Rice cooker vs. slow cooker: running cost
A rice cooker is cheaper to run: about $12 a year versus $24 for a slow cooker at typical use and 17.99¢/kWh, a $12 difference.
| Rice cooker | Slow cooker | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical watts | 600 W | 200 W |
| Watt range | 40–1,200 W | 70–300 W |
| Typical use | 45 minutes a day, 4 days a week | 8 hours a day, 2 days a week |
| Energy per year | 65 kWh | 134 kWh |
| Cost per hour | 6.5¢ | 2.9¢ |
| Cost per day | 3.2¢ | 6.6¢ |
| Cost per month | $0.97 | $2.00 |
| Cost per year | $12 | $24 |
| Per year in Hawaii (43.51¢) | $28 | $58 |
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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.
- Slow cooker: A 6-quart slow cooker draws about 150-250 W on Low and 230-300 W on High; an 8-hour Low cook uses roughly 1.2-1.6 kWh.
Ways to cut either cost
Cooks a few servings in 12-15 minutes with no keep-warm draw.
See options on AmazonAutomatically drops to Warm (about 70 W) when the cook time ends instead of staying on Low.
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Frequently asked questions
Which costs more to run, a rice cooker or a slow cooker?
At typical use and the U.S. average rate (17.99¢/kWh), a slow cooker costs about $24 a year versus $12 for a rice cooker. That's $12 more, or 2.1× as much.
How many watts do rice cooker and slow cooker use?
A rice cooker typically draws 600 W (range 40–1,200 W). A slow cooker draws 200 W (range 70–300 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.