Cost to run

How much does a slow cooker cost for 8 hours?

A slow cooker trades power for time: an element drawing about as much as two light bulbs runs all day. Even an eight-hour braise totals modest energy compared with oven alternatives.

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
Low, all workday	8 hours on low, ten times a month	11.52	$1.23–$2.74	$67.61
High, half day	4 hours on high, ten times a month	9.52	$1.01–$2.26	$55.87
Weekend meal prep	10-hour low sessions, four times a month	5.76	$0.61–$1.37	$84.52

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.

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Low power for long hours still totals small

At under two hundred watts on the low setting, eight hours of braising consumes little more than one kilowatt-hour. The ceramic crock and lid trap heat efficiently, letting the element coast once the contents reach a safe simmer.

Low versus high is mostly about time

Both settings converge on a similar simmering temperature; high simply gets there faster with a stronger element. Total energy for a finished pot often lands surprisingly close between a short high cook and a long low one.

Slow cooker caveats worth knowing

Scenarios assume the lid stays on; each peek releases steam and lengthens element-on time. Keep-warm mode draws less but still counts across long afternoons, and this page does not address food-safety timing rules for any specific recipe.

Frequently asked questions

Is a slow cooker cheaper than the oven for a roast?

Usually. Its small element and insulated crock hold a simmer for hours on less total energy than a large oven cavity kept at braising temperature.

Does the high setting cost double the low setting?

Per hour it draws more, but it also finishes sooner. Per finished dish the two settings often cost within tens of percent of each other.

Is leaving it on all day while at work expensive?

No — the all-workday scenario above shows the engine-calculated total. The draw resembles a couple of incandescent bulbs, which is exactly the appliance's design point.

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