Elizabeth’s post from a few weeks ago on costing out a home-cooked meal got us thinking about the average cost of running our kitchen appliances. Did you know that a slow-cooker on the high setting uses about 150 watts and costs roughly 2-cents per hour? Hear more after the jump!

posted originally from: TheKitchn

In our research on their site, we came across First Energy, which serves the Akron, Ohio area. They offer a handy guide that includes a breakdown of the cost to run each appliance in your house along with some tips on saving energy. (The link to this guide is at the bottom of this post.)

They estimate their costs based on 11-cents per kilowatt-hour and give instructions for how to calculate your cost if the price per kilowatt-hour is different in your area.

Here are some of their estimates:

• Refrigerator-Freezer and Auto-Defrost (20-24 cubic feet): 600 watts, $10.27/month
• Microwave Oven (estimating 30 minutes per day): 1500 watts, $2.49/month
• Garbage Disposal (estimating 5 minutes per day): 800 watts, $.22/day
• Dishwasher (wash cycle only): 300 watts, $.04/use

Some of this energy use and their prices may seem insignificant, but it does add up. We think that even trimming down use on a few appliances or switching to more energy-saving appliances can make a difference over the long run.

What do you think?

• Making Cents of Electricity from the First Energy Corporation (opens to a .pdf)

Related: Conscientious Cook: How to Start Saving Money This Week

(Image: Flickr member Andy Leitch licensed under Creative Commons)

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