Quick answer: A 14.2 kg LPG cylinder usually lasts a family of four somewhere around a month, but it can be three weeks or two months depending on how much you cook. Use the calculator below to estimate how many days your cylinder will last, when it will run out, and when you should book the next one.
There’s one question every Indian kitchen asks at some point: “Gas kab khatam hogi?” Usually it’s asked too late, when the flame is already turning orange and dinner is half done. This page helps you answer it in advance, so the next cylinder is booked and on its way before the old one gives up.
LPG Cylinder Kitne Din Chalega? Calculator
Two Ways the Calculator Estimates
Method 1: From your last cylinder (most accurate)
If you know how many days your last cylinder lasted, that’s the best guide to your next one. Your family, your stove, your recipes and your habits are all already built into that number. The calculator divides the cylinder’s weight by those days to find how much gas you use a day, and then projects forward.
Don’t know the number? Start today. When you connect a new cylinder, write the date on a small piece of tape stuck to it. When it runs out, you’ll know exactly how long it lasted.
Method 2: From your cooking time (a rough estimate)
If you’ve never tracked it, the calculator can estimate from how long your burners run each day. It’s based on simple physics:
- A kilo of LPG holds roughly 46 MJ of energy, which is about 12.8 kWh.
- A burner on full flame working at around 2 kW would therefore use roughly 0.15 kg of gas an hour.
- On a medium flame it uses less, and on a low flame less still.
Real stoves differ, so treat this method as a starting point and switch to Method 1 once you’ve tracked one cylinder.
How Long Does a Cylinder Usually Last?
A commonly used rule of thumb is that an average family of four goes through about one 14.2 kg cylinder a month. But “average” hides a lot:
- A working couple who eat out often may stretch a cylinder to two months.
- A joint family cooking three full meals a day may need a new one every three weeks.
- Winter usually means more gas: water heated for bathing, more tea, longer cooking.
- Festivals and guests can empty a cylinder in days.
That’s why your own number matters more than any average.
What Makes a Cylinder Run Out Faster
- Cooking on high flame when medium would do. Flames licking up the sides of the vessel are pure waste.
- Open pots. Cooking without a lid lets heat escape.
- Not using a pressure cooker for dal, rajma, chana and rice.
- A dirty burner. A yellow or orange flame often means clogged holes and incomplete burning.
- Heating water on the stove for bathing or washing.
- A small leak. If your usage suddenly jumps with no change in cooking, check for a smell of gas, and call 1906 if you suspect a leak.
How to Check How Much Gas Is Left
Weigh it
Every cylinder has its empty weight, called the tare weight, marked near the top, usually as “TW”. Weigh the cylinder on a scale and subtract the tare weight. What’s left is the gas. A full 14.2 kg cylinder weighs its tare weight plus 14.2 kg.
The wet cloth trick
Wipe a damp cloth down the side of the cylinder from top to bottom and wait a minute or two. The part of the cylinder that still has liquid gas inside tends to dry more slowly and may feel cooler. It’s not precise, but it gives a rough idea of the level.
Make Your Cylinder Last Longer
- Use a pressure cooker whenever you can.
- Cover the pot. A lid traps heat and speeds up cooking.
- Soak dal and rice before cooking. They cook faster.
- Keep everything ready before you light the stove, so the flame isn’t burning while you chop.
- Match the vessel to the burner, and keep the flame under the base of the pot.
- Let frozen food thaw before it goes on the stove.
- Clean the burner regularly so the flame stays blue.
- Switch off a minute early. Many dishes keep cooking in their own heat.
Plan Your Booking Around the Result
Once you know roughly when your cylinder will run out, booking becomes easy:
- Note the “book your refill by” date the calculator shows.
- Check that at least 25 days have passed since your last refill. That’s the minimum gap for domestic bookings since 7 September 2026.
- Book by app, WhatsApp, IVRS or missed call from your registered mobile number.
- If your cylinder runs out in less than 25 days, think about a second cylinder on your connection, or a 5 kg cylinder as backup.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How many days does a 14.2 kg cylinder last?
For a family of four, often around a month. It can be three weeks for a big family that cooks a lot, or two months for a small household.
2. How long does a 5 kg cylinder last?
About a third as long as a 14.2 kg cylinder at the same use. For a single person cooking simple meals, it may last two to four weeks.
3. How much LPG does a family use in a day?
Often somewhere between 300 and 600 grams. Use the calculator with your own cylinder’s lifespan for your exact figure.
4. How much gas does one burner use in an hour?
Roughly 0.15 kg an hour on full flame for a burner of around 2 kW, and less on medium or low flame. Actual figures depend on the stove.
5. Why does my cylinder run out faster in winter?
More hot water, more tea and longer cooking all add up. Gas can also vaporise a little more slowly in the cold, which can make the flame weaker towards the end.
6. Why did my new cylinder finish much faster than usual?
Check whether your cooking changed. If it didn’t, the cylinder may have been underweight or there may be a leak. You can ask for a cylinder to be weighed at delivery, and for any leak, call 1906.
7. How can I check the gas left without a scale?
Try the wet cloth trick: the part with liquid gas inside dries more slowly. It’s rough, but useful.
8. What is the tare weight on a cylinder?
The weight of the empty cylinder, marked near the top as “TW”. A full cylinder should weigh the tare weight plus its gas, for example plus 14.2 kg.
9. When should I book my next cylinder?
About five days before you expect it to run out, as long as 25 days have passed since your last refill.
10. Can I book again if my cylinder finishes before 25 days?
Not a domestic refill. A second cylinder on your connection, or a 5 kg free trade cylinder, which has no booking gap, can bridge the time.
11. How many cylinders does a family use in a year?
If one lasts a month, about 12. The calculator shows your yearly estimate based on your own use.
12. Is the calculator’s answer exact?
No. It’s an estimate. Method 1, based on your last cylinder, is the closest you’ll get, and it gets better each time you track a cylinder.
13. Does the calculator save my data?
No. Everything is calculated in your browser, and nothing is stored or sent anywhere.
Know Before the Flame Dies
Running out of gas is rarely a surprise. It just feels like one because nobody was counting. Track one cylinder, put its lifespan into the calculator, and from then on you’ll know roughly when every cylinder will finish and when to book the next. A little planning saves a lot of half-cooked dinners.