month$3.40
5Per year$40.82
Assumptions behind this estimate (3)
  • Cost = watts ÷ 1,000 × hours × price per kWh.
  • Heating the bed draws the most power at the start of a print, so short prints use a little more per hour than this average.
  • Standby draw is small (about 4–16 W on Bambu Lab printers) but adds up if the printer is never switched off.

Save or share this result

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Average power draw of Bambu Lab printers

PrinterAverage while printing PLACost per hour at $0.18/kWh
Bambu Lab A1 mini80 W$0.01
Bambu Lab A195 W$0.02
Bambu Lab P1S105 W$0.02
Bambu Lab P1P110 W$0.02
Bambu Lab X1 / X1C105 W$0.02
Bambu Lab X1E185 W$0.03
Bambu Lab H2D197 W$0.04

Bambu Lab’s published measurements. ABS, ASA and PC need hotter beds and draw noticeably more — for example 140–200 W on the P1S, X1C and A1.

Why is the average so much lower than the power supply rating?

A printer’s power supply is sized for the first few minutes, when the bed and nozzle heat from cold. Once they reach temperature, the heaters only switch on to hold it, so the average over a whole print is a fraction of the rating. Short prints use a little more per hour because the heat-up is a bigger share of the time.

Is electricity a big part of what a print costs?

Usually not. For most PLA prints, filament, printer wear and your own time cost far more than power. The print cost calculator shows the full breakdown.

How to calculate 3D printer electricity cost

  1. 1Find the average power draw in watts — from the manufacturer or a plug-in power meter.
  2. 2Divide by 1,000 to get kilowatts.
  3. 3Multiply by the print time in hours to get kWh.
  4. 4Multiply by your electricity price per kWh.

Frequently asked questions

How much power does a 3D printer use when idle?

Very little. Bambu Lab measures about 4–10 W in standby for its A1, P1 and X1 printers, and more for the X1E and H2D. Switching off overnight still saves a few dollars a year.

How do I measure my own printer’s power use?

Plug it into an inexpensive plug-in energy meter, run a typical print, and divide the kWh shown by the print time in hours. That gives your real average in kW.

Does an enclosure change power use?

It can lower it slightly for hot materials, because the enclosure keeps heat in and the heaters run less. It mainly helps print quality for ABS and ASA.

Sources

Estimates for planning. Results depend on the numbers you enter — use the gram, hour and ml figures from your slicer, and your real material and power prices. Material densities are typical values; check your spool or bottle datasheet for exact figures.