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Microwave power consumption and electricity cost

The power consumption of a microwave oven depends on its wattage rating, the duration of use, and the power settings used.

Most microwave ovens have a wattage rating ranging from 600 to 1200 watts. The higher the wattage, the more power the microwave consumes.

How much power does a microwave oven use

The wattage or power consumption can be found on the microwave specifications label.

microwave power consumption

Alternatively, if you are considering buying a new microwave oven, the wattage can be found on the internet by browser search. Just browse for the microwave oven model followed by ‘wattage’ or ‘ power consumption.’

Microwave oven power consumption

How to calculate power from voltage and current

If you only know the voltage and current of your microwave, you can calculate the power consumption in Watts using the calculator below.

 

For more information about Power, Voltage, and Current, scroll down to the ‘Electricity Measurement Units’ section.

Microwave electricity cost calculator

Once you know the power consumption, the calculator below can estimate the power consumption and the electricity cost of a microwave oven over time.

You need to adjust the values in the PARAMETERS section to your requirements, and the calculator will automatically display the RESULTS section.

 

For example:

> If your microwave has a power rating of 1500 Watts

> If you use it 30 minutes per day for 320 days per year

> If you are paying 0,217 euros (or dollars or pounds) per every kWh you consume 

You will pay around 52 euros (or dollars, pounds, or…) per year in electricity costs.

How much does electricity cost

If you don’t know how much you are paying per kWh, you should be able to find the cost per kWh on your electricity contract or in one of the electricity bills.

how much does electricity cost

Alternatively, if you don’t have access to your contract or electricity bills, this website shows the electricity cost per country.

Home appliances and devices electricity calculators

Here are a few other examples from our ‘Electricity usage and electricity cost calculators‘ page that may be of your interest:

Microwave electricity usage monitor

If you want to know the exact electricity usage of an air conditioner, your best option is to use a plug-in power meter to measure the exact power consumption and electricity cost. 

Clicking on the image below will redirect you to the Amazon page, where you can look at the specifications of the power meter we use for our measurements.

plug in power meter

Our house appliances and devices like the washing machine, the dishwasher, the TV, or the printer are plugged into a wall socket. 

So, with a power consumption meter, we can determine how much electricity our appliances or devices are using, and, more importantly, we can measure the electricity usage over time.

Have a look at this YouTube video for more information.

Plug in power meter

How to lower the electricity bill of a microwave

If you think that your microwave is using too much electricity, here there are four simple ways to reduce the power consumption of a microwave:

1.- Do not use containers with corners to heat the food

If you use square or rectangular containers, the food may not heat up evenly, and you may find cold spots. 

Then, you will have to put the food back in the microwave and use more electricity to heat it. This is a waste, so if possible, use circular containers to heat the food in a microwave.

2.- Clean your microwave regularly

Food and liquid spatters absorb energy causing burnt spots and damaging your microwave. A decrease in efficiency may lead to increased electricity usage and a shorter lifespan.

3.- Do not run your microwave empty

When a microwave runs empty, the energy is absorbed by the microwave’s components. If the components sustain damage, it may lead to increased electricity usage and a shorter lifespan. 

4.- Do not fill up your microwave beyond its weight limit

If you load the microwave with food and containers beyond its weight capacity, the motor that turns the turntable will use more electricity and eventually get damaged.

Microwave electricity usage FAQ

How many watts does a microwave oven use

Depending on the model, a microwave oven does us between 700 and 1000 Watts.

Most microwave ovens use 800 Watts.

How many watts does it take to run a microwave

It depends on the microwave oven.

The microwave oven should have a label describing the power usage in Watts.

Alternatively, the power consumption of a microwave oven can be found by searching for the specific model on the internet.

Does a microwave use a lot of electricity

The electricity usage of a microwave oven depends on the power rating, the settings, and how often it is used.

You can use the calculator from the ‘Electricity cost calculator’ section to estimate electricity usage.

How much power does a microwave need

It depends on the microwave oven.

The microwave oven should have a label describing the power usage in Watts.

Alternatively, the power consumption of a microwave oven can be found by searching for the specific model on the internet.

Electricity measurement units

Not everybody is familiar with terms like Watts, Kilowatts, or Kilowatt hours, so if you would learn more about them, look at this YouTube video we have prepared about this topic.

What is a Kilowatt hour (kWh)

Electricity measurement units calculators

Or you can have a look at this electricity measurement units calculators to get a better understanding of:

> What is a Watt (W), and how to transform Watts into Kilowatts

> What is a Kilowatt (kW), and how to transform Kilowatts into Kilowatts hour

> What is a Kilowatt hour (kWh), and how to transform Kilowatts hours to other units

> What are Power (P), Voltage (V), and Current (I)

Watt (W)
Watt (W) wattage calculator
Kilowatt (kW)
Kilowatt (kW) calculator
Kilowatt hour (kWh)
Kilowatt hour (kWh) calculator
Power, voltage, current
Power, voltage, current calculator

Microwaves and energy conservation

Energy conservation can be defined as the decision and the act of using less energy.

Energy conservation both benefit you and the environment

The act of saving and conserving electricity does benefit you because you will be paying less for your energy bills. 

And it also benefits the environment because conserving electricity prevents unnecessary waste of natural resources.

At the individual level, it may not look worth trying to save a few watts here or there. 

Still, every little one counts, and if hundreds or thousands of us save a little every time, it will make an important contribution towards conserving our natural resources.

Energy conservation calculator

Reducing our microwave electricity usage, even a very small amount, would greatly impact preserving our natural resources.

 

For example, if 9000 households save as little as 10 Watts per day (0,01 kWh) on microwave electricity usage, that would add to 32850 Kilowatt hours (kWh) saved per year. 

9000 households x 0,01 kWh per day x 365 days per year 

32,850 kWh saved per year

That is a considerable amount of electricity, but let’s add additional perspectives for clarity:

> Assuming an average cost of 0,18 euros (or dollars, pounds, or any other currency) per kWh, we would collectively save nearly 6000 euros annually.

> To produce 32,850 kWh of electricity, it is necessary to use around 17 metric tons of coal or 56 barrels of residual fuel oil.

Look at this page for more information about the resources needed to produce electricity.
 

In any case, small energy savings do count when looking into the bigger picture.

Proven ways to save electricity at home

If you want to save electricity ideas at home, watch this YouTube video where we provide useful tips to reduce electricity usage and decrease the electricity bill.

How to save electricity at home
How to save
How to save
How to earn
How to earn

Calculators

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