About

Converting between Watts and Kilowatts is the most common task in residential energy management. While small appliances like light bulbs and phone chargers are rated in Watts (W), larger systems like air conditioners, heaters, and whole-house generators are rated in Kilowatts (kW). Furthermore, electricity utility providers bill customers based on kilowatt-hours, making it necessary to convert appliance ratings to understand costs.

This tool provides a rapid, bidirectional conversion mechanism. It helps users visualize the magnitude of the "kilo" prefix (1000). This is particularly useful for homeowners auditing their energy usage or contractors sizing portable generators for job sites where tools are mixed between W and kW ratings.

Formulas

The metric prefix "kilo" strictly denotes a factor of one thousand (10³).

To convert Watts to Kilowatts:

P_(kW) = P_(W)1000

To convert Kilowatts to Watts:

P_(W) = P_(kW) × 1000

Reference Data

Watts (W)	Kilowatts (kW)	Typical Item
1 W	0.001 kW	LED Standby Light
60 W	0.06 kW	Standard Incandescent Bulb
500 W	0.5 kW	Gaming PC (Under Load)
1000 W	1.0 kW	Microwave Oven
1500 W	1.5 kW	Portable Space Heater
3500 W	3.5 kW	Central A/C Unit (Small)
7500 W	7.5 kW	Electric Shower
10000 W	10.0 kW	Home Backup Generator

Frequently Asked Questions

There are exactly 1,000 Watts in 1 Kilowatt. The prefix "kilo" comes from the Greek word "chilioi", meaning thousand.

kW represents the *rate* of power usage at a single moment. kWh (Kilowatt-hour) represents the *amount* of energy used over time. If you run a 1 kW heater for 1 hour, you are billed for 1 kWh.

Yes, exactly. Unlike computer storage where "kilo" might sometimes mean 1024 (binary), in physics and power engineering, "kilo" always means exactly 1000.

To get kW (the smaller number), you Divide by 1000. To get Watts (the bigger number), you Multiply by 1000.