Electric Oven vs Slow Cooker: Which Costs Less to Run?
Eight hours at 200 watts versus one hour at 2,400 — the tortoise-and-hare of kitchen energy.
Electric Oven · per month
$13.72
1 hour/day · 2,000–5,000 W
Slow Cooker · per month
$2.45
3 uses/week at 1 kWh each · 200 W
Verdict
Roughly a tie on energy per meal, with the slow cooker usually edging ahead — its long runtime at low wattage totals about the same or slightly less than an hour of oven cycling. The slow cooker wins decisively in summer by not heating the kitchen, and on cheap cuts it wins the grocery bill too.
Side by side
| Electric Oven | Slow Cooker | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical power | 2,000–5,000 W | 200 W |
| Typical usage | 1 hour/day | 3 uses/week at 1 kWh each |
| Energy per month | 73 kWh | 13 kWh |
| Cost per month (US avg) | $13.72 | $2.45 |
| Cost per year (US avg) | $165 | $29.41 |
| Cost per month in Hawaii | $34.00 | $6.07 |
Rates as of April 2026. Adjust the assumptions on each appliance's page: Electric Oven · Slow Cooker.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper to run: a electric oven or a slow cooker?
At typical usage and the current U.S. average rate (18.8¢/kWh), the slow cooker is cheaper: about $2.45/month versus $13.72/month for the electric oven — a difference of $11.27 per month.
How much could I save per year by choosing the slow cooker?
About $135 per year at typical usage and average rates. In Hawaii (46.6¢/kWh) the annual gap grows to roughly $335.
Do these numbers apply to my state?
The ratio between the two stays the same everywhere, but the dollar gap scales with your rate — from North Dakota at 12.4¢/kWh to Hawaii at 46.6¢/kWh. Open each appliance's page for the exact cost in your state.