How much does it cost to run a toaster oven?
A toaster oven drawing 1,200 watts, used about 15 minutes a day, uses about 0.30 kWh per day and costs about $0.06 per day, $1.77 per month, and $21.25 per year at the US average residential rate of 19.4¢/kWh. Enter your own wattage, hours, and state below for an exact figure.
Estimates only — based on typical wattages and average state rates, not your actual bill.
What drives the cost
A toaster oven draws around 1,200 watts but usually runs for only a few minutes at a time. For small jobs it's substantially cheaper than heating a full-size oven cavity.
Cost at different daily usage
Same toaster oven at 1,200 watts, run for different amounts of time, at 19.4¢/kWh.
| Usage | kWh/day | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 min/day | 0.14 kWh | $0.03 | $0.85 | $10.20 |
| 15 min/day | 0.30 kWh | $0.06 | $1.77 | $21.25 |
| 30 min/day | 0.60 kWh | $0.12 | $3.55 | $42.51 |
| 1 h/day | 1.20 kWh | $0.23 | $7.09 | $85.02 |
Cost by model power draw
Not all models are equal. At 15 min/day, here is what the range costs.
| Model | Power | kWh/day | Per day | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low-draw model | 800 W | 0.20 kWh | $0.04 | $1.18 |
| Typical | 1,200 W | 0.30 kWh | $0.06 | $1.77 |
| High-draw model | 1,800 W | 0.45 kWh | $0.09 | $2.66 |
Cost by state
A toaster oven at 1,200 W for 15 min/day, priced at each state's average residential rate.
| State | Rate | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16.8¢ | $0.05 | $1.53 | $18.36 |
| Alaska | 28.2¢ | $0.08 | $2.58 | $30.91 |
| Arizona | 15.2¢ | $0.05 | $1.39 | $16.68 |
| Arkansas | 14.4¢ | $0.04 | $1.31 | $15.72 |
| California | 33.2¢ | $0.10 | $3.04 | $36.41 |
| Colorado | 16.2¢ | $0.05 | $1.48 | $17.70 |
| Connecticut | 27.4¢ | $0.08 | $2.50 | $29.97 |
| Delaware | 19.4¢ | $0.06 | $1.77 | $21.22 |
| District of Columbia | 25.4¢ | $0.08 | $2.32 | $27.81 |
| Florida | 15.2¢ | $0.05 | $1.39 | $16.61 |
| Georgia | 15.8¢ | $0.05 | $1.45 | $17.34 |
| Hawaii | 52.0¢ | $0.16 | $4.75 | $56.94 |
| Idaho | 12.3¢ | $0.04 | $1.13 | $13.52 |
| Illinois | 23.9¢ | $0.07 | $2.18 | $26.12 |
| Indiana | 18.1¢ | $0.05 | $1.66 | $19.87 |
| Iowa | 14.1¢ | $0.04 | $1.29 | $15.48 |
| Kansas | 15.1¢ | $0.05 | $1.38 | $16.57 |
| Kentucky | 15.0¢ | $0.04 | $1.37 | $16.40 |
| Louisiana | 14.2¢ | $0.04 | $1.29 | $15.49 |
| Maine | 28.6¢ | $0.09 | $2.61 | $31.35 |
| Maryland | 21.8¢ | $0.07 | $1.99 | $23.84 |
| Massachusetts | 28.8¢ | $0.09 | $2.63 | $31.56 |
| Michigan | 22.0¢ | $0.07 | $2.01 | $24.10 |
| Minnesota | 16.9¢ | $0.05 | $1.55 | $18.56 |
| Mississippi | 16.2¢ | $0.05 | $1.48 | $17.70 |
| Missouri | 13.7¢ | $0.04 | $1.25 | $14.98 |
| Montana | 14.7¢ | $0.04 | $1.34 | $16.06 |
| Nebraska | 13.6¢ | $0.04 | $1.24 | $14.88 |
| Nevada | 13.6¢ | $0.04 | $1.24 | $14.89 |
| New Hampshire | 27.3¢ | $0.08 | $2.50 | $29.93 |
| New Jersey | 23.3¢ | $0.07 | $2.13 | $25.48 |
| New Mexico | 14.1¢ | $0.04 | $1.29 | $15.46 |
| New York | 29.9¢ | $0.09 | $2.73 | $32.77 |
| North Carolina | 15.1¢ | $0.05 | $1.38 | $16.52 |
| North Dakota | 13.6¢ | $0.04 | $1.24 | $14.90 |
| Ohio | 19.5¢ | $0.06 | $1.78 | $21.37 |
| Oklahoma | 13.4¢ | $0.04 | $1.22 | $14.65 |
| Oregon | 16.3¢ | $0.05 | $1.49 | $17.82 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.6¢ | $0.06 | $1.97 | $23.60 |
| Rhode Island | 29.5¢ | $0.09 | $2.69 | $32.26 |
| South Carolina | 16.2¢ | $0.05 | $1.48 | $17.72 |
| South Dakota | 15.7¢ | $0.05 | $1.44 | $17.22 |
| Tennessee | 14.5¢ | $0.04 | $1.32 | $15.84 |
| Texas | 16.4¢ | $0.05 | $1.50 | $18.00 |
| Utah | 13.0¢ | $0.04 | $1.18 | $14.19 |
| Vermont | 24.9¢ | $0.07 | $2.27 | $27.25 |
| Virginia | 17.6¢ | $0.05 | $1.61 | $19.28 |
| Washington | 14.9¢ | $0.04 | $1.37 | $16.37 |
| West Virginia | 16.8¢ | $0.05 | $1.53 | $18.40 |
| Wisconsin | 19.7¢ | $0.06 | $1.80 | $21.62 |
| Wyoming | 14.8¢ | $0.04 | $1.35 | $16.21 |
How to cut the cost
- Use it for anything that fits — reheating, toasting, small bakes.
- Don't preheat for toasting or reheating.
- Keep the interior clean; baked-on residue reduces reflectivity and efficiency.
Compare with related appliances
Monthly cost at typical usage and 19.4¢/kWh.
Questions
Is a toaster oven cheaper than a regular oven?
For small quantities, yes. It heats far less space and reaches temperature faster.
How do you calculate what a toaster oven costs to run?
Multiply its wattage by the hours it runs per day, divide by 1,000 to get kilowatt-hours, then multiply by your electricity rate. For a toaster oven: 1,200 W × 0.25 h ÷ 1,000 = 0.30 kWh per day, which at 19.4¢/kWh is $0.06 per day.
How many watts does a toaster oven use?
Typically 1,200 watts, with most models falling between 800 and 1,800 watts. The label on the appliance or its power supply gives the figure for your specific unit.