Cost to run an induction hob
An induction hob typically uses 193 kWh a year, which costs £50.80 at 26.32p/kWh: about £4.23 a month.
A year of running costs
£50.80 a year
That is 193 kWh. Used as set, it comes to £4.23 a month and £50.80 a year.
On the energy label as kWh/annum or kWh a year.
| Period | Cost | Energy | CO2e |
|---|---|---|---|
| A day | 13.9p | 0.53 kWh | 115 g |
| A month | £4.23 | 16.1 kWh | 3.5 kg |
| A year | £50.80 | 193 kWh | 42 kg |
How we calculated this
193 kWh a year is how an energy label rates it: measured over normal running, with the compressor switching on and off as it does. That is far more reliable than its wattage, which it only draws part of the time.
The figures are for ENERGY STAR certified models sold in the US and Canada. Certified models are more efficient than the average model on sale, and many are larger than the ones sold in Europe, so an older or less efficient one will use more. The energy is ENERGY STAR’s figure for a year of cooking under its standard test, which is a fixed amount of cooking, not your own. The power is what the first cooking zone draws at full power.
The starting use for an induction hob, all year round, is where the calculator starts, not a measurement of your home: change it to how you use yours. A day is the average across the week, and a month is a twelfth of a 365-day year.
Electricity costs 26.32p/kWh. That is the published figure for the United Kingdom, 1 Oct – 31 Dec 2026, from Ofgem. Average for England, Scotland and Wales, paying by Direct Debit. No VAT on electricity from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027.
Standing charges are left out: you pay them whether or not the appliance runs.
Emissions use 0.217 kg CO2e per kWh, the lifecycle intensity of electricity generated in the United Kingdom in 2025, from Ember, via Our World in Data. Lifecycle means building the power stations and supplying their fuel are counted too. It is the grid’s average, not the particular power station an extra appliance brings on.
What drives the cost
An induction hob heats the pan itself with a magnetic field instead of heating a ring that heats the pan, so less of the energy is lost on the way. Across 63 certified models the median uses 193 kWh a year in ENERGY STAR’s standard test, which costs £50.80 at 26.32p/kWh.
Also called: induction cooktop, induction cooker, induction stove.
What it costs in the UK, Europe and the US
For an induction hob used as typical (all year round), at each country’s published average electricity price.
| Country | Electricity price | A year |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 26.32p/kWh | £50.80 |
| United States (average) | 18.19¢/kWh | $35.11 |
| Ireland | €0.4042/kWh | €78.01 |
| Germany | 0,3869 €/kWh | 74,67 € |
| France | 0,2561 €/kWh | 49,43 € |
| Spain | 0,2669 €/kWh | 51,51 € |
| Italy | 0,2966 €/kWh | 57,24 € |
| Netherlands | € 0,2558/kWh | € 49,37 |
Compared with similar appliances
| Appliance | Typical power | An hour | A year, typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Induction hob | 3,000 W | — | £50.80 |
| Electric hob | 2,000 W | 52.6p | £96.07 |
| Electric oven | 2,100 W | 55.3p | £108.08 |
| Microwave oven | 1,000 W | 26.3p | £16.01 |
How to spend less on it
- Use pans with a flat, magnetic base, and match the pan to the zone: a pan that is too small wastes some of the zone’s power.
- Turn it down as soon as the pan is up to temperature: an induction zone responds at once, so there is no heat left over to wait out.
- Lids and the right pan size matter as much on induction as on any hob: keeping the heat in cooks faster for less.
Questions
How much does an induction hob cost to run a year?
A typical one uses 193 kWh a year, which costs £50.80 at 26.32p/kWh, about £4.23 a month.
How many watts does an induction hob use?
Most draw between 2,140 W and 3,700 W while running, and 3,000 W is typical. The rating is on the label or in the manual.
Is an induction hob cheaper to run than an electric hob?
Usually, because it heats the pan directly and loses less heat on the way. The figures here are ENERGY STAR’s standard test for each, so your own cooking will move them up or down.
Sources
- ENERGY STAR Certified Residential Electric Cooking Products (open data), ENERGY STAR, US Environmental Protection Agency, 26 September 2026. “ENERGY STAR certified induction cooktops, annual energy: median 193 kWh a year across 63 certified models, 10th to 90th percentile 188 kWh a year to 195 kWh a year (models where product_type='Cooktop' AND cooking_top_technology='Induction').”
- ENERGY STAR Certified Residential Electric Cooking Products (open data), ENERGY STAR, US Environmental Protection Agency, 26 September 2026. “The first cooking zone’s power: median 3,000 W across 63 certified models, 10th to 90th percentile 2,140 W to 3,700 W (models where product_type='Cooktop' AND cooking_top_technology='Induction').”
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