Sous vide vs. slow cooker: running cost
A sous vide is cheaper to run: about $7 a year versus $24 for a slow cooker at typical use and 17.99¢/kWh, a $17 difference.
| Sous vide | Slow cooker | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical watts | 1,000 W | 200 W |
| Watt range | 800–1,200 W | 70–300 W |
| Typical use | 3 hours a day, 1 days a week | 8 hours a day, 2 days a week |
| Energy per year | 39 kWh | 134 kWh |
| Cost per hour | 4.5¢ | 2.9¢ |
| Cost per day | 1.9¢ | 6.6¢ |
| Cost per month | $0.59 | $2.00 |
| Cost per year | $7 | $24 |
| Per year in Hawaii (43.51¢) | $17 | $58 |
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What drives the difference
- Sous vide: Sous vide circulators draw 800-1,200 W while heating water, then 100-300 W to hold temperature. Insulation makes a large 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.
Ways to cut either cost
Reduces heat loss so the circulator cycles less over long cooks.
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 sous vide 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 $7 for a sous vide. That's $17 more, or 3.4× as much.
How many watts do sous vide and slow cooker use?
A sous vide typically draws 1,000 W (range 800–1,200 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.