Cost to run

How much does an electric stove top cost to use?

Burner wattage spans a wide range — small elements near 1,200 watts, large ones up to 3,000 — and dishes rarely hold a burner at maximum, so effective settings drive stovetop cost.

Reviewed 2026-07-15 · methodology appliance-energy-1.0.0 · data vintage 2026-04-ytd

Example costs using the Texas state-average rate

These are generated examples for a consistent location. Enter your own ZIP and usage below for a more relevant state-average estimate.

Scenario	Assumption	kWh/month	Monthly range	Most likely/year
Light cooking	30 minutes a day on one medium burner	13.50	$1.44–$3.21	$26.41
Family dinners	One hour a day across two burners	30.00	$3.20–$7.13	$58.69
Long simmers and canning	Two and a half hours a day in a busy kitchen	90.75	$9.67–$21.57	$177.54

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.B. Data vintage 2026-04-ytd. State-average pricing is not your exact utility tariff.

Calculate your own usage

Your inputs

ZIP code

Used to pick your state’s average electricity rate. We don’t need your street address.

ApplianceHow manyHours used per day (optional)

Leave blank to use a typical default for this appliance.

Rated watts (from the appliance label)Duty cycle (0–1; share of time drawing full power)Days per month

Your estimate — a range, confidence level, and the sources behind it — will appear here.

Settings below maximum dominate real cooking

Boiling a pot briefly uses full element power, but simmering, sautéing, and holding temperature cycle the element at partial output. Averaged across a meal, effective draw commonly lands near half the combined nameplate rating of the burners in use.

Coil, smooth-top, and induction differ

Exposed coils and radiant smooth-tops lose meaningful heat around cookware, while induction couples energy directly into the pan and wastes far less. At the same finished dish, induction usually consumes noticeably less electricity, though this page models generic resistance elements.

Assumptions and gaps in the stovetop model

Scenarios roll multiple burners into one averaged wattage, which hides differences between simultaneous small and large elements. Cookware fit, lid use, and pot material change energy per dish in ways a wattage-times-time model cannot see.

Frequently asked questions

Which costs more per meal, stove top or oven?

It depends on the dish: quick skillet meals on one burner usually undercut an hour of oven baking, while long multi-burner simmers can exceed it.

Does keeping a lid on the pot save money?

Yes. Trapping steam lets a burner hold a simmer at a much lower setting, directly reducing the duty cycle you would enter in this calculator.

Is induction worth it for electricity savings alone?

Induction wastes less heat around the pan, but stove-top electricity is a modest bill line for most homes. Speed and control tend to be stronger reasons than pure savings.

Related appliance cost guides

Compare all published appliances · Electricity rates in your state · Read the methodology · Review the data sources