How much does it cost to run a microwave? (2026 price cap)

Typical rating and how we worked this out

This page uses a typical rating of 1kW for a microwave; published figures for this appliance range from 700W to 1.2kW. A microwave heats food directly rather than heating the air around it, so reheating or cooking small portions uses a fraction of the energy an oven or hob would for the same job. The running cost follows the same formula used across this site: watts ÷ 1,000 × hours × unit rate. Typical use is modelled as 3 uses a day, about 5 minutes each, which is how the per-day, per-week and per-year figures above were calculated — see the cost-to-run calculator to change the wattage, hours or region yourself.

Rate used: Ofgem price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026, GB average electricity — 26.32p/kWh (excl. VAT, removed 1 Oct 2026–31 Mar 2027).

Cost by region

Same appliance, same use — ranked most to least expensive by region under the price cap:

East Midlands is cheapest at £23.14 a year; Merseyside and Northern Wales is most expensive at £25.42 a year — a gap of £2.28 for identical use.

How a microwave compares with similar appliances

Ranked by typical annual cost in kitchen, GB average:

• microwave — £24.02 a year (this page)
• coffee machine — £19.21 a year
• toaster — £9.61 a year
• kitchen extractor fan — £2.16 a year
• slow cooker — £49.27 a year
• bread maker — £54.75 a year

Three practical ways to cut the cost

1. Use the microwave instead of the oven for reheating and small portions — typically 3–4x cheaper per use
2. Cover food to trap steam and cut cooking time
3. Cut food into smaller, even pieces so it heats through in one shorter burst

FAQs

How much does it cost to run a microwave for an hour?

26p at the GB-average rate (26.32p/kWh, 1kW). One typical use — 3 uses a day, about 5 minutes each — costs closer to 2.2p.

How much does a microwave cost to run per year?

Around £24.02 a year at the GB-average rate, assuming 3 uses a day, about 5 minutes each — about 46p a week.

Which UK region is cheapest to run a microwave in?

East Midlands, at £23.14 a year, against £25.42 in Merseyside and Northern Wales — £2.28 apart for identical use, purely from the regional rate.

Does the exact wattage of my microwave change the cost much?

Yes — ratings range 700W–1.2kW, so the top of that range costs about 1.7x the bottom. This page uses 1kW; check your own rating plate.

Does the October 2026 price cap affect this figure?

Yes — figures use the Ofgem cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026. Electricity excludes VAT (removed 1 Oct 2026–31 Mar 2027); gas includes 5%. See the price cap page for the full breakdown.

Sources

• Heatable — how much energy do household appliances use — wattage and usage figures for this appliance.
• Ofgem — Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges (regional tables, read 12 September 2026).

Related

• Cost-to-run calculator and full A–Z — check any appliance or enter a custom wattage.
• Energy price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026 — every region, every payment method.
• Back-billing calculator — if a bill for this or any appliance looks like it covers too many months.
• Free bill audit — if your overall energy costs look high regardless of any one appliance.