Rated watts are a ceiling, not a bill
The power figure on a spec sheet is the most the printer can draw, usually while the heatbed and nozzle heat from cold. Once at temperature, heaters only top up lost heat. Bambu Lab’s A1 FAQ puts it simply: at 220 V, about 5 W idle, about 95 W average while printing PLA, and more while the nozzle or bed is heating up [3].
The peak is short. Bambu Lab says the P2S holds maximum power for about 3 to 5 minutes to bring the bed to temperature [4], and the H2D for no more than 3 minutes [5]. For billing, the average matters; for circuits and power strips, the peak does.
Measured average draw
Bambu Lab is the only brand here that publishes measured consumption on the pages we checked. Creality’s K1C and Hi parameter pages did not list rated power or average draw [9][10]. Creality does say the K2 Plus uses an 800 W AC heatbed [7], which tells you its peak is high but not its average.
Bambu Lab’s figures come from short test prints of roughly 16 to 23 minutes for older models [1], and the P2S figure is described as steady-state printing power [1], so treat them as indicative rather than identical methods.
Yearly cost at 5, 15 and 30 print-hours a week
The US Energy Information Administration reports an average residential price of 18.16 cents per kWh for August 2026, a preliminary figure in its table released on 23 October 2026 [2]. The table multiplies Bambu Lab’s average watts by hours and 52 weeks at that rate. Standby is excluded here and covered below.
| Printer and material | Average W | 5 h/week | 15 h/week | 30 h/week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 mini, PLA | 80 | $3.78 | $11.33 | $22.66 |
| A1, PLA | 95 | $4.49 | $13.46 | $26.91 |
| P1S, PLA | 105 | $4.96 | $14.87 | $29.75 |
| P1S, ABS | 140 | $6.61 | $19.83 | $39.66 |
| A1, ABS | 200 | $9.44 | $28.33 | $56.66 |
| P2S, PLA | 200 | $9.44 | $28.33 | $56.66 |
| H2D, PLA | 197 | $9.30 | $27.90 | $55.81 |
| H2D, PC | 395 | $18.65 | $55.95 | $111.90 |
Standby: the cost of leaving it on
A printer left on around the clock draws its standby power for 8,760 hours a year. At the same rate, a P1S on Wi-Fi at about 6 W uses about 53 kWh, roughly $9.54 a year; an A1 at 5.4 W about $8.59; and a P2S at 8.2 W about $13.04 [1][2]. For someone printing 5 hours a week, standby can cost more than the printing itself.
The fix is free: switch the printer off at the end of the day unless you need remote access. Multicolour units add little. Bambu Lab lists the AMS lite at 3.69 W while working, though drying units such as AMS 2 Pro draw 80 W while drying [1].
Enclosed and heated-chamber printers
Enclosure alone does not raise consumption much: the P1S averaged 105 W on PLA [1], close to the open A1’s 95 W. What raises it is temperature. The P1S chamber is passive and warms only from the bed [8], but its ABS figure is still a third higher than PLA [1]. Printers that actively heat the chamber draw more: the H2D averaged 395 W on PC [1], nearly four times the P1S on PLA.
If you plan regular engineering-material work, budget from the material-specific figure, not the PLA one.
Rerun it with your own tariff
Yearly cost = average watts × print hours per week × 52 ÷ 1,000 × your price per kWh. Add standby watts × idle hours × 52 ÷ 1,000 × price if the printer stays on. For a model without a published average, a smart plug with energy metering over a few typical prints gives you the average watts to use.
Example: a P1S printing PLA 10 hours a week on a 30 cents per kWh tariff costs 105 × 10 × 52 ÷ 1,000 × 0.30 = about $16.38 a year. For the full cost of a print, including filament and wear, see our cost-per-print guide.
- Use the material-specific average, not the PLA figure, for ABS, ASA or PC.
- Use the 110 V or 220 V peak only for circuit and power-strip sizing.
- Include standby if the printer is never switched off.
- Check your bill for time-of-use rates; long prints can run off-peak.
Questions before you decide
How many watts does a 3D printer use while printing?
For Bambu Lab’s published measurements on PLA, 80 W for the A1 mini, 95 W for the A1 and 105 W for the P1S, rising to 395 W for the H2D printing PC [1]. Heat-up draws more for a few minutes [4].
How much does it cost to run a 3D printer for a year?
At the US average of 18.16 cents per kWh [2], 15 hours a week of PLA costs about $11 on an A1 mini, $13 on an A1 and $15 on a P1S, using Bambu Lab’s average power figures [1].
Does leaving a printer on standby cost much?
It adds up. Bambu Lab lists about 6 W on Wi-Fi for the P1S and up to 8.2 W for the P2S [1]; left on all year that is about $9.50 to $13 at the US average rate [2].
Why doesn’t Creality list these figures?
On the pages we checked, the K1C and Hi parameter pages did not list power figures [9][10]. Measure with an energy-metering plug instead.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- Bambu Lab Wiki: Printer and AMS power parameters Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- US Energy Information Administration: Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A average retail price of electricity Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Bambu Lab Wiki: A1 FAQ Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Bambu Lab US store: P2S product page, specifications and FAQ Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Bambu Lab US store: H2D product page and specifications Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Bambu Lab Wiki: Unboxing P1S (includes P1S specification table) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Creality store blog: K2 Plus and CFS FAQs Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Bambu Lab Wiki: P1 series FAQ Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Creality: K1C support page and parameters Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Creality: Hi Combo support page and parameters Accessed 30 Oct 2026
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