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.
Content reviewed 2026-09-27 · Rates published 2026-09-24 · methodology appliance-energy-1.0.0 · data vintage 2026-07-ytd
Using the family dinners assumptions below, electricity costs about $0.16 per day of use and $4.82 for 30 days of use at the Texas average rate. Adjust the calculator for your equipment and schedule.
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 | Cost/day of use | Monthly range | Cost at 365 days/year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light cooking | 30 minutes a day on one medium burner 1500 W × 0.5 h/day × 0.6 duty × 30 days × 1 unit(s) | 13.50 | $0.07 | $1.44–$3.21 | $26.38 |
| Family dinners | One hour a day across two burners 2000 W × 1 h/day × 0.5 duty × 30 days × 1 unit(s) | 30.00 | $0.16 | $3.19–$7.12 | $58.62 |
| Long simmers and canning | Two and a half hours a day in a busy kitchen 2200 W × 2.5 h/day × 0.55 duty × 30 days × 1 unit(s) | 90.75 | $0.49 | $9.65–$21.55 | $177.32 |
Wattage, runtime and duty cycle below are illustrative assumptions, not measurements of a particular model. Annual figures assume use on all 365 days; monthly figures use each scenario's stated number of days.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.B. Data vintage 2026-07-ytd. State-average pricing is not your exact utility tariff.
What does one use cost?
Use the combined wattage of active cooking zones once. For example, two 1,000 W zones have a combined 2,000 W rating; do not multiply by two again. Cycling fractions below are assumptions.
| Task | Assumptions | kWh/use | Estimated cost/use |
|---|---|---|---|
| One zone, 15 minutes | 1,500 W × 0.25 h × 60% duty | 0.2250 | $0.04 Range $0.02–$0.05 |
| One zone, 30 minutes | 1,500 W × 0.5 h × 60% duty | 0.4500 | $0.07 Range $0.05–$0.11 |
| Two zones, 1 hour | 2,000 W combined × 1 h × 50% duty | 1.0000 | $0.16 Range $0.11–$0.24 |
Illustrative usage, priced at the same Texas state average as the calculator. Costs are rounded to cents; actual consumption and your utility price can differ.
Calculate your own usage
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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?
Does keeping a lid on the pot save money?
Is induction worth it for electricity savings alone?
Related appliance cost guides
- Electric Oven Cost per Hour of Baking
- Pressure Cooker Electricity Cost per Meal
- Electric Kettle Cost per Boil and Month
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