Every electric stove sold in the US runs at roughly the same wattage, which makes this one of the few appliance questions with a genuinely simple answer. Here it is, then the detail.
The number
A 1,500W electric stove on full heat uses 1.5 kWh per hour. At the US average of about 15 cents per kWh, that is 22–23 cents an hour. Five evenings a week, five hours an evening, works out to roughly $25–$30 a month of heavy winter use.
At 750W — the low setting on dual-output models like the Nook compact stove — it halves to about 11 cents an hour.
The maths, spelled out
| Setting | Power draw | Cost per hour at 15¢/kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Flame effect only | ~5–15W | under 1 cent |
| Low heat (750W) | 0.75 kWh | ~11 cents |
| High heat (1,500W) | 1.5 kWh | ~22.5 cents |
| Thermostat cycling, typical evening | ~0.9–1.1 kWh/h average | ~14–17 cents |
Your rate is the only real variable. California and the Northeast run closer to 25–35 cents per kWh, which doubles the figures above; the Pacific Northwest and coal-heavy states can sit under 12 cents. Check the cents-per-kWh figure on your own bill — it is printed on the second page of most statements.
Why thermostat cycling matters more than wattage
A stove left on “high” with an open window is expensive. A stove on thermostat control reaches temperature, switches the element off, and then maintains. In a normally insulated room, that means the heater is only drawing full power perhaps 40–60% of the time — which is why real-world costs tend to land at 14–17 cents an hour rather than 22.
Heat pump comparison, honestly
A heat pump moves heat rather than generating it, and delivers roughly three units of heat per unit of electricity. Per BTU, it is the cheapest way to heat a home. An electric stove is a resistance heater: one unit in, one unit out. That is why we describe stoves as zone heating — they make the room you are sitting in comfortable without heating the rooms you are not. Used that way, they can genuinely reduce a bill by letting you run the central system lower.
Used as a whole-home heater, they will cost more than almost any alternative.
Five ways to cut the cost
- Use the thermostat, not the “high” setting. Set the target temperature and let the element cycle.
- Close doors. Zone heating only works if the warm air stays in the zone.
- Run flame-only in the shoulder seasons. Ambience for pennies.
- Use the timer so it does not heat an empty room at 2am.
- Choose 750W for small rooms. A bedroom or office rarely needs 1,500W.
What you should expect to spend
Realistically: a household using an electric stove as evening ambience and supplemental heat spends $10–$30 a month in winter. A household using one as the primary heat source for a room someone occupies all day might spend $60–$100. If those numbers sound like a lot, a wood stove or a heat pump is the better tool — and we will tell you so.
All our electric stoves list their exact wattage and BTU on the spec table, because the maths above only works if the numbers are real. Questions about sizing one for your room? Ask us.