How Much Electricity Does a Toaster Use?
So how much electricity does a toaster use? A pop-up toaster typically draws 800 to 1,400 watts, and a toaster oven draws roughly 1,225 watts, but both only run for a few minutes at a time, so the cost per use is small either way. Use the calculator below with your own toaster's wattage and typical run time to see the real number.
Calculate your cost to run a toaster
Enter your rate to see your estimate.
What affects how much electricity a toaster uses
Toaster type is the main factor: a simple pop-up toaster only runs for the one to three minutes it takes to toast bread, while a toaster oven's runtime scales with whatever's being cooked, from a couple of minutes for toast up to 15-20 minutes for something like a small batch of cookies or reheated leftovers. Darkness setting on a pop-up toaster and temperature setting on a toaster oven both affect how long the heating elements stay on for a given item.
How to reduce your toaster's electricity use
- Use a pop-up toaster instead of a toaster oven for plain toast, since it's a shorter, lower-total-energy cycle for that specific job
- Avoid running a toaster oven longer than the recipe or package actually calls for
- Toast multiple slices back-to-back rather than one at a time with the toaster cooling down in between
- Use a toaster oven instead of a full-size oven for small items, since it heats a much smaller space
Typical wattage figure: 800-1,400 W for a pop-up toaster; roughly 1,225 W for a toaster oven. Source: DOE-developed appliance energy table, reproduced by Virginia Cooperative Extension (Virginia Tech), publication BSE-301. A pop-up toaster only runs for the one to three minutes it takes to toast, while a toaster oven's runtime scales with whatever it's cooking. We review this figure periodically and update it if the source changes; last checked September 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How many watts does a toaster use?
A pop-up toaster typically draws 800 to 1,400 watts, and a toaster oven draws roughly 1,225 watts, according to a DOE-developed appliance energy table reproduced by Virginia Cooperative Extension. A pop-up toaster's runtime is usually much shorter than a toaster oven's, though, since it's only toasting bread rather than cooking a range of foods.
How much does it cost to run a toaster?
An 1,100-watt toaster run for 3 minutes at the U.S. average rate of about 16.5 cents/kWh costs a little over a penny per use. Use the calculator above with your own toaster's wattage and typical run time for an exact figure.
Is a toaster oven cheaper to run than a full-size oven?
Usually, yes, for small items, since a toaster oven heats a much smaller cooking chamber than a full-size oven and needs less preheating time, so it typically uses less total electricity to cook or reheat a small portion.
How can I reduce how much electricity my toaster uses?
Use a simple pop-up toaster instead of a toaster oven for plain toast, since it's a shorter cycle, and avoid running a toaster oven longer than a recipe actually calls for. Toasting multiple slices back-to-back instead of letting the toaster cool between single slices also helps a little.
This page provides estimates based on typical wattage figures and the numbers you enter. Actual electricity cost depends on your specific toaster or toaster oven model and how long it runs.