How much does it cost to run a slow cooker in the UK?
Price updated 9 July 2026 · Q3 2026 (Jul–Sep)
A typical slow cooker (220 W) used 6 hours a day, 3 days a week costs about £4.49 a month (£53.91 a year) at 26.11p/kWh.
Slow cookers are one of the genuine bargains of the kitchen. Despite running for six or eight hours, they draw only 150–320W — less than two old-fashioned light bulbs — so a long cook uses roughly the same energy as an oven does in about half an hour. For stews, curries and batch meals they are usually the cheapest cooking method available, and they lose almost no heat to the room.
Work out your own cost
About £4.49 a month · £53.91 a year
Uses about 206 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 slow cooker 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 | 150 W | 3.9p | 23p | £3.06 | £36.76 |
| Typical model | 220 W | 5.7p | 34p | £4.49 | £53.91 |
| High-power model | 320 W | 8.4p | 50p | £6.53 | £78.42 |
What changes the cost
- Low wattage means long cooks are still cheap
- Size of the pot
- Using the high vs low setting
- Lifting the lid (lets heat escape and extends cooking)
Common questions
Is a slow cooker cheaper than an oven?
Yes, for most dishes. Its low wattage means even an eight-hour cook uses less electricity than an hour in a 2.5 kW oven.
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