When it comes to appliances using power, your oven offers an interesting paradox: it uses a lot of energy but often it doesn’t use energy a lot. Few appliances have such a high wattage as your electric oven, but unlike your fridge or air conditioner, it usually doesn’t run all day long.
Still, the oven is one of the most important appliances when it comes to estimating or reducing your energy usage. If you’re interested in solar (or saving money), knowing how much energy an electric oven uses is key.
In this blog post, we’ll take a look at how much energy an electric oven uses and how much that’s costing you. Of course, I’ll also give you some tips for using less energy with your existing oven, and some help in choosing an energy-efficient new appliance.
The Power Profile of an Electric Oven
As a starting point, let’s talk about watts. A watt is a unit of power that we use to measure how much electricity an appliance uses. In the case of your electric oven, it’s probably pulling in somewhere around 2,000 to 4,000 watts of power. This is why electric ovens are fed with a 50 Amp circuit breaker at 240 Volts. You might think that’s a lot, but remember that your oven needs to generate enough heat to bake, roast, broil, and more.
That said, it’s important to understand that an oven isn’t always running at maximum wattage. When you set it to a particular temperature, it works hard to reach that heat level (using a lot of watts in the process). But once it gets there, it cycles on and off to maintain the temperature, which means it’s not continuously using its maximum power.
Factors Influencing the Energy Consumption of Electric Ovens
Just like with most things in life, the amount of energy your electric oven uses isn’t always the same. It can depend on a few different factors:
1. How often you use your oven
The more you bake or broil, the more energy your oven is going to use. It’s that simple.
2. Temperature settings
Cranking up the heat to high temperatures is going to use more energy than keeping it on a lower setting. That’s why recipes often call for preheating – so the oven can do the hard work of reaching the high temperature before the actual cooking begins.
3. Maintenance
Believe it or not, a clean oven is a more efficient oven. When there’s a buildup of grease and food particles, your oven has to work harder (and use more energy) to reach and maintain your desired temperature.
The Financial Aspect of Using an Electric Oven
We’ve mentioned how an oven works and how it affects your energy usage. But what does that mean for your costs?
Electric ovens use quite a lot of energy. If you remember, we mentioned an average of 2,000 to 4,000 watts. That means you’re using that amount every hour you’re using your oven: 2kWh to 4kWh of electricity for using your oven.
How much the electricity costs per kWh, depends on your location. You’ll find the exact amount on your electric bill. In the summer of 2023, the average in the US was about 16 cents per kWh, with higher numbers (more than 30 cents) on the coasts, and lower numbers in the Midwest. Baking something for an hour with that average number would cost between 32 and 64 cents.
Keep in mind, though, that these are just averages. The actual cost can vary based on your oven, the temperature you’re baking on, how long you’re cooking something, and the exact rate your utility company charges.
The True Cost of Using an Electric Oven
The good news is that even though ovens use quite a bit of electricity, most people don’t use their ovens for many hours each day. This means that even though the power usage might seem high, the actual cost on your monthly electricity bill may not be as much as you’d think.
Still, it’s important to understand these costs and where they come from. This knowledge can help you make informed decisions about when and how to use your oven, and even about what kind of oven to buy in the future. This is especially important for off-grid homes.
In our next section, we’ll dive into how you can make your oven use more energy-efficient and save on these costs.
Energy Efficiency in Electric Ovens
Okay, so now we know that while our electric ovens might be energy-hungry beasts, they don’t have to eat away at our wallets. There are plenty of ways we can tame them and make our cooking more energy-efficient. Here are some top tips:
1. Cook in Batches
Since most of the energy is used to heat the oven, why not maximize that heat? Whenever possible, try to cook several meals at once. You could bake a lasagna, roast some veggies, and even throw in a dessert all at the same time!
2. Preheat Properly
Preheating is essential, but leaving your oven preheating for too long can waste energy. As a rule of thumb, try not to preheat the oven for more than 10-15 minutes before you start cooking.
3. Don’t Peek
Every time you open the oven door, the temperature can drop by as much as 25 degrees, meaning your oven has to work harder to heat back up. Resist the temptation to open the door unless necessary!
4. Regular Maintenance
Keep your oven clean and in good repair. An oven in good working condition will heat more efficiently than one that’s been neglected.
Shopping for an Energy Efficient Electric Oven
If you’re in the market for a new oven, there’s a lot you can do to ensure you choose a model that’s as energy-efficient as possible:
1. Look for Energy Star Ratings
Appliances with an Energy Star rating meet certain energy-efficiency guidelines set by the Environmental Protection Agency. This can be a quick and easy way to identify efficient models.
2. Choose the Right Size
If you usually cook for just one or two people, you don’t need a huge oven consuming unnecessary energy. Choose a size that matches your usual cooking needs.
3. Consider Convection Ovens
These ovens use fans to distribute heat more evenly, reducing cooking times and temperatures, and saving energy in the process.
The next section will guide you through calculating your oven’s specific energy consumption. Knowledge is power, and in this case, it’s also the key to savings!
Calculate How Much Energy Your Own Oven Uses
Now that we’ve covered the basics of electric oven energy usage and how to save electricity when using an oven, you’re probably curious about your own oven’s energy consumption. Here’s a quick guide to help you calculate it:
1. Find Your Oven’s Wattage
Check the back of your oven or the user manual for a label that lists its wattage. If you can’t find it, a safe estimate is about 2,500 watts for the average electric oven. Remember, this is a maximum figure – your oven won’t be using this much power all the time.
2. Estimate Your Usage
Next, think about how much you use your oven each week. Do you bake daily? Only occasionally? For how long at a time?
3. Do the Math
Now, let’s bring it all together. Multiply your oven’s wattage by the number of hours you use it each week. This will give you the number of watt-hours, which you can divide by 1,000 to get kilowatt-hours (kWh). This can get a little tricky as the oven will not run at the max rating continuously during a baking cycle.
4. Consider Your Electricity Rate
Check your electricity bill to find out how much you’re charged per kWh. Multiply this rate by the kWh figure you calculated to see how much your oven usage is costing you each week.
5. Use a Meter
For a more precise measurement, you can use a smart meter to get better insight into your oven’s energy consumption. Because your oven uses a 220-volt outlet, the normal smart meter doesn’t work. Instead, use an energy monitor that you install in your electric panel.
Understanding your oven’s energy usage can give you a whole new perspective on your cooking habits, and even inspire you to try out some of those energy-saving tips we discussed earlier.
Conclusion
How much energy an electric oven uses, depends on the oven. However, the ways to save energy with electric ovens are the same across the board. Making small changes in how you use your oven can already make a difference, and if you’re in the market for a new oven, you can save even more.
It’s especially important to understand the energy consumption of your appliances if you’re looking into getting solar. For more information about solar, try our solar calculator or join me and other solar experts in a Facebook group where you can ask questions and see questions from others.
Frequently Asked Questions
An average electric oven uses around 2,500 watts. This wattage depends on its size, type, and temperature setting.
Typically, an electric oven doesn’t consume power when it’s turned off. However, the oven’s clock or timer may use a small amount of standby power.
Electric ovens are generally more energy-efficient than gas ovens as they use the energy they consume more efficiently. However, the cost-effectiveness can depend on local electricity and gas prices.
You can save energy when using an electric oven by cooking in batches, preheating properly, avoiding to open the oven door frequently, and maintaining it regularly.
An Energy Star rating is a government-approved label on appliances that indicates they meet certain energy-efficiency guidelines set by the Environmental Protection Agency.