Are Electric Ovens Cheap to Run? A Cost-Effective Guide for Home Cooking

If you’re wondering whether electric ovens are cheap to run, the short answer is: they can be, but it really depends. Your costs hinge on stuff like how long you cook and what temperature you pick.

On average, running an electric oven will set you back about 28 to 36 cents per hour, based on typical electricity rates. That’s not the lowest in the kitchen, but it probably won’t make your energy bill skyrocket either.

Your electricity rate and your oven’s efficiency both matter a lot here. Electric ovens are usually less efficient than gas ones, mainly because electricity costs more to produce and deliver.

If you stick to short cooking times or lower temperatures, though, your costs stay pretty reasonable.

Evaluating the Running Costs of Electric Ovens

Running an electric oven mainly costs you whatever you pay for electricity, multiplied by how much energy the oven uses. How long and how often you cook will push those numbers up or down.

Electricity Consumption Rates

Most electric ovens use somewhere between 2,000 and 3,000 watts when they’re heating up. If your oven is rated at 3,000 watts (or 3 kilowatts), you’ll use 3 kilowatt-hours (kWh) if you run it for an hour at full blast.

To figure out your hourly cost, just multiply the kWh by your electricity rate. For example, at 12 cents per kWh, running a 3,000-watt oven on high for an hour costs about 36 cents.

Most ovens don’t blast at full power the whole time—they cycle on and off to keep the temperature steady. That means your actual energy use might be a bit less than the rating suggests.

Factors Influencing Energy Usage

A few things change how much juice your electric oven pulls:

• Cooking time: Longer sessions mean more power used.
• Temperature setting: Cranking up the heat burns more energy.
• Preheating: That warm-up period can sneakily add to your bill.
• Oven size: Bigger ovens, bigger appetite for electricity.
• Oven efficiency: Older models might just waste more energy.

You can save a bit by covering food, cooking more than one dish at a time, or skipping preheating if you don’t really need it.

Average Monthly and Yearly Costs

What you’ll pay depends on how often you fire up the oven and for how long.

• If you cook for an hour every day at 3,000 watts and pay 12¢ per kWh, you’re looking at around $11 a month.
• Less cooking or lower temps? Your costs drop.

Over a year, that’s roughly $130 if you use it every day.

If your electricity rate is higher or lower, you’ll need to tweak those numbers. If you want to dig deeper, check out how much energy an electric stove and oven use.

Comparing Electric Ovens to Other Cooking Appliances

You’ll notice some real differences in energy use and cost when you compare electric ovens to gas ovens. Newer electric ovens come with features that cut down on wasted energy and speed up cooking, which is pretty handy.

Electric Ovens vs. Gas Ovens

Electric ovens generally cost more to run than gas ovens. Gas ovens use natural gas, which is usually cheaper than electricity in most places.

Some data suggests gas ovens can be 10 to 30 percent cheaper to operate. Electric ovens do convert almost all their energy into heat inside the oven, so they’re good at holding a steady temperature.

But since electricity usually costs more per unit, that steady heat can come at a higher price. If your electricity rate is steep, your bills might bump up compared to using gas.

Still, electric ovens are a breeze to clean, and their temperature control is spot on. That can save you some time, even if it costs a little more to run.

Efficiency Improvements in Modern Electric Ovens

Modern electric ovens have better insulation than older models. They also heat up faster.

You can reach cooking temperatures quickly and keep the heat inside. That means less wasted energy.

Some ovens come with convection fans. These fans move hot air around, spreading the heat more evenly.

As a result, you might cut cooking time by about 25%. If you use convection mode, you’ll probably use less energy than with a standard oven.

Smart ovens with digital controls take things up a notch. They keep temperatures steady, which helps avoid overheating.

That means you’re not burning extra energy while you cook. Honestly, it’s a small change that makes a difference.

If you want more details about energy savings, check out this guide to kitchen energy savers and wasters.