Running a microwave for 10 minutes costs a few cents, typically between 1 to 5 cents, depending on its wattage and your local electricity rate (around 20-50 cents per kilowatt-hour); a 1000W microwave uses about 0.17 kWh in 10 mins, costing roughly 3-5 cents in many regions.
Microwave cooking
Uswitch research indicates that a microwave costs around 25p per hour of use. However, it's unlikely that you would use it for a full hour so the actual cost would probably be much lower - 10 minutes of use would cost about 4p.
Example: A 1000W microwave zapping for 10 minutes (that's 10/60 ≈ 0.167 hours): 1000W x 0.167h = 167 Watt-hours (or 0.167 kWh).
Electric heating systems and tumble dryers tend to be the most expensive electrical items to run because they use large amounts of power over extended periods. Other high-cost appliances include electric ovens and immersion heaters. Using these efficiently and during off-peak hours can help reduce costs.
Heating and cooling (HVAC) typically runs up an electric bill the most, often accounting for around 40% of energy usage, followed by water heating, large appliances like refrigerators and clothes dryers, and lighting. The biggest energy drains are systems that change air temperature (furnaces, air conditioners) and appliances that heat water (showers, dishwashers) or run for extended periods (dryers, fridges).
Microwaves, coffeemakers, toasters, and electric kettles often have clocks, digital displays, or sensors that remain active even when the appliances aren't being used. These features, while handy, drain energy continuously.
On average, a 1,000-watt microwave oven uses about 1200 watts of electricity per hour when it's turned on. But when it's in standby mode, it still consumes around two to seven watts per hour. This may not seem like much, but over time, the energy consumption can add up.
Microwaves, slow cookers, electric pressure cookers and air fryers all consume significantly less energy than ovens, so using these instead, if possible, will save you money. “Microwaves are particularly energy efficient,” Dr Reynolds says.
On average, microwaves use about 600 to 1000 watts of electricity. Using a microwave for 15 minutes per day will use about 6.1 kilowatt-hours of electricity per month and 73 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. A microwave costs an average of $0.86 to use for a month and $10.36 to use for a year.
A standard 3,000W oven will cost about 79p an hour, while a 3,000W gas oven costs 19p per hour. To work out how much it will cost to run your oven for an hour, divide your oven's wattage by 1000 to get kilowatt-hours (kWh) then multiply it by the electricity or gas unit rate.
An air fryer is usually more expensive to run than a microwave. They typically have similar power ratings, but microwaves cook food much more quickly than air fryers.
Here are some home energy savings tips to lower your electric bill:
Most modern washers use 0.5–1.0 kWh per standard load, so expect ~13–26p for an hour, more for hot cotton cycles. Your user manual should list exact wattage or energy-per-cycle figures.
Air fryers offer advantages, particularly regarding energy efficiency and cost savings. For instance, a typical 4-quart air fryer uses 1,500 watts, almost half the power consumption of a regular full-size oven. An air fryer requires half the electricity, making it 50% more efficient than a full-size electric oven.
Let's break down the top energy-consuming appliances in most homes and what you can do to keep costs under control.
1. Shower. Specifically electric showers have the highest consumption. To save on your showers, take shorter showers and avoid scalding temperatures.
Is switching off a socket the same as unplugging? The only method to ensure no electricity flows through an appliance is to turn it off at the socket and pull the plug out. However, because the socket switch could be broken, this method isn't always effective.
If you neglect to turn on the exhaust fan, the moisture rising from pots and pans (think pasta) can collect on the electronics of the microwave and shorten its life span.
Leave toaster ovens, coffee makers, food processors, blenders, air fryers, and stand mixers unplugged until it's time to use them. Leaving things like toaster ovens and air fryers unplugged also lowers the risk of fires.
Here are the five worst appliances to keep on standby - by turning these off you could save up to £75 a year.
Here are the most significant home electricity users:
Did you know that when your appliances or electronic devices are plugged in, they're draining energy – even if they're not in use? Phantom power, also called standby power, refers to the energy that's wasted around your home when devices are plugged in and using power, but you're not actively using them.