Battery Equivalents and Replacements

Treadmill Amps and Watts: Does A Treadmill Use A Lot Of Electricity?

Treadmills allow their users to walk, jog and run at home, even during bad and cold weather outside, and to burn tons of calories.

However, many people also wonder about treadmill power consumption and how many Watts and Amps their treadmills actually require.

Published: December 6, 2022.

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Treadmill Power Consumption

Treadmill power consumption depends on the treadmill model, treadmill type, pace, incline, lubrication, and similar.

On average treadmill's power requirements are:

  • Non-motorized walking and jogging treadmill: 0 Watts,
  • Motorized walking and jogging treadmill: 500-1500 Watts Max, 300-700 Watts average,
  • Running Treadmill: 1000-3000 Watts Max, 500-1000 Watts average,
  • Commercial Treadmill: 2500-4000+ Watts Max, 700-1500 Watts average.

As one can see, maximum and average values differ significantly, but one must be aware that treadmill runners vary from 50-100 pounds children (under the supervision of adults, of course) making their first steps on the treadmills, 200-300 pounds advanced trainees pushing their treadmills to the limits and 300-400+ pounds trainees trying to lose some weight.

Just as the weight and running speed of the trainees differ, so do the Watts and Amps of the treadmills that they use.

If You want to find how many watts your treadmill use, first check the documentation of the treadmill and try to find the maximum rated power of the treadmill and the average wattage consumption depending on the trainee's weight and treadmill belt speed.

If such information is not provided, then to find the exact treadmill wattage, connect an Ampmeter or Wattmeter to the treadmill and measure actual Amps and Watts.

If that is not applicable, don't worry too much since treadmills are not energy-hungry as some devices that are used daily for hours, like AC units and similar.

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Electricity Costs Of Running On A Treadmill

The following chart lists the average energy consumption of various treadmills when they are used for 4 (four) hours per week (the chart assumes an average electricity price of 0.15 $US per kWh):

Treadmill Average Wattage Monthly kWh Monthly Cost Annual kWh Annual Cost
500 8.0 $1.20 96.0 $14.40
600 9.6 $1.44 115.2 $17.28
800 12.8 $1.92 153.6 $23.04
1000 16.0 $2.40 192.0 $28.80
1500 24.0 $3.60 288.0 $43.20
2000 32.0 $4.80 384.0 $57.60
3000 48.0 $7.20 576.0 $86.40

As one can see, even if You are pushing to the limits some good running treadmill 4 hours per week and if your treadmill on average consumes 1500 Watts (and that is a lot for a treadmill), your energy bill will increase by ~$3.60 per month or $43.20 per year, which should NOT be much for good health and being in shape.

Running On A Treadmill During Blackouts

During blackouts and emergencies, people usually don't have time for running on a treadmill or for working out in general, but if the blackout prolongs, having a treadmill session here and there can help both physically and mentally.

The simplest way of powering the treadmill during blackouts and emergencies is by using Solar Generators/Power Stations - just plug in the treadmill into the power station, turn it on, and walk, jog, run, whatever pleases You.

Just be aware that the maximum power of the power station must match the maximum power of your treadmill. Also, when starting, electric motors tend to draw even more power than their rated power - check the documentation of your treadmill and check the size of the electric breaker given in Amps.

The maximum surge power of your Power Station must at least match the surge power of your treadmill, which is usually volts (120V) multiplied by the Amps of the recommended circuit breaker.

Note: modern treadmills start slowly, and their "surge power" is very similar to their maximum power.

Thus, for powering a 1500 Watts running treadmill with an average power consumption of 700 Watts, the use of 2000+ Watts power station with 4000+ Surge Watts is recommended. And if such a power station is overloaded, the solution is simple, run slower or get an even stronger Power Station.

Of course, the length of the running session depends on the amount of energy stored in the power station's batteries and average treadmill power consumption, which on the other hand, depends on the runner's weight, running speed, but also belt lubrication, and a few more details.

Similarly, treadmills can be powered by combining deep-cycle lithium batteries with good, pure sine wave power inverters or by using portable power generators with very low THD levels, preferably below 3%.

Note: power generators must be operated outdoors, regardless of where the treadmill or other loads are.


treadmill electricity mLong Story Short: As one can see, treadmills don't require a lot of electricity. Unless You are a marathon runner that is running 2-3 hours per day, your treadmill will hardly make a dent in your electric bill, especially if You have an AC unit (or units) for heating and cooling.

Even if You run on a treadmill 2 hours per day with an average power of 1000 Watts, seven days per week, that would be 60 kWh per month (~$9.00 per month) or 720 kWh per year (~$108 annually) - IMHO, not much for something that You are ready to devote 2 hours of your time daily.