Slow cookers are a popular kitchen appliance that people may want to buy for either convenience or energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
People who want to save money or have a limited budget often wonder about ways to cut down on energy expenses, and one of the most frequently asked questions is:
Is a slow cooker energy efficient, and what is its electricity consumption?
Slow cookers use less electricity than most other cooking appliances, including ovens, electric stovetops, and pressure cookers, consuming only 0.7kWh over an 8-hour cooking cycle. They are even more energy-efficient than a light bulb and can be a great choice for those looking to reduce their electricity bill.
On LOW, slow cookers use 70-150 watts and on HIGH, they use 150-250 watts. As a result, slow cookers can run for 8 hours and cost only 15-20 cents. Slow cookers are not energy-intensive; in fact, they are highly efficient.
The amount of electricity used by a slow cooker varies based on several factors, including the slow cooker’s size, operating temperature, and cooking time.
What Wattage Does a Slow Cooker Operate At?
Although the amount of wattage used by a slow cooker may vary depending on the specific model and heat settings, the majority of contemporary models typically consume between 70 and 250 watts.
Using a lower setting on the slow cooker will result in a reduced consumption of wattage.
How to Determine Your Slow Cookerâs Wattage Use?
Slow cookers operate on a 120-volt AC electric power source, which is the same as the electrical outlet in your home, and this power supply can produce electricity ranging from 0.6 to 2 amps.
If you want to determine the amount of electricity consumed by your slow cooker, all you need to do is multiply the wattage of its lowest setting by the number of hours it will be used for.
Suppose your slow cooker utilizes only 70 watts on the minimum setting and you prepare food for six hours, then it will consume 420 watts.
Assuming a 180-watt power consumption on low, using a larger Crock Pot for six hours would result in 1,080 watts of electricity usage; however, the amount of electricity required to operate it increases with higher settings and larger sizes.
Comparison: Slow Cooker Versus Stove Top Energy Efficiency
It can be challenging to determine which appliance is more energy-efficient between a slow cooker and a stovetop.
Compared to a stovetop or oven, which can consume between 1200 and 3000 watts per hour, a slow cooker only requires 70-250 watts of power.
Based on this information alone, one might assume that a slow cooker consumes less electricity, but that is not necessarily true in all cases.
While a stovetop heats the element only when it detects a decrease in temperature, a slow cooker operates by heating continuously, resulting in its usage for the entire hour, unlike the stovetop which is used for only about 30 minutes per hour (depending on your stovetop).
When using a 3,000-watt element, the consumption is only 1500 watts per hour, whereas cooking the same meal in a slow cooker requires running it for an extended period beyond 30-60 minutes.
It is possible that the slow cooker consumes a lower amount of wattage, but it may require the same amount of energy to perform its task over an extended period, resulting in similar overall consumption.
To determine if your slow cooker is more energy-efficient than your stovetop, you can either compare the number of amps being drawn from both or analyze your electricity bill.
It should be noted that you can attain slow cooker-like outcomes by using a stovetop, but the process isn’t as automated and necessitates your supervision at all times.
How is a Slow Cooker/Crock Pot Energy Efficient?
A slow cooker is more energy efficient than a conventional oven because it maintains a consistent and uninterrupted heat, whereas stovetops turn their burners on and off as needed.
The issue with this is that slow cookers such as Crock Pots consume only 70 to 250 watts, whereas electric stoves use anywhere from 2,000 to 3,000 watts.
Additionally, contemporary slow cookers come equipped with a temperature sensor specifically designed for meat, which automatically shifts the appliance to warm mode once the desired temperature is attained, thereby reducing energy usage by avoiding overcooking.
Is It Cheaper To Use a Slow Cooker?
Without a doubt, slow cookers consume a significant amount of electricity. For instance, assuming you pay twelve cents per kWh to operate both your stovetop and slow cooker, running a 1500-watt stovetop will cost you $0.18/hour, while operating a 250-watt slow cooker will cost you $0.03/hour.
Using a slow cooker for eight hours daily would only cost $0.24 per day or $87.61 annually, whereas running an oven for the same duration at 1500 watts would amount to $525.66 yearly.
Assuming that you won’t be using your stovetop for eight hours a day, every day, let’s consider two hours of usage per day, which still amounts to $131.41 annually.
The stainless steel, black, and red Crock Pot has a stainless steel exterior and features a locking lid with a gasket that is simple to use and provides an additional seal for when you are traveling.
If you want an energy-efficient Crock Pot that can save you money, this one addresses a typical issue with slow cookers: your food may only require six hours of cooking time, but you might be away for eight hours.
By setting the timer for the desired cooking time, this slow cooker will automatically switch to the warm setting once the cooking time is complete.
With a maximum wattage of 240, this slow cooker has low, high, and warm settings that can reach up to approximately 210 degrees, eliminating concerns about overcooking or drying out dinner while away from home.
One downside mentioned by users is that the lowest setting on this Crock Pot may cook too hot, but despite this, it has received a 4.4-star rating on Amazon from 3,838 reviews, making it a popular choice.
If you’re looking for a slow cooker that allows you to set it and forget it without the fear of ruining your meal, this is the ideal option.
The Hamilton Beach 6-Quart slow cooker consumes only 275 watts of electricity and features intelligent technology that enables you to cook meals for a specific duration or temperature, automatically switching to a warm setting once finished.
The slow cooker is equipped with a unique temperature probe system that can indicate the precise temperature of the food being cooked, making it an ideal appliance for households that consume meat-based dishes frequently.
The slow cooker is equipped with a clip-tight gasket lid to prevent spills and can accommodate a 6-pound chicken or 4-pound roast. Additionally, it has power interruption protection that enables it to retain heat and time settings in case of a power outage lasting less than 5 seconds.
With over 1800 reviews, this slow cooker has a rating of 4.2 stars on Amazon.
Final Verdict
When selecting a slow cooker with energy-saving features, it is important to check for an energy seal or the total wattage used to determine the hourly electricity consumption and associated cost.
You can also check this video about “Do Slow Cookers Use A Lot of Electricity?”
