Most of us look at it every day but did you ever get to wonder how much energy your toaster uses? You obviously did since you’re reading this and I wouldn’t hold you back any longer. I’m curious myself so I’ll save us all the trouble and get to the point.
In this article, I’ll go through common toaster wattages, how much power toasters consume in a year, and teach you how to calculate it on your own.
How Many Watts Does a Toaster Use?
The power consumption of a toaster differs with each model. Common 2-slice toasters use anywhere between 800 and 1400 Watts while 4-slice toasters can use up to 1800 Watts. For the most accurate info, it’s best to check your toaster’s manual.
2-Slice Toaster Energy Consumption in a Year
To better understand how much energy a 2-slice toaster consumes here’s a breakdown of possible yearly power consumption. I included the most common wattages for this type of toaster.
For the yearly charge, I took the average kWh price in the United States.
| Watts | Daily Usage | Working Hours (Year) | kWh Per Year | Yearly Cost |
| 800 | 2 Min (2 Slices) | ~12 | 9.6 kWh | $1.3 |
| 900 | 2 Min (2 Slices) | ~12 | 10.8 kWh | $1.5 |
| 1000 | 2 Min (2 Slices) | ~12 | 12 kWh | $1.6 |
| 1100 | 2 Min (2 Slices) | ~12 | 13.2 kWh | $1.8 |
| 1200 | 2 Min (2 Slices) | ~12 | 14.4 kWh | $2 |
| 1300 | 2 Min (2 Slices) | ~12 | 15.6 kWh | $2.1 |
| 1400 | 2 Min (2 Slices) | ~12 | 16.8 kWh | $2.3 |
Table Breakdown:
Let’s say you’re using your toaster to make 2 slices of bread each day. Since this is a 2-slot toaster it would be one run, averaging 2 minutes. Everyday usage of 2 minutes would result in around 12 working hours per year.
For the yearly cost calculation, I used the national average of 13.50 cents per kWh.
4-Slice Toaster Energy Consumption in a Year
To better understand how much energy a 4-slice toaster consumes here’s a breakdown of possible yearly power consumption. I included the most common wattages for this type of toaster.
For the yearly charge, I took the average kWh price in the United States.
| Watts | Daily Usage | Working Hours (Year) | kWh Per Year | Yearly Cost |
| 1500 | 4 Min (4 Slices) | ~24 | 36 kWh | $4.9 |
| 1600 | 4 Min (4 Slices) | ~24 | 38 kWh | $5.2 |
| 1700 | 4 Min (4 Slices) | ~24 | 41 kWh | $5.5 |
| 1800 | 4 Min (4 Slices) | ~24 | 43 kWh | $5.8 |
Table Breakdown:
Let’s say you’re using your toaster to make 4 slices of bread each day. Since this is a 4-slot toaster it would be one run, averaging 4 minutes. Everyday usage of 4 minutes would result in around 24 working hours per year.
For the yearly cost calculation, I used the national average of 13.50 cents per kWh.
Calculate Toaster Energy Consumption
There’s a simple formula you can use to calculate kWh for your toaster. Once you have that number you can multiply it by the kWh price in your state and work out an annual cost.
kWh = Watts x Time (Hours) / 1000
Multiply your toaster wattage with working hours in a particular time frame. Afterward, divide it by 1000 and you’re left with kWh for the given period.
You can also use this online Watt to kWh Calculator.
Are Toasters Energy Efficient?
For their particular purpose, toasters are energy efficient. No other appliance will make toasted bread and consume less energy while doing it.
Does Unplugging Your Toaster Save Energy?
Unplugging your toaster can save small amounts of energy. A variety of appliances can consume electricity when plugged in, despite being turned off. However, the common practice of unplugging toasters has more to do with safety, rather than energy saving.
Modest Spending, Extraordinary Pleasure!
The ROI on the toaster is just amazing! It doesn’t consume much energy annually and the number of perfect breakfasts you got is uncountable! It gets even better now when you know your breakfast is also eco-friendly!
How many watts is your toaster? Did you do the math based on the formula or maybe you need help with applying it? Let us know in the comments!
