Household appliances in Project Zomboid

Almost every appliance in a Build 42 house is electric. While the grid is on, they all work. After the power shutoff they go dead unless a connected generator covers them. Only a few objects burn their own fuel and ignore the grid completely.

A generator powers everything inside its range once you connect it to the building. You do not wire each appliance on its own. Its default range is 20 tiles horizontally; the vertical range is given as 3 floors in one Build 42 guide, which notes that older advice says 2.

To cook on an electric stove or oven, put food in a pot, pan or tray, place it inside or on top, set a temperature and turn it on. Watch the cooking bar and take food out before it burns. Full method and recipes are on the cooking page.

Fire risk. Ovens are one of the classic ways to burn down a house. Food left in a hot oven past its burn point can set the oven alight, and the fire spreads through the room. Turn the oven off as soon as food is done, and never leave one running when you leave the building. See fire safety for putting fires out.

Microwaves. A microwave heats food and drinks without the long warm-up of an oven, which makes it handy for water bottles and canned food once you have opened and emptied it into a bowl. Never microwave anything metal: cooking pots, cans and similar items can spark and start a fire. Two sources report this, and the Build 42 water guide on pzfans repeats it.

Gas stoves. The sources checked for this page do not describe any Build 42 stove that keeps working on gas after the shutoff. Treat every kitchen stove as electric unless you test otherwise.

A powered fridge slows rot so fresh food lasts longer; a freezer stops it almost entirely while it stays frozen. When the power fails, both become plain containers and the food inside starts to spoil at normal speed. Frozen food thaws first, then rots.

Mini fridges are light enough to carry by hand and fit in small bases. Large two-tile fridges and shop freezers hold far more but draw more fuel on a generator. Long-term options that need no power at all, such as drying, pickling and canning, are covered in food preservation.

Opinion Fill the freezer with meat during the first week, but plan to eat or preserve it before you run out of fuel. A generator-fed freezer is a buffer, not a permanent pantry.

A washing machine needs both power and water. The Turn On option only appears when it has both, so after the water shutoff you must plumb it to a rain collector or other water source (see water). Washing cleans clothes and removes blood, but leaves them wet.

A clothing dryer needs power only, so a generator alone is enough. Combo washer-dryers follow the same rules: dryer mode needs power, washer mode needs power and water. Clean clothes help your hygiene and mood. If you have no machines, you can wash by hand with soap and water and dry clothes over time.

TVs need grid or generator power. They are worth running in the first days for the skill shows and news; details are on the TV and VHS page. Radios range from household sets to portable and ham models; see radio for which ones take batteries.

Lights wired into the building and plug-in lamps need power. Each one adds a little to a generator's load, and a lit window at night can draw attention. Battery and fuel light sources are covered in lighting.

Heaters. None of the sources checked list an electric space heater that works in vanilla Build 42. For warmth after the shutoff, use the antique oven, a fireplace or a wood stove, and read winter survival.

In Build 42 the Generator Info window shows fuel, condition, the list of powered objects and the total fuel draw while running. Use that live figure rather than fixed numbers, because the sandbox setting Generator Fuel Consumption scales every appliance. One Build 42 guide gives its default as 0.1 (one source). Older per-appliance figures from a 2021 Build 41 guide are below for rough comparison only.

Ovens, microwaves, washers and dryers were not listed. Switch off anything you are not using to save fuel, and always place the generator outdoors: Build 42 warns about toxic fumes on indoor tiles.

Antique oven. This cast-iron stove burns logs, planks, sticks, paper and cloth. You light it from its right-click menu, and you can cook on it. It also gives off heat, reaching up to 8 tiles with a full load of fuel (one source), which makes it the best appliance for a winter base. It has a 15-slot container.

Propane barbecue. Works with an installed propane tank, and its info panel shows when the tank is empty. Charcoal barbecues take charcoal or wood. Campfires need no appliance at all; see fire.

In Build 42 you pick up furniture with the Move tool from the left toolbar. Empty the appliance first. Strength does not matter; what counts is free inventory space for the item's weight. Large two-tile fridges come apart into two 40-weight pieces. A vehicle such as a pickup or van makes the trip much easier.

These weights come from pzfans' Build 42 guides (one source). Appliances that need a skill can break during pickup when your skill is low. Electrical training raises your chances.

Opinion For a long-term base, bring an antique oven first, then a freezer or fridge and one generator. Add a dryer if you have fuel to spare. Microwaves and TVs are nice but lose value once the grid is gone. Cluster powered appliances inside one generator's range.