Which uses more electricity - a microwave or toaster oven?

Question

I have looked at past questions that were similar to this one, but not exactly the same. I am looking for, quite simply, which uses more electricity between a standard microwave and a small toaster oven to heat the same food. I know that a microwave is on for less time, but I do not know how much electricity per minute each of the devices use.

I am trying to figure out which will use the least amount of electricity to heat my food. For argument's sake, let's say the food takes three minutes in the microwave versus ten minutes in a toaster oven, which is about standard for the things I'm looking to heat. Taste is not a factor in this question. If anyone could give me a source for their answer it would be doubly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

It depends on the wattage of your particular appliance. Is your microwave 700W? 1000W? 1500W?
The toaster oven is probably about 1300-1500W.

When you consider (as you pointed out) that the toaster oven takes longer to do the job, the microwave turns out to be the clear winner for less energy cost.

http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/howmuch.html

Look at # 13 here: http://www.ontariotenants.ca/apartment_living/electricity-savings.phtml

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Which uses more electricity - a microwave or toaster oven?
I have looked at past questions that were similar to this one, but not exactly the same. I am looking for, quite simply, which uses more electricity between a standard microwave and a small toaster oven to heat the same food. I know that a microwave is on for less time, but I do not know how much...

Answer 3

Toaster Oven Uses

Answer 4

It would really depend on how much you were to use each one and your preferrence for taste. For example, I don't like everything cooked in the microwave nor my Toaster Oven. After all, a little spice in life is good. However listed below are the typical household use of electricity for various kitchen cooking items in KWh per unit:

Electric Range Top 536g
Electric Oven 440g
Microwave Oven 209g
Electric Toaster Oven 50g

This research indicates that the Microwave is used 4 times as much as the Toaster Oven. Hope this data helps you in your quest.

Answer 5

Microwave Uses

Answer 6

A quick survey of microwave ovens (link 1) shows that they typically operate in the 1000-1200 watt range.

A quick survey of toaster ovens (link 2) shows that they typically operate in the 1300-1600 watt range.

Thus the toaster ovens not only take longer, they also draw more power each minute they are on. Even if you could cook food in the exact same amount of time, the toaster oven would be using more power to do so.

Answer 7

A toaster oven uses a lot more electricity than a microwave.

Logic: The microwave only uses enough energy to make the molecules move around. The toaster oven converts electricity to heat, which takes a LOT more energy.

Answer 8

If you look back of the Microwave and you will see a tag or sticker that has the rating of watts that it uses when in use. and the toaster you will see on the bottom stamped into the metal plate, it also shows how many watts it uses when in use. Compare those watts and it will tell you what uses more electricity. Depending on the size of the microwave which watts varies. My Microwave uses 1100 watts and the toaster oven uses 1550 watts which looks like my toaster uses more power consumption.

Answer 9

The toaster oven is by far the top energy consumer out of the two. The toaster ovens heating element not only have to heat you food, they also heat up the toaster oven itself as well as the counter top its sitting on and a good amount of air as well. The microwave uses much less energy to vibrate the molecules of your food together which causes friction, producing the heat that warms/cooks your food.

Answer 10

the difference is not much, it depends of what kind of toaster an microwave is, but at least in my house my toaster waste more electricity