How Much Does It Cost to Run a Table Lamp?

A table lamp with a modern LED bulb costs very little to run, usually well under a penny per hour. To work out the exact cost, multiply the bulb’s wattage by the number of hours it is on, divide by 1,000 to get kilowatt hours, then multiply by the unit rate on your electricity tariff. For example, an 8 watt LED bulb used for five hours uses 0.04 kWh, so on a tariff of 25p per kWh it would cost about 1p for the whole evening.

That simple sum is all you need to compare bulbs and lamps in your own home. It also shows why switching older bulbs for LEDs is one of the easiest ways to reduce lighting costs. If you are choosing new lamps, our modern table lamps UK collection includes designs that suit energy efficient LED bulbs, and our wider modern lighting UK range lets you compare the full choice of fittings.

The formula explained

Electricity is billed in kilowatt hours, written as kWh. One kilowatt hour is the energy used by a 1,000 watt appliance running for one hour. Most table lamps use far less than that, so the numbers are small.

The calculation is:

• Step 1: find the wattage of the bulb, printed on the bulb or its packaging.
• Step 2: multiply the wattage by the number of hours the lamp is on.
• Step 3: divide by 1,000 to convert watt hours to kilowatt hours.
• Step 4: multiply by your unit rate, shown in pence per kWh on your bill or energy account.

Unit rates vary by supplier, tariff, region and time of day, and they change over time, so always use the figure from your own bill. The examples below use 25p per kWh purely to illustrate the method.

Worked examples

An LED bulb in a living room lamp

A 6 watt LED bulb used for four hours each evening uses 24 watt hours, or 0.024 kWh. At 25p per kWh, that is 0.6p per evening. Over a year of daily use, it comes to roughly £2.19.

A brighter LED bulb in a hallway lamp

A 10 watt LED left on for six hours each evening uses 0.06 kWh. At 25p per kWh, that is 1.5p per evening, or around £5.48 over a year of daily use.

An older halogen bulb

A 42 watt halogen bulb, giving similar light to many 6 to 8 watt LEDs, used for four hours uses 0.168 kWh. At the same rate, that is around 4.2p per evening, or about £15.33 over a year. The difference grows quickly if you have several lamps.

An old incandescent bulb

A traditional 60 watt incandescent bulb used for four hours uses 0.24 kWh. At 25p per kWh, that is 6p per evening, or nearly £22 over a year. Most of the energy in older bulbs is released as heat rather than light, which is why they cost more to run.

Why LED bulbs are so efficient

LED bulbs convert a much larger share of their energy into light than older bulb types. That means a low wattage LED can produce the same brightness as a much higher wattage incandescent or halogen bulb. They also last considerably longer, so you replace them less often.

When comparing bulbs, look at lumens rather than watts. Lumens tell you how bright a bulb is, while watts tell you how much power it uses. Two LED bulbs with the same lumen output may have slightly different wattages, and the lower wattage one will cost less to run.

Other factors that affect running costs

Hours of use

The longer a lamp is on, the more it costs. In UK winters, lamps are often switched on in the late afternoon and left on until bedtime, so a single lamp can easily run for six hours or more each day. In summer, usage drops considerably.

Number of lamps

Most homes have several lamps across living rooms, bedrooms and hallways. Multiply the cost of one lamp by the number you use regularly for a clearer picture of your total lighting cost.

Dimming

Dimming a compatible LED bulb usually reduces the power it draws, although the saving is not always directly proportional to the brightness. Using a lower light level in the evening can therefore trim costs slightly as well as creating a more relaxed atmosphere.

Standby power

Smart bulbs, touch lamps and some lamps with built in USB ports draw a very small amount of power even when the light is off. This is usually a tiny amount, but it is worth knowing if you are trying to account for every source of use.

Time of use tariffs

If you are on a tariff with different rates at different times of day, the cost of running a lamp will depend on when you use it. Use the rate that applies to the hours your lamps are on.

How to find the figures you need

The wattage is usually printed on the bulb itself, either on the glass, the base or the collar. If it has worn off, the packaging or the product listing will show it. Be careful not to confuse the bulb’s actual wattage with the equivalent wattage often printed in larger type on LED boxes. A box might say a bulb is equivalent to 60 watts while the bulb itself uses only 8 watts. It is the smaller, actual figure you should use in the calculation.

Your unit rate appears on your electricity bill or in your online account, usually listed in pence per kWh. Remember that the standing charge on your bill is a fixed daily amount that you pay regardless of how many lamps you use, so it should not be included when working out the cost of a single lamp.

Working out the cost across a whole room

To understand how lighting affects your bills, it can help to calculate a full evening for one room. Suppose a living room has two table lamps with 6 watt LED bulbs and one floor lamp with a 9 watt LED, all on for five hours. Together they use 21 watts, which over five hours is 105 watt hours, or 0.105 kWh. At 25p per kWh, lighting the whole room for the evening costs around 2.6p. The same room lit with three old 60 watt bulbs would use 0.9 kWh and cost around 22.5p.

This kind of comparison makes clear why lamps with LED bulbs are such an efficient way to light living spaces in the evening.

Simple ways to keep lighting costs low

• Replace any remaining halogen or incandescent bulbs with LEDs of a similar brightness.
• Choose the lumen level you actually need, rather than the brightest bulb available.
• Use timers or smart bulbs so lamps switch off automatically when you go to bed.
• Turn off lamps in rooms you are not using.
• Use pale shades and light walls, which spread light further so you may need fewer lamps on.
• Dust bulbs and shades regularly, as dust reduces light output.

Lamps, ceiling lights and floor lamps compared

Running cost depends on the bulbs rather than the type of fitting. A table lamp with one LED bulb will typically cost less to run than a ceiling fitting with several bulbs, simply because fewer bulbs are on. Many people find that lighting a living room with two or three table lamps in the evening feels more comfortable than relying on a ceiling light, and it can cost about the same or less if the lamps use efficient LEDs.

Floor lamps work in the same way. A single LED in a floor lamp costs a similar amount to a table lamp with the same bulb. If you are building a layered scheme with lamps at different heights, our modern floor lamps UK sale range offers designs that take standard LED bulbs. Wall lights are another option for adding background light, and our wall lights UK collection includes styles suited to living rooms, bedrooms and hallways.

Safety and efficiency go together

Using the correct bulb is about safety as well as cost. Every lamp is marked with a maximum wattage, and the bulb should always stay within it. LED bulbs make this easy because they use so little power, but you should still check that the fitting matches. If you are buying a new lamp, our guide to table lamp safety standards in the UK explains the markings that show a lamp meets the relevant requirements.

The short answer

A table lamp with an LED bulb is one of the least expensive things you can run in your home. Use the simple formula of watts multiplied by hours, divided by 1,000, multiplied by your unit rate, and you can calculate the cost of any lamp in seconds. Swapping older bulbs for LEDs, using timers and choosing the right brightness for each room will keep costs low while making your home feel comfortable in the evenings.

For a wide choice of lamps and lighting, visit Furniture in Fashion, where we offer free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to leave a lamp on all night?

An 8 watt LED left on for ten hours uses 0.08 kWh. At 25p per kWh, that is about 2p. Use your own tariff rate for an exact figure.

Do LED bulbs really save money compared with halogen?

Yes. An LED typically uses a fraction of the power of a halogen bulb for similar brightness, so it costs much less to run and usually lasts longer too.

Is it cheaper to use table lamps than a ceiling light?

It depends on the bulbs. A single LED table lamp often uses less power than a ceiling fitting with several bulbs, so it can be cheaper to run.

Does a dimmed lamp use less electricity?

Generally, yes. A compatible dimmable LED usually draws less power at lower brightness, although the saving varies between bulbs.