APPLIANCE COMPARISON · OCT–DEC 2026

Slow cooker vs electric oven: which costs less to run?

At 26.32p per kWh, an electric oven costs about 21p per use and a slow cooker about 34p per meal, so the slow cooker costs 62% more.

Last updated 11 October 2026GB average price-cap rate, October–December 2026, Direct Debit, 0% VAT

SLOW COOKER

34pper meal, 1.28 kWh

ELECTRIC OVEN · CHEAPER

21pper use, 0.79 kWh

DIFFERENCE

13pper use at 26.32p per kWh

Side by side

**Slow cooker and electric oven running costs**Typical figures at 26.32p per kWh (GB average price-cap rate, October–December 2026, Direct Debit, 0% VAT). Running costs exclude the standing charge.
Measure	Slow cooker	Electric oven
Power or energy use	160 W	0.79 kWh per use
One typical use	1 meal, 8 hours	1 use
Cost per use	34p (1.28 kWh)	21p (0.79 kWh)
Assumed use a week	1 meal	5 uses
Cost a year at that use	£18	£54

Usage assumptions: Slow cooker: One eight-hour cook a week at the maximum rated power.Electric oven: Five uses a week, each counted as one energy-label cycle of about an hour.These are illustrations, not measured averages.

What the difference means for cooking a meal

A slow cooker runs for hours at low power; an oven cycle is short but far more powerful. Manufacturers publish only a slow cooker’s maximum rating, so our figure (eight hours at full rating) is an upper estimate.

Work out your own costs

Each appliance page has a calculator: enter your own wattage or energy label figure, how long you use it, and your region or unit rate.

Slow cooker calculator Electric oven calculator

Unit rates vary by region: this period they run from 25.36p per kWh in East Midlands to 27.86p in Merseyside and Northern Wales. Electricity prices per kWh →

Questions

Is a slow cooker cheaper to run than an electric oven?

No, per use as we measure it. At 26.32p per kWh, an electric oven costs about 21p per use and a slow cooker about 34p per meal, so the slow cooker costs 62% more. A slow cooker runs for hours at low power; an oven cycle is short but far more powerful. Manufacturers publish only a slow cooker’s maximum rating, so our figure (eight hours at full rating) is an upper estimate.

How much do they cost a year?

At the usage each page assumes, about £18 a year for a slow cooker and £54 for an electric oven (October–December 2026 GB average rate). For a slow cooker: one eight-hour cook a week at the maximum rated power. For an electric oven: five uses a week, each counted as one energy-label cycle of about an hour.

Does where I live change which is cheaper?

No. Both run on electricity, so a higher or lower unit rate changes both costs in the same proportion. The cheaper appliance stays cheaper; only the pence change. Your region, tariff and how long you run each appliance change the actual amounts.

About these figures

Running cost is energy used × unit rate. Costs at full power assume the appliance draws its full rating the whole time; thermostats and programmes often switch elements on and off, so real use can be lower. Power ratings and energy label figures are examples from the sources below, not a measured UK average.

More comparisons

Sources

Morphy Richards ceramic 1.5L slow cooker 460300 ↗0.11 kW, 1.5 litres.
Morphy Richards ceramic 3.5L slow cooker 460017 ↗0.16 kW, 3.5 litres, low/medium/high settings.
Morphy Richards ceramic 6.5L slow cooker 461013 ↗0.29 kW, 6.5 litres.
EPREL product fiche: Bosch HQA534BS3B oven ↗0.94 kWh per cycle conventional, 0.69 kWh fan-forced, 71 litres, class A+.
EPREL product fiche: Indesit IO 253 X UK oven ↗0.79 kWh per cycle fan-forced, 66 litres.
EPREL product fiche: Samsung NV7B4430ZAB oven ↗1.05 kWh per cycle conventional, 0.71 kWh fan-forced, 76 litres.
Bosch HQA534BS3B specification sheet (PDF) ↗2,800 W connection rating.
Ofgem: energy price cap unit rates and standing charges ↗GB average electricity unit rate and VAT basis, October–December 2026.

Last updated 11 October 2026. Figures are dated benchmarks taken from the sources above. How we use sources →