How Many Watts Does an Electric Stove Use? Burners, Oven, kWh and Amps
By Seamless Home Team, Home services operations · October 30, 2026 · Updated October 30, 2026
Quick answer
An electric stove uses about 1,000 to 3,000 watts and a standard electric oven about 2,000 to 5,000 watts, according to Southern California Edison. The exact figure depends on the size of the burner or oven and how long you cook. Your range's maximum rating is on its rating label, usually in kilowatts at 240 volts. Elements cycle on and off once they reach temperature, so the average draw is lower than the rating. For kWh, multiply watts by hours and divide by 1,000: a 2,000-watt burner on full for 30 minutes uses about 1 kWh. Induction cooktops are up to 10% more efficient than conventional smooth-top electric ranges, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
An electric stove is one of the largest loads in most kitchens, and it is one of the few that runs on a dedicated 240-volt circuit. Southern California Edison puts an electric stove at about 1,000 to 3,000 watts and a standard oven at 2,000 to 5,000 watts, depending on the size of the burner or oven and how long you cook.
Those ranges are a good starting point. The number that matters for your house is on your range's rating label, and the number that matters for your bill is how long the elements are actually on.
Stovetop and oven watts
The stovetop and the oven are separate loads that happen to share one appliance.
| Part of the range | Typical watts (SCE) |
|---|---|
| Electric stovetop | 1,000 – 3,000 W |
| Standard electric oven | 2,000 – 5,000 W |
On the stovetop, a small burner draws less than a large one, and a burner set to low draws less on average than one set to high. In the oven, the bake and broil elements heat the cavity and then cycle on and off to hold the set temperature. That cycling is why an hour of baking uses noticeably less energy than the element's full rating times one hour.
If you use several burners and the oven at once — a holiday dinner, for example — the draws add up. The range's total rating is the ceiling for everything on at full power together.
Find the number for your range
Every range has a rating label, often on the frame behind the storage drawer or oven door, on the back panel, or in the owner's manual. It usually lists a total rating in kilowatts (kW) at 240 volts, and often a second figure at 208 volts for buildings that supply that voltage. Some manuals also list the wattage of each element.
Multiply kW by 1,000 for watts. Treat the total as the maximum draw with every element on, not as what the range uses during a normal meal.
kWh: watts × hours ÷ 1,000
Energy is power over time. To estimate kWh:
kWh = watts × hours ÷ 1,000
Arithmetic illustrations, not measurements of any product:
- A 1,500-watt burner on full for 20 minutes (0.33 hours): about 0.5 kWh
- A 2,000-watt burner on full for 30 minutes: about 1 kWh
- An oven whose element averages 2,000 watts over 1 hour of baking: about 2 kWh
Real cooking usually comes in below these figures because elements cycle and burners get turned down after the pot boils. The watts to kWh calculator does the math for any wattage and time.
Running cost
Multiply kWh by the price on your bill. As an illustration at 16 cents per kWh:
- 0.5 kWh ≈ 8 cents
- 1 kWh ≈ 16 cents
- 2 kWh ≈ 32 cents
If your utility uses time-of-use pricing, the same dinner can cost more during the evening peak than at midday. Southern California Edison's guide also points to smaller appliances for smaller jobs: it says toaster ovens use about 50 to 70 percent less energy than a standard oven and most air fryers about half as much. A microwave or air fryer is often the cheaper way to cook a small portion, and a slow cooker draws a fraction of either.
Amps and the 240-volt circuit
To convert watts to amps, divide by volts. Electric ranges run on 240 volts:
- 3,000 W ÷ 240 V ≈ 12.5 amps
- 5,000 W ÷ 240 V ≈ 20.8 amps
A full range with every element on draws more than either figure, which is why a range sits on its own large double-pole breaker. The breaker and wire size your range needs come from its installation instructions and the electrical code, not from this arithmetic — a licensed electrician sizes the circuit. The watts to amps calculator converts any wattage at 120 or 240 volts.
Induction versus conventional electric
Induction cooktops heat the pan directly with an electromagnetic field rather than heating a coil or glass surface first. The U.S. Department of Energy says induction appliances are up to 10% more efficient than conventional smooth-top electric ranges and up to three times more efficient than gas stoves. ENERGY STAR says about 85% of the heating energy reaches what is in the cookware with induction, and that certified electric cooking products transfer 74 to 85 percent of their heat to food, compared with about a third for gas.
An induction burner can still draw a lot of power while it is on. The saving comes from less wasted heat and shorter cooking times, not from a smaller rating. If you are switching from gas, check whether your panel has room for a 240-volt range circuit before you buy.
An electric stove in a power outage
A range is one of the hardest loads to back up. It draws a lot of power at 240 volts, and a single large burner can use more than a refrigerator, a few lights and a modem combined. Whether a home battery can run it depends on the system's continuous output rating and whether the range circuit is on the backed-up panel.
Most homeowners set backup priorities the other way round: refrigerator, freezer, sump pump, furnace controls, internet and lights first, using a critical load panel to choose the circuits. A microwave or countertop cooker on a backed-up outlet handles simple meals for far less energy. If a range hood is part of your kitchen plans, does your range hood need makeup air covers that side of the project.
The critical load panel planner checks whether a battery can carry the circuits you pick. Home battery and backup projects that Seamless Home coordinates start with that list. Get a free estimate to begin. Coverage is confirmed per service area rather than promised as blanket availability.
Frequently asked questions
How many watts does an electric stove use?
About 1,000 to 3,000 watts for the stovetop and 2,000 to 5,000 watts for a standard oven, according to Southern California Edison. The rating label on your range gives the maximum for your model.
How many watts does an electric oven use?
Southern California Edison puts standard ovens at 2,000 to 5,000 watts. The oven's element cycles on and off to hold temperature, so an hour of baking uses less energy than the full rating times one hour.
How many kWh does an electric stove use per hour?
Watts × hours ÷ 1,000. A burner drawing 2,000 watts continuously uses 2 kWh in an hour; at 1,000 watts, 1 kWh. Most cooking uses less because elements cycle and burners are turned down.
How many amps does an electric stove draw?
Divide watts by volts. Ranges run on 240 volts, so 3,000 watts is about 12.5 amps and 5,000 watts about 20.8 amps. The circuit your range needs is set by its installation instructions and the electrical code, not by this arithmetic.
Does an induction cooktop use less electricity?
Induction is more efficient, not necessarily lower wattage. The U.S. Department of Energy says induction is up to 10% more efficient than conventional smooth-top electric ranges and up to three times more efficient than gas. ENERGY STAR says about 85% of the heating energy reaches the cookware.
How much does it cost to run an electric stove?
Multiply kWh by your electricity rate. As an illustration at 16 cents per kWh, 1 kWh costs about 16 cents and 2 kWh about 32 cents. Your bill shows your actual rate, which may change by time of day.
Can a home battery run an electric stove during an outage?
Sometimes, but it is a large 240-volt load. Whether it works depends on the battery system's continuous output and whether the range circuit is on the backed-up panel. Many homeowners leave the range off the backup list and use a microwave or countertop cooker instead.