How many watts does a ceiling fan use?
By Tom Calder · Figures checked 4 November 2026 · Costs at 26.32p per kWh (Ofgem cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026)
A modern DC-motor ceiling fan draws only 4W to 5W on low and 30W to 33W on high: CHOICE lists those figures for two Lucci Air models. An hour costs about 0.1p on low and under 1p on high at 26.32p per kWh.
The numbers
- Running watts
- 4W to 33W
- Amps at 230V (most)
- 0.14A
- Energy an hour
- 0.004 to 0.033 kWh
- CHOICE’s listings: Lucci Air Airfusion Fraser 4W low, 8W medium, 30W high; Airfusion Climate 5W, 16W, 33W.
- Cost an hour
- 0.1p to 0.9p
- On a 1kWh power station
- Wired into the ceiling, so not a power station load
- On a 2kWh power station
- Wired into the ceiling, so not a power station load
Costs use 26.32p per kWh, the Ofgem price cap's average Direct Debit electricity unit rate for 1 October to 31 December 2026. Your own rate is on your bill; on a fixed or time-of-use tariff it will differ.
How it’s used, and what that costs
CHOICE, the Australian consumer group, lists the Lucci Air Airfusion Fraser at 4W, 8W and 30W on low, medium and high, and the Airfusion Climate at 5W, 16W and 33W. Both have 132cm blades. Your own fan’s rating is in its manual.
On high, a four-hour evening costs about 3.5p, roughly one kettle boil; on low, under half a penny. A ceiling fan is wired in rather than plugged in, so it is not something you’d run from a power station.
In a power cut: how long a power station would run it
Wired into the ceiling, so not a power station load.
To size one for everything you’d want to keep running, use the sizer on our power stations comparison.
Common questions
How many amps does a ceiling fan draw?
At the UK’s 230 volts, amps are watts divided by 230. At 4W to 33W, that is 0.02 to 0.14 amps while it runs at full power. It is wired in, not plugged in.
Compare: Desk or pedestal fan · LED light bulb
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Start free →Sources (7)
- CHOICE: Lucci Air Airfusion Fraser, power low 4W, medium 8W, high 30W; 132 cm
- CHOICE: Lucci Air Airfusion Climate, power low 5W, medium 16W, high 33W; 132 cm
- Ofgem: Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges, 1 October to 31 December 2026electricity 26.32p per kWh, Direct Debit; no VAT on electricity from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027
- BLUETTI UK — Elite 200 V2 (runtime formula: DoD 90%, η 85%, self-consumption about 10W)
- BLUETTI UK — Elite 100 V2 (self-consumption about 10W)
- Jackery UK — runtime formula (capacity × 0.85 ÷ watts)
- EcoFlow — test runtime before an emergency0.80–0.90 for AC; DC ports for routers and phones
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