How Much Does It Cost to Run a Toaster Oven in Iowa? (2026)
A toaster oven draws similar power to an air fryer and about half that of a full oven, while heating far less space. For small meals it is one of the cheapest ways to bake or roast.
A typical toaster oven (1,400 W) costs $0.22 per hour, or about $3.35 per month at 0.5 hours a day in Iowa. Average running cost
| Wattage | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low 1,200 W | $0.19 | $0.096 | $2.87 | $34.89 |
| Typical 1,400 W | $0.22 | $0.11 | $3.35 | $40.70 |
| High 1,800 W | $0.29 | $0.14 | $4.30 | $52.33 |
Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 0.5 h/day ≈ 255 kWh per year.
One hour of a toaster oven (1.4 kWh) is the same electricity as
- 7.8km in an electric car
- 14hours of TV
- 31hours of a laptop
- 156hours of an LED bulb
In Iowa, with electricity at 15.9¢ per kWh (source: EIA Table 5.6.A, 2026-06), a typical toaster oven costs $0.22 per hour and about $40.70 per year at 0.5 hours a day. That is about 13% less than the national average for the US ($3.85 per month), because electricity in Iowa costs 15.9¢ per kWh against 18.3¢ nationally. Each $1.00 of electricity buys roughly 4.5 hours of use.
How to lower the cost of running a toaster oven
- Use it for anything that fits instead of the main oven.
- Skip preheating for reheating and toasting.
- Keep the glass door clean so you can check food without opening it.
In standby it draws about 1 W, which adds roughly 9 kWh ($1.40) per year if it is never unplugged.
Frequently asked questions
Is a toaster oven cheaper than a regular oven?
Yes, typically half to a third of the energy for the same small dish.
How much does it cost to run a toaster oven for 30 minutes?
About 0.5 to 0.7 kWh once it cycles. See the hourly figure above and halve it.
Toaster oven or air fryer: which uses less power?
About the same. Air fryers cook faster because of stronger airflow, so they often use slightly less per meal.
Compare with
Cost by region
US states
- Alabama
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- Illinois
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- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
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- Mississippi
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- Ohio
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- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
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- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Canadian provinces
Related appliances
Use the generic electricity cost calculator · Which uses more? Take the quiz