Knowing the power consumption of household appliances is important to control electricity bill costs. While not as energy-guzzling as devices like air conditioners or washing machines, microwaves can be a reason for making your bill go up.
Thus, do you know your microwave watts? Like other devices, microwave power consumption depends on many factors. This post will give you the ultimate answer that might help your bill cost control. Let’s keep scrolling down for useful information about its power rating!
Do Watts Matter In Microwaves?
Yes, watts are important to consider when selecting a microwave. This factor will determine how thoroughly and quickly your microwave can cook food. It will function better and faster with a larger wattage.
Various wattages are available, depending on your microwave model and manufacturer. The wattage of larger items will typically be higher, and their price will also be higher. On the other hand, more affordable items are often smaller and have lower power.
How Many Watts Does A Microwave Use?
The answer will vary on the model and manufacturer. Yet, most microwaves consume 600 – 1000 watts of electricity. Moreover, a 120-volt outlet and around 10 amps are required to operate these countertop models.
In detail, there are types of microwaves that consume different amounts of watts:
- Compact Microwave: this is a small microwave you often find in hotel rooms or RVs. The average microwave wattage will be about 600 to 800 watts.
- Standard Microwave (800-1000 watts). This typical microwave type is often used for family cooking purposes. It uses about 800 to 1000 watts.
- Commercial microwave: this is the largest and most powerful microwave, serving commercial needs at restaurants or high-end home kitchens. It utilizes more than 1000 watts.
Estimate Your Microwaves Energy Consumption And Cost
Determining how much energy your microwave uses at any given time (a week or a month) will help you control your electric bill. It will require applying a little math.
First, you must know the wattage of your microwave. This specification is typically located on a sticker on your microwave’s back.
Then, you need to use the wattage to calculate the kilowatts the microwave consumes in an hour (kW/hour). For example, if your microwave is labeled 800W, it means it uses 0,8kW per hour.
Now that you know how many watts of power the microwave consumes in an hour multiply it by the time it works.
It means when your 1,000-watt microwave runs for 10 minutes, that equals one-sixth of an hour. You need to multiply the time it operates by the kilowatt-hours it consumes.
- Use 1 kW per hour
- 10 minutes = 1/6 of an hour
=> 1kW x 1/6= 0,166 kW/h
We can now know how much it costs to run our microwaves. Just simply add one more step to the formula above, multiplying the usage by the energy cost per kWh of electricity (depending on where you live).
Now, continue with the above example. Let’s say your country charges $0.1 for 1 kW: 0.166 kW/h x $0.1= $0.0166
FAQs
How Many Watts Does A 600-Watt Microwave Draw?
On average, microwaves convert 71% of input power into output power. In other words, a 600W microwave might use an average of 841.6W.
What Uses The Most Electricity In A Home?
The cost of living has risen to its highest level in a decade, with household electric bills accounting for the lion’s share of the expense. Here are five examples of appliances consuming a lot of energy:
- Wet appliances (such as dishwashers, washing machines, tumble dryers, etc.)
- Cold appliances (such as AC, fridges)
- Consumer electronics (TV, laptop, game consoles, etc.)
- Lighting system (LED, light bulbs)
- Kitchen appliances (microwave oven, hob, etc.)
See more:
- Light bulb wattage
- Air Conditioners Wattage
- TV wattage
- Toaster Wattage
- Refrigerator Wattage
- Box fan Wattage
- Car battery wattage
Should I Unplug My Microwave When Not In Use to Save Cost?
Yes, you should. Unplugging the not-in-use appliances will prevent energy from silently draining out and cutting down the bills, ultimately saving your money on electricity.
Conclusion
The microwave wattage depends on your microwave model. You can find the power of a microwave on the energy label on the item’s back. Carefully calculating energy usage will help you control the bills and reduce expenses.
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