Rice cooker vs. Instant Pot: running cost
An Instant Pot is cheaper to run: about $10 a year versus $12 for a rice cooker at typical use and 17.99¢/kWh, a $2 difference.
| Rice cooker | Instant Pot | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical watts | 600 W | 1,000 W |
| Watt range | 40–1,200 W | 700–1,500 W |
| Typical use | 45 minutes a day, 4 days a week | 45 minutes a day, 3 days a week |
| Energy per year | 65 kWh | 56 kWh |
| Cost per hour | 6.5¢ | 7.2¢ |
| Cost per day | 3.2¢ | 2.7¢ |
| Cost per month | $0.97 | $0.83 |
| Cost per year | $12 | $10 |
| Per year in Hawaii (43.51¢) | $28 | $24 |
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What drives the difference
- Rice cooker: A 5.5-cup rice cooker draws about 500-700 W while cooking for 20-40 minutes, then 30-50 W on keep-warm. Leaving it on warm all day can use more than the cook itself.
- Instant Pot: A 6-quart Instant Pot is rated 1,000 W and runs at full power only while coming to pressure; most meals use 0.2-0.4 kWh.
Ways to cut either cost
A good seal reaches pressure faster and avoids long heating times.
See options on AmazonCooks a few servings in 12-15 minutes with no keep-warm draw.
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Frequently asked questions
Which costs more to run, a rice cooker or an Instant Pot?
At typical use and the U.S. average rate (17.99¢/kWh), a rice cooker costs about $12 a year versus $10 for an Instant Pot. That's $2 more, or 1.2× as much.
How many watts do rice cooker and Instant Pot use?
A rice cooker typically draws 600 W (range 40–1,200 W). An Instant Pot draws 1,000 W (range 700–1,500 W). Watts alone don't decide cost. Hours of use, cycling and standby matter just as much.
Rates: EIA, 12 months ending 2026-07. Methodology.