How much does a slow cooker cost to run?
What a slow cooker costs to run: typical 250 W, about $93 a year. Adjust the figures to your own usage and electricity price.
Your Slow cooker running cost
Costs about
/ month
- Per day
- Per year
- Energy per day
Change the hours and price to match your case.
Typical wattage
| Low | 150 W |
|---|---|
| Typical | 250 W |
| High | 350 W |
| Typical use | 6 h/day |
A slow cooker is the rare kitchen appliance that runs for hours yet costs very little, because its power draw is tiny. Most models use only 150 to 350 watts — less than many light bulbs put together — and they hold that low heat steadily inside a well-insulated pot. Even cooking a meal for eight hours, a slow cooker uses far less energy than an oven does in one, which is why it is one of the cheapest ways to cook a hot meal.
The maths is simple: a low, constant wattage over a long time still adds up to a small number of kilowatt-hours. A 250 W cooker running six hours uses 1.5 kWh — roughly the same as a single hot oven cycle, but for a whole batch of food. Because the pot is insulated and the lid stays on, almost none of that heat is wasted. Enter your cooker's wattage and typical cooking hours above to see the cost, and note how it compares with the oven for the same dish.
This makes the slow cooker a genuinely strategic appliance for a lower bill. Batch-cooking a week of dinners in one long, cheap session and then reheating single portions in the microwave avoids firing up the oven night after night. Few appliances deliver so much cooked food for so little electricity, which is why it is a favourite of budget-conscious kitchens.
Many slow cookers automatically drop to a lower 'keep warm' setting once the cooking cycle finishes, typically well under 100 W, so a dish left on warm for a couple of extra hours while everyone gets home barely moves the total. That is a genuine advantage over reheating later in an oven or on the hob, which starts from cold and needs a fresh burst of full power — the slow cooker's low, steady wattage works in its favour even after the food is technically done.
How to cut slow cooker running costs
- Use it instead of the oven for stews, soups and batches — far less energy for a hot meal.
- Keep the lid on; lifting it lets heat escape and lengthens cooking.
- Cook large batches and freeze portions to spread the low cost further.
- The 'low' setting uses less power than 'high' for dishes that can take the time.
- Don't preheat — slow cookers are designed to start cold.
Frequently asked questions
Is a slow cooker cheap to run despite being on for hours?
Yes. Its wattage is very low (150–350 W), so even six to eight hours adds up to only 1–3 kWh — usually less than an oven uses in a single cooking session.
Slow cooker or oven — which is cheaper?
The slow cooker, for the dishes it suits. It draws a fraction of an oven's power and its insulated pot wastes little heat, so a long slow cook still costs less than a shorter hot oven run.
Does the 'high' setting cost more than 'low'?
It draws more power while on, but reaches temperature sooner and may run less time. For long, unattended cooking the 'low' setting is generally the most economical.