Microwave vs electric oven: which costs less to run?
$105 a year less with microwave
- Microwave, a month
- $1.29
- Electric oven, a month
- $10.06
- Difference, a month
- $8.77
Each at its typical use: microwave 15 minutes a day; electric oven 1 hour a day of cooking. At the US average of 18.3¢ per kWh (EIA, June 2026). How we calculate this
Side by side
| Microwave | Electric oven | |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 925 W | 1,804 W |
| An hour | $0.17 | $0.33 |
| A day | $0.04 | $0.33 |
| A month | $1.29 | $10.06 |
| A year | $15.48 | $120.76 |
| Energy a year | 84.4 kWh | 658 kWh |
In the 10 largest states
Questions
Is it cheaper to run a microwave or an electric oven?
Microwave costs $105.28 less a year ($8.77 a month) at the US average rate. Each at its typical use: microwave 15 minutes a day; electric oven 1 hour a day of cooking.
How much more does electric oven cost to run?
About 7.8 times as much: $120.76 a year versus $15.48.
How much does a microwave cost per hour?
$0.17 an hour, against $0.33 an hour for an electric oven, at 18.3¢ per kWh.
Does the answer change by state?
The ratio between the two stays the same everywhere because both use the same electricity; the dollar gap grows where rates are higher. See the table of the 10 most populous states above.
Sources
- Virginia Cooperative Extension: Estimating appliance and home electronic energy use (reproduces U.S. Department of Energy sample wattages)
- Penn State EGEE 102: Typical range of power consumption (wattage)
- Xcel Energy: Colorado appliance load sheet
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A: average price of electricity to ultimate customers, residential, June 2026 Figures transcribed from republications of this table on September 26, 2026; pending direct verification from the EIA API.
Usage assumptions (hours a day, season) are ours and listed on the methodology page. Found an error? Tell us.