Unit converter
Watts to Kilowatts Converter
Bring watts down to kilowatts in one step. The kilowatt is a thousand watts, so a figure in W becomes kW by dividing by 1,000. Enter any wattage and the tool returns the kilowatt value, with a reference table for the ratings people meet most. The two units sit at either end of household and industrial power: reading the wattage on an appliance label against an electricity tariff priced per kilowatt hour, sizing a solar array or inverter, or adding up the watts of several devices to see the kilowatt load on a circuit.
1 watt = 0.001 kilowatts
Common watts to kilowatts values
| Watts | Kilowatts |
|---|---|
| 1 W | 0.001 kW |
| 2 W | 0.002 kW |
| 5 W | 0.005 kW |
| 10 W | 0.01 kW |
| 20 W | 0.02 kW |
| 50 W | 0.05 kW |
| 100 W | 0.1 kW |
How to convert
- Start with the power figure in watts.
- Divide by 1,000, because one kilowatt is 1,000 watts.
- The result is that same power written in kilowatts.
- Reverse the sum by multiplying a kilowatt figure by 1,000 to get watts.
- Quick head maths: move the decimal three places left, so 2,400 W reads as 2.4 kW.
kilowatts = watts / 1000
The kilowatt is defined as one thousand watts, so dividing a wattage by 1,000 expresses it in kilowatts. Multiplying kW by 1,000 reverses the step. Because the factor is a power of ten, the conversion is a straight shift of the decimal point.
- W
- the power in watts
- 1000
- watts in one kilowatt
Worked example
A 2,000 W electric heater is 2,000 divided by 1,000, which is 2 kW. Run it alongside a 900 W kettle and the pair draw 2,900 W, or 2.9 kW, on the same socket.
Key facts
- One kilowatt is exactly 1,000 W, and a megawatt is 1,000 kW.
- A standard UK ring main on a 13 A plug carries up to about 3,000 W, or 3 kW.
- A modern LED bulb at 9 W is only 0.009 kW, while an electric shower can reach 9,500 W or 9.5 kW.
- A 4 kW solar system is rated at 4,000 watts of peak output.
Tips
- Add the wattage of everything on one circuit, then divide by 1,000, to check the kilowatt load stays inside the breaker rating.
- To estimate running cost, convert watts to kilowatts first, then multiply by hours used and the price per kilowatt hour.
Frequently asked questions
How many W are in 1 kW?+
One kilowatt is exactly 1,000 watts. The prefix kilo always means a thousand, so the relationship never changes.
How many kW is 1500 W?+
1,500 W is 1.5 kW, and 750 W is 0.75 kW. Every 1,000 W makes one kilowatt.
Is a kilowatt the same as a kilowatt hour?+
No. A kilowatt is a rate of power, while a kilowatt hour is the energy used by one kilowatt running for an hour. Your bill charges for kilowatt hours, not kilowatts.
Why are appliances rated in watts?+
Watts give a fine-grained figure for individual devices, while kilowatts suit the larger totals seen on tariffs, fuses and generator ratings.
Things to watch
- Do not confuse the kilowatt of power with the kilowatt hour of energy; mixing the two leads to badly wrong cost estimates.
Sources
- The watt and SI prefixes · NIST
Last updated: 2026-01-01
Conversions use internationally defined factors. Provided for general use; verify critical measurements independently.