🍳 Kitchen
How Much Does a Toaster Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh (July 2026), a toaster costs about $0.22 per month at typical usage — 7 uses/week at 0.04 kWh each.
Per use
0.7¢
0.04 kWh per use
Per day
0.7¢
7 uses/week at 0.04 kWh each
Per month
$0.22
1.2 kWh
Per year
$2.67
15 kWh
A two-slice toaster draws about 900 watts for two to three minutes — call it 0.03–0.05 kWh per use. Daily toast costs pennies per month everywhere in the country.
Calculate it for your home
Per use
0.7¢
Per day
0.7¢
Per month
$0.22
Per year
$2.67
Uses 1.2 kWh/month at 18.3¢ per kWh.
Cheapest and most expensive states
Monthly cost at typical usage, using each state's current average residential rate.
Cost in every state
| State | Rate (¢/kWh) | Per use | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | 12.7 | 0.5¢ | $0.15 | $1.85 |
| Nevada | 12.8 | 0.5¢ | $0.16 | $1.87 |
| Utah | 13.1 | 0.5¢ | $0.16 | $1.91 |
| North Dakota | 13.4 | 0.5¢ | $0.16 | $1.96 |
| Idaho | 13.7 | 0.5¢ | $0.17 | $2.00 |
| Tennessee | 13.7 | 0.5¢ | $0.17 | $2.00 |
| Kentucky | 13.8 | 0.6¢ | $0.17 | $2.01 |
| Nebraska | 13.8 | 0.6¢ | $0.17 | $2.01 |
| Arkansas | 14.3 | 0.6¢ | $0.17 | $2.09 |
| Oklahoma | 14.4 | 0.6¢ | $0.18 | $2.10 |
| Wyoming | 14.4 | 0.6¢ | $0.18 | $2.10 |
| Mississippi | 14.5 | 0.6¢ | $0.18 | $2.12 |
| Washington | 14.7 | 0.6¢ | $0.18 | $2.15 |
| Florida | 15.0 | 0.6¢ | $0.18 | $2.19 |
| Montana | 15.0 | 0.6¢ | $0.18 | $2.19 |
| North Carolina | 15.2 | 0.6¢ | $0.18 | $2.22 |
| Kansas | 15.3 | 0.6¢ | $0.19 | $2.23 |
| Arizona | 15.4 | 0.6¢ | $0.19 | $2.25 |
| South Dakota | 15.4 | 0.6¢ | $0.19 | $2.25 |
| South Carolina | 15.5 | 0.6¢ | $0.19 | $2.26 |
| West Virginia | 15.8 | 0.6¢ | $0.19 | $2.31 |
| Texas | 15.9 | 0.6¢ | $0.19 | $2.32 |
| Iowa | 16.0 | 0.6¢ | $0.19 | $2.34 |
| Oregon | 16.0 | 0.6¢ | $0.19 | $2.34 |
| Missouri | 16.1 | 0.6¢ | $0.20 | $2.35 |
| New Mexico | 16.1 | 0.6¢ | $0.20 | $2.35 |
| Georgia | 16.3 | 0.7¢ | $0.20 | $2.38 |
| Alabama | 16.4 | 0.7¢ | $0.20 | $2.39 |
| Indiana | 16.7 | 0.7¢ | $0.20 | $2.44 |
| Colorado | 17.0 | 0.7¢ | $0.21 | $2.48 |
| Minnesota | 17.5 | 0.7¢ | $0.21 | $2.55 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | 0.7¢ | $0.21 | $2.57 |
| Delaware | 18.5 | 0.7¢ | $0.22 | $2.70 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1 | 0.8¢ | $0.23 | $2.79 |
| Illinois | 19.2 | 0.8¢ | $0.23 | $2.80 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 0.8¢ | $0.24 | $2.85 |
| Maryland | 21.4 | 0.9¢ | $0.26 | $3.12 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7 | 0.9¢ | $0.26 | $3.17 |
| Michigan | 23.1 | 0.9¢ | $0.28 | $3.37 |
| Vermont | 23.8 | 1.0¢ | $0.29 | $3.47 |
| Connecticut | 24.2 | 1.0¢ | $0.29 | $3.53 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.2 | 1.0¢ | $0.31 | $3.68 |
| New Jersey | 25.2 | 1.0¢ | $0.31 | $3.68 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6 | 1.1¢ | $0.32 | $3.88 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 1.1¢ | $0.34 | $4.13 |
| Alaska | 28.8 | 1.2¢ | $0.35 | $4.20 |
| New York | 29.9 | 1.2¢ | $0.36 | $4.37 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5 | 1.2¢ | $0.37 | $4.45 |
| Maine | 32.4 | 1.3¢ | $0.39 | $4.73 |
| California | 33.6 | 1.3¢ | $0.41 | $4.91 |
| Hawaii | 48.0 | 1.9¢ | $0.58 | $7.01 |
How to lower the cost
- Match the appliance to the portion: microwave and air fryer beat the big oven for anything small.
- Keep refrigerator coils clean and gaskets tight — it runs 24/7, so small inefficiencies compound.
- Run the dishwasher full and skip heated dry.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a toaster use?
A typical toaster uses about 0.04 kWh per use. At 7 uses per week, that's roughly 1.2 kWh per month.
How much does one use of a toaster cost?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh, each use costs about 0.7¢. That ranges from 0.5¢ in Louisiana to 1.9¢ in Hawaii.
How much does a toaster cost to run per month?
With typical usage (7 uses/week at 0.04 kWh each), expect about $0.22 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $0.15 in Louisiana up to $0.58 in Hawaii. Rates are as of July 2026.
Does a toaster use a lot of electricity?
Not really — at typical usage it's under 1% of an average home's monthly consumption. Heating, cooling, hot water, and drying are the loads that move bills.