How Much Electricity (Power) Does A Toaster Use?
Toasters are, next to clothing irons, the most popular house appliance in the world. With the busy lifestyle, an increasing number of people are using toasters at home to make tasty meals in a matter of minutes. Other than the fact the toaster makes quick meals, they are also extremely user-friendly and easy to clean. But the toasters work by using electrical energy just like most devices in our home. So the real question is how much electricity (power) do they really consume? In this article, we’ll explain it.
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How Much Electricity (Power) Does A Toaster Use?
So How Much Electricity (Power) Does A Toaster Use? Typically, the bread toaster usually uses between 800 to 1500 watts of energy, while the average toaster will use around 1200W. Toasting the 6 slices of bread usually takes about 12 minutes. Therefore, if we use the toaster for 12 minutes, we’ll consume 7.2 kW per month which is equal to $0.93.
There are two types of toasters, 2-slice bread toasters, and 4-slice bread toasters. Most 2-slice toasters use between 700 to 1100 watts of power, where 800 watts is the average value. When it comes to 4-slice toasters, they consume between 1100 to 2500 watts of power, where 1500 watts is the average value.
Toasters work by converting electricity into heat. Wires turning into a flaming red color is an indicator that electricity is flowing through them. The best way to know how much electricity a toaster use is to check the label on the toaster. Here are some of the most popular toasters on the market and their power consumption:
| Toaster Model | Power (Watts) | Price: |
|---|---|---|
| Die-Cast 2-Slice Smart Toaster | 900 Watts | $0.11 |
| Bakery Artisan Toaster Cuisinart | 1500 Watts | $0.19 |
| DASH Clear View Toaster | 1100 Watts | $0.14 |
| 2-Slice Toaster SMEG | 950 Watts | $0.12 |
| R180 Toaster Revolution Cooking | 1500 Watts | $0.19 |
It is important to point out that if you do like toast, the toaster is for sure the cheapest, most eco-friendly, and fastest way to get bread in that form. “Toasting” your bread on a stove or in the oven is possible but more time-consuming, and most importantly it uses a much greater amount of electricity. Therefore, that option is not the right way to go.
If you want to know How Much Power (Watts) Does An Electric Iron Use, which also falls under very used home appliances read our article.
2-Slice Vs 4-Slice Toaster: Power Consumption Difference
A 4-slice toaster is much better when it comes to larger families that toast round after round. The four-slice toasters usually consume more power than 2-slice toasters as we will show in the table below. Therefore, choosing the right toaster is essential to reduce the electricity consumption in your household.
2-Slice Toaster Electricity Cost: (By Time and Wattage of Toaster)
| Toasting Time | 900W | 950W | 1000W | 1050W |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 sec | 0.22 cents | 0.23 cents | 0.24 cents | 0.25 cents |
| 1 min | 0.43 cents | 0.45 cents | 0.48 cents | 0.50 cents |
| 2 min | 0.86 cents | 0.91 cents | 0.96 cents | 1.00 cents |
| 3 min | 1.29 cents | 1.36 cents | 1.44 cents | 1.51 cents |
| 4 min | 1.72 cents | 1.82 cents | 1.91 cents | 2.01 cents |
| 5 min | 2.15 cents | 2.27 cents | 2.39 cents | 2.51 cents |
| Annual Cost: | $4.71 | $4.96 | $5.26 | $5.51 |
4-Slice Toaster Electricity Cost: (By Time and Wattage of Toaster)
| Toasting Time | 1500W | 1700W | 2000W | 2300W |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 sec | 0.36 cents | 0.41 cents | 0.48 cents | 0.55 cents |
| 1 min | 0.72 cents | 0.81 cents | 0.96 cents | 1.1 cents |
| 2 min | 1.44 cents | 1.63 cents | 1.91 cents | 2.2 cents |
| 3 min | 2.15 cents | 2.44 cents | 2.87 cents | 3.3 cents |
| 4 min | 2.87 cents | 3.25 cents | 3.83 cents | 4.4 cents |
| 5 min | 3.59 cents | 4.07 cents | 4.78 cents | 5.5 cents |
| Annual Cost: | $7.68 | $8.90 | $10.48 | $12.04 |
Calculate How Much Power Does a Toaster Use
Toaster ovens usually use a bit more power than regular toasters, where most of them consume around 1,200 watts. There are even some models that go over that consumption rate by an extra 500 watts leaving you at 1,700 watts. The formula for calculating the electricity consumption for toaster ovens is the same as for normal toasters: Watts x Hours divided by 1,000.
Since most people are likely to use a toaster oven more often than a toaster (because of a bigger variety of foods), we will put an average using time per day to be 30 minutes which is 0.5 hours.
1,200 watts x 0.5 hours = 600 Wh / 1,000 = 0.6 kWh daily
With the average rate of 13 cents per 1 kWh, you will be spending $0.078 per day, $2.34 per month, and $28.08 per year by owning and regularly using a toaster.
Measure The Power Consumption Of A Toaster
By using a Kill A Watt Meter you can easily measure and calculate the real power consumption of any electric device including the toaster. This is for sure the best and most accurate way to know precisely how much your toaster uses electricity. These devices are very affordable and can be found on Amazon. Simply attach the Kill A Watt meter into the outlet and then plug your toaster into this measuring device. All electricity that goes true electric socket will be measured.
How Much Energy (Watts) Do Toaster & Toaster Oven Use?
Most small electrical kitchen appliances use a smaller amount of electricity but once gathered up, the amount is not negligible. To clarify it, here is an easily comprehendible equation: Watts (W) = Volts (V) x Amperes (I).
A typical toaster usually consumes around 1.2 kWh of energy during the use which costs $0.15 cents, where the average electricity price is 13 cents per 1 kWh. The working principle on how the toaster works are by using electricity to heat the heating element that is made up of nichrome.
Keep in mind that toasters, and toaster ovens specifically, are not at the top of the chart by electricity usage. The Refrigerator, oven, and dishwasher, for example, are the giant consumers of energy. An awesome indicator of low power usage is usually the Energy Star label that is awarded to home and office products that are highly energy efficient. The label represents energy products that protect the environment and save consumers money.
Things To Know While Acquiring An Energy Efficient Toaster
1. Toasters With Long Slots
Toasters with long and wide slots are usually meant for longer pastries such as English muffins, artisan bread slices, home-baked bread, etc. Longer slots consequently use more electricity. So, if you do not toast long pastries and want to save energy, buy a toaster with slots for regular commercial bread pieces. The reason behind this is that when using a longer slot for a regular-sized loaf of bread, a big part of the heating elements is heating empty space and therefore wasting money and electricity.
2. Four-Slice Toaster With Dual Controls
Some of the higher quality four-slice toasters have a dual control option that provides switching of half of the panel or using two different modes of toasting at the same time. This way every part of the toaster is being used and no power is going to waste. It is important to point out that a four-slice toaster without this setting will most definitely waste some energy because you will not be preparing four pieces at the same time every time when using it.
3. Try To Avoid LED Indicators
LED indicators are quite common on toasters, especially on newer models. They indicate when the toasted pastry is ready to be served. LED indicator lights use insignificant amounts of electricity, but if left on non-stop the electricity usage will pile on. It is estimated that the electricity usage of one light for one year is almost half the electricity the whole toaster would use throughout the year. So, if you want to save power and money, buy a toaster that does not have LED indicators or turn the indicators off.
4. Pick A Toaster With A Covered Top
When the pastry is being toasted, hot air inside the toaster rises. In most cases when the toaster does not have a covered top, the hot air escapes into the kitchen. If the toaster is covered on the top, the heat stays within the toaster and less electricity is required for it to perform. It once again saves electricity and time.
Does A Toaster Use A Lot Of Electricity?
Typically, most 2-slice toasters consume around 850W of power, while the ‘high-power’ and wide slots toasters can consume an extra 300W more energy. On the other hand, the 4-slice toasters need more electricity and are usually consuming between 1400W and 2300W of power. Electricity consumption is expressed in kWh, and the price of 1 kWh in the US is around 13 cents.
Toaster vs Toaster Ovens: Which is More Efficient?
Toaster ovens are multipurpose appliances unlike 2-Slice or 4-Slice Toasters. They are very handy, but the question in check is: do they save you power in comparison to regular toasters? In many situations they do. For example, when wanting to reheat small meals and snacks, it’s much smarter to use toaster ovens than regular full-size ovens.
Full-size conventional ovens take more time to heat up food and use three times more power than a toaster oven would. Although microwave ovens are better in efficiency than both the toaster oven and the conventional oven, they are not good for all types of foods, bread especially. So, the best option is to use a combination of both, based on the meal choice.
How Much Power Does A Toaster Use In An Hour?
A typical bread toaster consumes around 0.9 kWh of energy during the 1 hour of use. It will cost you 12 cents to run a toaster for an hour. Keep in mind that a modern toaster has power between 800 and 1,500 Watts and to toasts a slice of bread in one to three minutes.
Depending on the wattage of your toaster, the humidity in your bread, the temperature of your kitchen, and other factors, the cost of your toaster can range from a dime to over 13 cents per hour. But it is important to note that the lower the wattage, the lower the cost.
Reminder: how to calculate your electrical energy consumption
- The electricity of the toaster is calculated in kilowatt-hours. 1 kWh = 1,000 Watts / hour.
- If a toaster has a power of 1 kW, it consumes 1 kWh in 1 hour. 1 kWh costs around $0.13
- Energy = power x time. So 3 kW x 3 hours = 9 kWh.
If you want to know more, read our new article about How Much Power (kWh) Does a Blender Use?
How To Choose The Toaster To Save Energy?
Most toasters use around 900 watts of energy per hour which ends up being less than 25-kilowatt hours throughout the whole year. Our recommendation would be to focus on finding the best quality toasters that are durable. Because, even if you do find a toaster that uses less energy, it will not mean anything if it stops working after less than a year.
Additionally, buying a new toaster every few months will require more energy in transportation and disposal than average energy using a toaster that will last you a fair amount of time would. So, focus on reliability over energy efficiency. Long warranty periods usually mean that the toaster is durable and made of good quality materials.
Conclusion
Now that you have read all the possible information you might need on how much electricity a toaster uses, its comparison to other appliances, and ways to make your toaster more power-efficient, the only remaining thing to do is to choose some of the toaster models that we have recommended for you!
The best and simplest way to know what toaster to buy is to look at the number of watts that toaster has. The lower the number of watts is, the less electricity it uses. So, when you go into a store or visit a website to check out the toaster you want, just look at the watts usage on each one and choose the most eco and wallet-friendly option. I hope that this article helped you.
