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Vending Machine Power Consumption — What It Really Costs in Australia
How much power does a vending machine actually use? Real numbers for snack, drink, combo and coffee machines on Australian electricity tariffs.
26 February 2026 · 5 min read
The real numbers - **Snack machine:** ~150 kWh/year — about $45/year at 30c/kWh. Basically an LED strip and a fan. - **Cold drink machine (older):** 2,500–3,500 kWh/year — $750–$1,050/year. - **Cold drink machine (modern R290):** 1,200–1,800 kWh/year — $360–$540/year. - **Combo:** 1,500–2,200 kWh/year — $450–$660/year. - **Coffee (bean-to-cup):** 400–800 kWh/year — $120–$240/year.
How to cut consumption 1. **LED lighting** — most modern machines already have it; older ones can be retrofitted. 2. **Night mode / occupancy sensors** — fridge cycles down after hours. 3. **R290 refrigerant** — 30–40% more efficient than R134a. 4. **Door gasket check** — a $30 gasket can save $200/year in power.
Site owners hosting a free vending machine usually cover power ($3–$10/week for a modern drink unit).