We use ovens and stoves to cook all the time, and these days, electric ovens are only gaining in popularity. While not quite as power-hungry as whole-home appliances like air conditioners, it’s important to know how much electricity your oven and stove uses when you’re looking at your whole home’s energy usage, especially because they are relatively high wattage devices.
Key takeaways about powering an oven and stove
- On average, electric stoves use 1,000 to 3,000 watts of electricity.
- Ovens use 2,000 to 5,000 watts of electricity on average.
- Using a stove and oven for a combined 7 hours per week will use about 1,022 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per year.
- It costs an average of $12.08 to run a stove and oven for a month, and about $145 for a year
- The best way to save on electricity is to install solar panels – start comparing your options on the EnergySage Marketplace today.
In this article
- How much electricity does an electric stove and oven use?
- Definitions: watts, volts, amps, and more
- How much does it cost to power an oven or stove?
How much electricity does an electric stove and oven use?
Generally, electric stoves use between 1,000 and 3,000 watts (W) of electricity, depending on the model, whereas ovens use between 2,000 and 5,000 watts (W) of electricity, depending on the model. Most ovens and stoves use anywhere from 20 to 60 amps, and connect to a 240 volt outlet.
Over the course of a year, an average 2,800 W oven and electric stove might combine to cost about $145 to use – that’s about $12.08 on each of your monthly electric bills. Importantly, this is just an estimate! Depending on the size of oven and electric burner you’re using, the length of time you’re cooking food for, and the specific model you use, your costs can vary significantly.
Different wattage ovens and stoves use different amounts of electricity over the course of a year. Assuming you run your range an average amount (1 hour combined per day, every day), here’s how much electricity you’ll use over the course of a year:
How many watts do different ovens and stoves use in a year?
| Range wattage | Hours per year run | Yearly kWh of electricity |
|---|---|---|
| 2,000 W | 365 | 730 kWh |
| 2,400 W | 365 | 876 kWh |
| 2,800 W | 365 | 1,022 kWh |
| 3,200 W | 365 | 1,168 kWh |
| 3,600 W | 365 | 1,314 kWh |
| 4,000 W | 365 | 1,460 kWh |
| 4,400 W | 365 | 1,606 kWh |
| 4,800 W | 365 | 1,752 kWh |
We’ll mostly be referring to the electricity used by stoves and ovens in terms of kWh in this article. The reason is simple: your electric bill is measured in kWh, and you get charged based on the kWh of electricity you use per month!
How many volts and amps does a stove use?
The wattage of an appliance is determined from its voltage and amperage. Stoves and ovens are energy-intensive appliances, and need to be connected to a 240 volt outlet. They can pull anywhere from 20 to 60 amps.
Watts, amps, voltage, and more: what do they mean?
There are a lot of terms you can use to describe how electricity flows and is used by appliances. We’ve already mentioned most of them – here are a few definitions to keep things straight:
- Volts (V): volts (short for voltage) are measures of electrical pressure differences. Put simply, voltage is the speed of electricity passing through a circuit.
- Amps (A): amps (short for amperes) are a measure of electrical current. Put simply, amps are the amount of electrons (which make up electricity) flowing through a circuit.
- Watts (W) and kilowatts (kW): multiplying volts x amps gets you watts (or wattage). Put simply, watts are the rate of electricity consumption. A kilowatt is just 1,000 watts.
- Kilowatt-hours (kWh): lastly, kilowatt-hours are how your electric bill measures your energy usage. Simply put, kilowatt-hours are electricity consumption over time.
You can think of all of these terms like water flowing through a pipe. Voltage is the water pressure, amps are the amount of water flowing past any point, and wattage is the overall rate of water flow through the pipe.
How much does it cost to power an oven?
When you get your monthly electric bill, you only get to see the total amount you’re charged, not how much each appliance contributes to your final bill. Based on an average wattage of 2,800 W for ovens (amounting to 1,022 kWh/year if you use your oven like an average household would) and using state average electricity rates, here’s how the cost to run an oven and stove pans out over the course of a month and a year:
Monthly and yearly costs to run an oven by state
| State | Average electricity rate | Cost per month | Cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 22.00 ¢ / kWh | $18.75 | $225 |
| New York | 20.59 ¢ / kWh | $17.50 | $210 |
| Texas | 12.56 ¢ / kWh | $10.67 | $128 |
| Massachusetts | 22.59 ¢ / kWh | $19.25 | $231 |
| Florida | 12.21 ¢ / kWh | $10.42 | $125 |
| Virginia | 12.58 ¢ / kWh | $10.75 | $129 |
| New Jersey | 16.20 ¢ / kWh | $13.83 | $166 |
| Maryland | 14.48 ¢ / kWh | $12.33 | $148 |
| Washington | 10.38 ¢ / kWh | $8.83 | $106 |
| US Average | 14.19 ¢ / kWh | $12.08 | $145 |
Note: average electricity rates are based on October 2021 data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
Looking to offset your electric bills (and the energy these appliances use) with solar? When you sign up (for free!) on the EnergySage Marketplace, you can compare solar quotes from high-quality, local solar installers. Make sure to keep in mind your current and future electricity usage, and talk about how that could change with your installer for the most accurate quotes.
Calculate how much energy your own oven and electric stove uses
If you want to know how much electricity your range uses (or at least is supposed to use), you’ll need to know the exact wattage of your appliance. Take that number and multiply it by the hours you think you’ll cook with your oven and stove for the year to get a total yearly energy usage estimate. Finally, multiply this number by the average electricity rate in your area to get an estimate of how much you spend to power your electric range each year. For an estimated monthly cost, divide the estimated yearly cost by 12.
See what electricity costs near you
The more expensive your electricity is, the more you’ll pay to power your oven, stove, and other appliances. Curious how much electricity costs near you? Click on your state to learn more:
Frequently asked questions about powering an electric stove and oven
If you’re on a time-of-use (TOU) rate plan, you are charged different amounts for electricity throughout the day. In general, it’s cheaper to use appliances during “off-peak” hours, which are usually overnight.
Many popular home batteries are capable of powering an oven: most lithium-ion batteries like the Tesla Powerwall or Generac PWRcell have a power rating of 4 to 5 kW or higher, and 10+ kWh of usable capacity. Ovens use about 2,800 W (2.8 kW) of power at any one time, meaning a typical battery will be suitable for backing up and powering your oven and stove.
Average ranges use about 2,800 W of electricity to stay powered. On average, solar panels are rated at around 350 W, meaning you’ll be able to power your oven or electric stove with about eight solar panels.
ENERGY STAR is a U.S. government-backed system that certifies how energy efficient appliances are. If an appliance is better than the average appliance in its category by a certain amount, it is labeled as “ENERGY STAR certified”. ENERGY STAR appliances cost less money to run, given that they are more efficient with the electricity they use.
How much money can solar panels save you?
Solar savings vary widely, and your unique savings depends on factors like electricity usage, your location, electric rates and plans, and more. In general, most homeowners can expect to save somewhere between $10,000 and $30,000 over the lifetime of a solar panel system. On average, it takes between 7 and 8 years for most homeowners who shop for solar on EnergySage to get their solar panels to pay for themselves.
Going solar is one of the most effective ways to reduce or eliminate your electric bill, and you should make sure you are getting several quotes from reputable installers before you decide to move forward. Visit the EnergySage Marketplace to get solar quotes from installers in your area and begin comparing options.
