How much does a toaster cost to run?
At the current price cap, a toaster costs about 1.2p per round of toast (3 minutes), or around £4.32 a year with typical use.
Toaster
- An hour
- 23.7p
- A day used
- 1.7p
- A week
- 8.3p
- A month
- 36p
- Energy a year
- 16.4 kWh
900 W for 4 minutes a day, 5 days a week, at 26.32p per kWh.
Excludes the daily standing charge, which you pay whatever you use.
How it compares
Yearly cost with typical use, at your unit rate.
Toaster running costs
At 26.32p per kWh, with typical use of 4 minutes a day, 5 days a week.
| Period | Energy | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Per round of toast (3 minutes) | 0.05 kWh | 1.2p |
| Per hour in use | 0.9 kWh | 23.7p |
| Per week | 0.32 kWh | 8.3p |
| Per month | 1.37 kWh | 36p |
| Per year | 16.4 kWh | £4.32 |
How the cost varies
800 W 2-slice to 1,500 W 4-slice toasters, for 3 minutes.
| Energy use | Per round of toast (3 minutes) | Per year (typical use) |
|---|---|---|
| Lower | 1.1p | £3.84 |
| Typical | 1.2p | £4.32 |
| Higher | 2p | £7.21 |
Kitchen appliances compared
Yearly cost with typical use, at 26.32p per kWh.
| Appliance | Per hour | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Fridge freezer | 0.8p | £69.17 |
| Dishwasher | 13.2p | £54.90 |
| Kettle | 79p | £28.82 |
| Bean-to-cup coffee machine | 38.2p | £13.93 |
| Toaster (this page) | 23.7p | £4.32 |
Ways to spend less
- A toaster is cheaper than the grill for toast, because the grill heats a much bigger space.
- Use the single-slot setting if your 4-slice toaster has one.
- Empty the crumb tray. Burnt crumbs don’t raise the cost much, but they can be a fire risk.
How we calculate this
We take a typical toaster at 900 watts, used 4 minutes a day, 5 days a week, and multiply the energy it uses by the Ofgem price cap unit rate of 26.32p per kWh.
One round of toast (3 minutes) uses about 0.05 kWh. Use the calculator above with your own appliance’s power and how you use it for a closer figure.
Questions people ask
How much does a toaster cost to run a year?
With typical use (4 minutes a day, 5 days a week), about £4.32 a year at the current price cap, or 36p a month.
How much does it cost to make toast?
A round of toast uses about 0.045 kWh, around a penny at the current price cap.
Is a toaster cheaper than a grill?
Yes. A grill can draw 2 kW or more and takes time to heat up, while a toaster heats just the bread for a few minutes.
Does this include the standing charge?
No. The standing charge (54.83p a day under the current cap, about £200.13 a year) is a fixed daily cost for being connected. It does not change with how much you use any appliance.
Related calculators
- Kettle running costCosts per use and per year.
- Bean-to-cup coffee machine running costCosts per use and per year.
- Fridge freezer running costCosts per use and per year.
- Dishwasher running costCosts per use and per year.
- Appliance running cost calculatorCompare any appliance, at your own rate.
- Energy bill calculatorYour whole yearly bill at the price cap.