How much does a toaster cost to run?

Figures on this page are calculated from typical appliance wattages and the price per kWh you enter, not looked up from a bill. See how we calculate this.

What a toaster costs to run: typical 1100 W, about $7 a year. Adjust the figures to your own usage and electricity price.

Wattage and running cost

Based on 0.1 h a day at $0.18/kWh, the US average. Change the hours and the price in the calculator above.

A toaster is a good example of why high power does not always mean high cost. Most toasters draw between 800 and 1,800 watts, similar to a small heater, but they run for only a couple of minutes at a time. Toasting is short and direct: the elements glow, the bread browns, and the appliance switches off. That brief run time keeps the cost per use tiny even though the wattage is substantial.

Because a toaster is used for such short bursts, there is very little to optimise and almost nothing to worry about on the bill. It converts nearly all its electricity into heat aimed straight at the bread, so it is inherently efficient for the job. The only real waste is running it half-empty or re-toasting because the setting was wrong. Compared with the oven grill, which heats a large cavity to do the same job, a toaster is far cheaper for a slice or two — reach for it rather than the grill when you can.

It is also worth remembering that toasting has a natural limit: bread only needs so much heat to brown, and then the toaster pops and stops. Unlike heating or cooling, there is no way to leave one running by accident for long, so it belongs firmly in the group of appliances whose high wattage never translates into a high bill.

Toaster size changes the wattage more than most people notice: a compact 2-slice model typically draws 700-900 W, while a wide 4-slice toaster made to handle bagels or thick bread often draws 1,500-1,800 W to heat twice the elements at once. Buying a 4-slice model because it looks more capable, then mostly using two of the four slots, means paying for heating elements that sit idle — matching the toaster's capacity to how many slices you actually make at once is the simplest way to avoid that.

What a toaster costs in other countries

The figures above assume $0.18/kWh, the US average. A toaster does not change when it crosses a border — the price of the electricity it drinks does. Here is what its 40 kWh a year cost in the 14 countries with a page here, dearest first.

Each figure is in that country's own currency at its average all-taxes-included price; the dollar column is there so they can be set against each other. Ireland to Canada is a factor of 3.8 — same appliance, same hours, 3.8 times the bill. Follow a country for its real retailer tariffs and what makes up that price, or see the full electricity price comparison by country.

How to cut toaster running costs

• Use the toaster instead of the oven grill for a slice or two — far less energy.
• Match the browning setting to your bread so you don't re-toast.
• Only run the slots you're filling on models that let you switch off one side.
• Unplug it if you dislike the standby light; the saving is tiny but harmless.
• Keep the crumb tray clean so it toasts efficiently and safely.

Frequently asked questions