Slow cooker vs. Instant Pot: running cost
An Instant Pot is cheaper to run: about $10 a year versus $24 for a slow cooker at typical use and 17.99¢/kWh, a $14 difference.
| Slow cooker | Instant Pot | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical watts | 200 W | 1,000 W |
| Watt range | 70–300 W | 700–1,500 W |
| Typical use | 8 hours a day, 2 days a week | 45 minutes a day, 3 days a week |
| Energy per year | 134 kWh | 56 kWh |
| Cost per hour | 2.9¢ | 7.2¢ |
| Cost per day | 6.6¢ | 2.7¢ |
| Cost per month | $2.00 | $0.83 |
| Cost per year | $24 | $10 |
| Per year in Hawaii (43.51¢) | $58 | $24 |
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What drives the difference
- 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.
- 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 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 slow cooker or an Instant Pot?
At typical use and the U.S. average rate (17.99¢/kWh), a slow cooker costs about $24 a year versus $10 for an Instant Pot. That's $14 more, or 2.4× as much.
How many watts do slow cooker and Instant Pot use?
A slow cooker typically draws 200 W (range 70–300 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.