Are slow cookers energy efficient? Here’s how much they cost to run

As the weather begins to cool down ready for autumn, many of us will be dusting off our trusty slow cooker reader for some warming, homely dishes.

But with energy bills rising, you may also be wondering how the appliance affects your bills.

Ofgem’s ceiling on fuel and electricity bills – currently set to the equivalent of £1,971 a year for the average household – is already set to jump by more than 80% to £3,549 in October.

Based on current trends, it is likely to double from that figure to £7,263 when the cap is reviewed in April, according to consultants Auxilione.

But how much does a slow cooker cost to run and how does it stack up against other cooking appliances? Here’s what you need to know:

How much does a slow cooker cost to run?

According to USwitch, slow cookers are among the kitchen’s most energy-efficient appliances.

While they take longer to cook a meal, they’re rated at as little as 200 watts – less than a tenth of some electric ovens.

An average-sized slow cooker uses just 1.3 kWh per meal cooked.

Multiple things affect this number, such as the setting you cook on whether that be low or high, and the size of the slow cooker itself.

According to research by energy supplier Utilita, Slow cookers cost roughly 16p a day, or £59 annually to run.

In comparison, the average electric oven has a power rating of 2.0 to 2.2 kWh, which means they consume between 2,000 and 2,200 watts for every hour they’re being used on medium-to-high heat.

This puts their daily cost 87p a day to run an electric cooker, adding up to £26.38 a month, or £316 a year

A cheaper option is an air fryer, which costs just 14p a day to people’s energy bills, or £52 a year.

The most cost-effective appliance in your kitchen may be the microwave, which uses on average 1,500 watts every hour with a power rating of 1.5 kWh, though you are unlikely to use the appliance for this amount of time.

Microwaves cost an estimated 8p a day to use, or £30 annually.

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