How energy efficient is a microwave?

Microwaves are incredibly energy-efficient appliances. By heating the food directly, rather than heating the air around it, less energy is wasted, and cooking times are shortened dramatically. Because of this, cooking food in a microwave rather than a standard oven can save significant amounts of energy. For example, it costs just 4p to cook a baked potato in the microwave compared to £1.04 in the oven.[1]

When cooking for your family throughout the week, try and utilise your microwave as much as possible. Microwaves are perfect for steaming vegetables, cooking scrambled eggs, and making porridge for a quick breakfast. Equally, microwaves are great for reheating batched cooked meals.

Making large meals ahead of time and reheating small portions throughout the week will help to reduce your utility bills as you are only heating the oven once to cook a large quantity of food.

The amount of energy used by a microwave will vary depending on the model you own. Installing a smart meter in your home will allow you to accurately view how much energy you are using in real-time. The monitor will show how much energy is being used by a particular appliance, allowing you to see how much energy your microwave uses on standby.

To figure out the precise cost of your microwave, you will need to check the kWh usage of your appliance and multiply this by your tariff costs, along with how often you use your appliance.

At Beko, our microwaves are designed to save you time, money, and effort. Whether you’re re-heating leftovers, defrosting your meal, or cooking something from scratch, our microwaves are packed with helpful features, like our Auto-cook menu which automatically sets the cooking time for certain foods. With a host of freestanding and built-in microwaves to choose from, you’re sure to find the perfect appliance within our extensive range. For more information, view our microwave buying guide.