kitchen · 550W typical
Running a bread machine costs about $0.68/month.
That's the typical bread machine at 550W, run 0.5 hours a day at the US-average rate of 16.5¢/kWh. Change any of those and the number moves — use the calculator below to see yours.
Estimated cost
A bread machine draws full power only while the thermostat/compressor is running — about 0.3 effective hours at 550W across your 0.5-hour window.
How you use it
Cost shifts with how long it's on.
The same bread machine can cost very different amounts depending on usage patterns. Three common scenarios, at the US-average rate.
weekly baking
$0.68
per month
one 3-4 hour bake per week averaged
daily bread
$1.36
per month
household that bakes daily
Where you live
$1.23 spread between the cheapest and priciest states.
Same appliance, same hours of use, different zip code — the monthly cost varies this much.
| State | Rate | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 41.2¢ | $1.70 | $20.68 |
| California | 31.4¢ | $1.30 | $15.76 |
| Massachusetts | 30.8¢ | $1.27 | $15.46 |
| Connecticut | 28.7¢ | $1.18 | $14.40 |
| Rhode Island | 27.9¢ | $1.15 | $14.00 |
| New Hampshire | 24.6¢ | $1.01 | $12.35 |
| Alaska | 24.3¢ | $1.00 | $12.20 |
| New York | 22.3¢ | $0.92 | $11.19 |
| Maine | 22.1¢ | $0.91 | $11.09 |
| Vermont | 21.5¢ | $0.89 | $10.79 |
| Michigan | 19.3¢ | $0.80 | $9.69 |
| New Jersey | 19.1¢ | $0.79 | $9.59 |
| Maryland | 18.4¢ | $0.76 | $9.23 |
| Pennsylvania | 18.1¢ | $0.75 | $9.08 |
| District of Columbia | 17.8¢ | $0.73 | $8.93 |
| Wisconsin | 17.4¢ | $0.72 | $8.73 |
| Delaware | 17.2¢ | $0.71 | $8.63 |
| Illinois | 16.9¢ | $0.70 | $8.48 |
| Ohio | 16.6¢ | $0.68 | $8.33 |
| Nevada | 16.3¢ | $0.67 | $8.18 |
| Indiana | 15.8¢ | $0.65 | $7.93 |
| Virginia | 15.7¢ | $0.65 | $7.88 |
| Minnesota | 15.6¢ | $0.64 | $7.83 |
| Colorado | 15.4¢ | $0.64 | $7.73 |
| Alabama | 15.2¢ | $0.63 | $7.63 |
| West Virginia | 15.2¢ | $0.63 | $7.63 |
| Florida | 15.1¢ | $0.62 | $7.58 |
| New Mexico | 14.8¢ | $0.61 | $7.43 |
| Texas | 14.8¢ | $0.61 | $7.43 |
| Arizona | 14.7¢ | $0.61 | $7.38 |
| South Carolina | 14.7¢ | $0.61 | $7.38 |
| Kansas | 14.6¢ | $0.60 | $7.33 |
| Georgia | 14.2¢ | $0.59 | $7.13 |
| Iowa | 14.1¢ | $0.58 | $7.08 |
| North Carolina | 13.9¢ | $0.57 | $6.98 |
| Missouri | 13.6¢ | $0.56 | $6.83 |
| Oregon | 13.4¢ | $0.55 | $6.73 |
| Tennessee | 13.3¢ | $0.55 | $6.67 |
| Kentucky | 13.2¢ | $0.54 | $6.62 |
| Mississippi | 13.1¢ | $0.54 | $6.57 |
| Oklahoma | 13.1¢ | $0.54 | $6.57 |
| South Dakota | 12.7¢ | $0.52 | $6.37 |
| Montana | 12.4¢ | $0.51 | $6.22 |
| Nebraska | 12.2¢ | $0.50 | $6.12 |
| Arkansas | 12.1¢ | $0.50 | $6.07 |
| Washington | 12.1¢ | $0.50 | $6.07 |
| Louisiana | 11.9¢ | $0.49 | $5.97 |
| Wyoming | 11.6¢ | $0.48 | $5.82 |
| North Dakota | 11.5¢ | $0.47 | $5.77 |
| Utah | 11.4¢ | $0.47 | $5.72 |
| Idaho | 11.3¢ | $0.47 | $5.67 |
Efficient vs. inefficient
A $3.76/year difference across the wattage range.
Swapping a high-draw model for an efficient one pays for itself. Here's what that looks like annually at typical usage.
Most efficient
450W
$0.56 per month
$6.78 per year
Typical
550W
$0.68 per month
$8.28 per year
High draw
700W
$0.87 per month
$10.54 per year
When it hits hardest
winter peak
Heaviest fall and winter use.
Ways to cut the cost
- 1
Use dough-only cycle, then bake multiple loaves in oven together
Halves per-loaf energy when baking several loaves
- 2
Bake overnight using delay timer
Shifts load to off-peak hours where applicable
- 3
Use the express/rapid cycle when possible
Cuts cycle energy 30-40%
Real-world wattages
Pulled from actual spec sheets.
| Brand | Model | Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Zojirushi | BB-PAC20 Virtuoso | 700W |
| Hamilton Beach | 29885 2 lb | 600W |
| Cuisinart | CBK-110P1 | 680W |
Picks that actually move the needle
Three products worth comparing if you're thinking about upgrading or supplementing what you have.
Some links below are affiliate links. If you buy, we may earn a small commission — it never changes the price you pay, and we only recommend picks we would stand behind.
See also
Related appliances
Sources: www.energy.gov · www.energystar.gov
Last updated: 2026-04-13