How much does it cost to run an electric oven in the UK?
Price updated 9 July 2026 · Q3 2026 (Jul–Sep)
A typical electric oven (2,500 W) used 1 hour a day, 4 days a week costs about £11.35 a month (£136.14 a year) at 26.11p/kWh.
A domestic electric oven is one of the higher-wattage appliances in the home, typically rated 2,000–3,500W. The important detail is that the elements cycle on and off to hold temperature, so a '1 hour bake' does not draw full power for the whole hour — real consumption for an hour is often closer to 1.5 kWh than the 2.5 kWh the rating implies. Preheating, opening the door and cooking a single small item are where money is wasted, which is exactly why an air fryer or microwave can be cheaper for small meals.
Work out your own cost
About £11.35 a month · £136.14 a year
Uses about 521 kWh a year. Prefilled with the Ofgem cap of 26.11p/kWh — edit any box for your own figures.
Cost by model power
The same electric oven can vary a lot between models, so here is the range from a low-power to a high-power example.
| Model | Power | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low-power model | 2,000 W | 52p | 52p | £9.08 | £108.92 |
| Typical model | 2,500 W | 65p | 65p | £11.35 | £136.14 |
| High-power model | 3,500 W | 91p | 91p | £15.88 | £190.60 |
What changes the cost
- Oven size and rated power (2–3.5 kW)
- Preheating time and how often you open the door
- Cooking one item vs a full oven of food
- Fan ovens are generally more efficient than conventional
Common questions
How much does it cost to run an oven for an hour?
At the rated power a 2,500W oven for one hour would be about 2.5 kWh, but because the elements cycle, real use is often nearer 1.5 kWh — roughly 40p at the current cap.
Compare it
Related appliances
Share this: