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How Much Does It Cost to Run a Electric Stove (Radiant Cooktop) in the UK? (2026)

A radiant electric burner draws 1,200 to 3,000 watts depending on size. Unlike induction, part of the heat escapes around the pan, so it uses about 20 percent more electricity for the same cooking.

A typical electric stove (radiant cooktop) (2,000 W) costs £0.52 per hour, or about £15.60 per month at 1 hours a day in United Kingdom. Average running cost

Electricity price region Hours used per day

Wattage	Per hour	Per day	Per month	Per year
Low (1,200 W)	£0.31	£0.31	£9.36	£113.88
Typical (2,000 W)	£0.52	£0.52	£15.60	£189.80
High (3,000 W)	£0.78	£0.78	£23.40	£284.70

Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 1 h/day ≈ 730 kWh per year.

In the UK, with electricity at £0.26 per kWh (source: Ofgem price cap 1 Jul–30 Sep 2026, 2026-07), a typical electric stove (radiant cooktop) costs £0.52 per hour and about £189.80 per year at 1 hours a day. Each £1.00 of electricity buys roughly 1.9 hours of use.

How to lower the cost of running a electric stove (radiant cooktop)

Match the pan to the burner. A small pan on a large burner wastes most of the heat.
Turn burners off a couple of minutes early. Radiant elements stay hot.
Use lids and pressure cookers to shorten cooking times.

In standby it draws about 1 W, which adds roughly 9 kWh (£2.28) per year if it is never unplugged.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to cook dinner on an electric stove?

A typical 45 minute meal on two burners uses 1 to 1.5 kWh.

Is an electric stove more expensive than gas?

Often yes per meal, because electricity costs more per unit of energy than gas in most regions.

Which burner uses the most electricity?

The large burner, usually 2,500 to 3,000 watts on high.

Compare with

Induction Cooktop vs Electric Stove (Radiant Cooktop)

Cost by region

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Use the generic electricity cost calculator →