Checked against official sources on 15 October 2026
How much does a microwave cost to run?
About $1.39 a month
for a 1,000 W microwave used 10 minutes a day in No match. Pick "Another country" to type your own price. , at 18.31 cents per kWh.
Type your electricity price to see the cost.
- Draws while on
- 1,500 W
- Costs per hour
- $0.27
- Start-up surge
- None
Microwaves draw a lot of power, but only for a few minutes at a time, so they rarely cost much to run. One thing catches people out: the number on the front is cooking power, not what it takes from the socket. A 1,000 W microwave draws about 1,500 W, which matters if you're running it from a generator or a power station.
The power printed on a microwave is its cooking power. Honda's guide shows it draws more from the socket: a 1,000 W microwave takes about 1,500 W.
Work out your own microwave
Draws about 1,500 W
Look on the label or plug for a number followed by W.
Cooking power vs power from the socket
Power drawn from the socket, from Honda's generator wattage guide. Costs below use the price you set above.
| Microwave power | Power while on | Cost per hour |
|---|---|---|
| 650 W cooking power | $0.18 | |
| 800 W cooking power | $0.24 | |
| 1,000 W cooking power | $0.27 |
What it costs in other countries
For a 1,000 W microwave used 10 minutes a day, at each country's official average electricity price.
| Country | Price per kWh | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 18.31 cents | $1.39 | $17 |
| United Kingdom | 26.32 pence | £2.00 | £24 |
| Germany | 36.18 cents | €2.75 | €33 |
| Ireland | 38.71 cents | €2.94 | €35 |
| France | 24.85 cents | €1.89 | €23 |
| Spain | 25.09 cents | €1.91 | €23 |
| Italy | 31.42 cents | €2.39 | €29 |
| Netherlands | 24.40 cents | €1.86 | €22 |
Prices from the U.S. EIA, Ofgem and Eurostat; see Sources below. To see another country, pick it at the top of the page; we cover 51.
How to cut the cost of running your microwave
-
It's already one of the cheapest to run
A microwave draws a lot, but only for minutes. The bigger savings in most homes are elsewhere, like heating, cooling and drying clothes.
-
Use it for small portions
Heating a small amount in the microwave is usually quicker than heating up a whole oven.
What can power it
It has no start-up surge: Honda's generator guide lists no extra power at start-up for a microwave. A generator or power station needs to supply its running power, about 1,500 W for the option above, plus anything else running at the same time.
Common questions
How many watts does a microwave use?
More than the number on the front. Honda's guide lists a 1,000 W microwave at about 1,500 W from the socket, an 800 W one at about 1,300 W and a 650 W one at about 1,000 W.
How much does it cost to run a microwave per hour?
About $0.27 an hour in the United States, at the average price of 18.31 cents per kWh, or about £0.39 in the UK at 26.32 pence, for a 1,000 W microwave drawing 1,500 W.
Sources
- Honda Power Equipment, generator wattage estimation guide
- Eurostat, Electricity prices for household consumers (nrg_pc_204): consumption band 2,500–4,999 kWh, all taxes and levies included, January–June 2026 (updated 13 October 2026)
- Ofgem energy price cap: average Direct Debit electricity unit rate, England, Scotland and Wales, 1 October to 31 December 2026
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electricity Monthly Update: average residential price, July 2026 (released 24 September 2026)
Last checked 15 October 2026. How we get our numbers.