Induction Cooktop Efficiency Calculator
Compare monthly costs and energy use of induction vs. gas vs. electric resistance cooking based on your usage and energy prices.
About this calculator
This calculator compares three cooking methods on a like-for-like basis: how much source energy each one has to draw to deliver the same amount of useful cooking heat to your food. It starts from your daily cooking hours and average burner power to get useful energy needed per day, then divides by a fixed efficiency for each method — 87% for induction (the coil couples directly with the pan via magnetic induction, so almost nothing is wasted), 72% for electric resistance coils or radiant elements, and just 38% for gas burners, where a large share of the flame's heat escapes around the sides of the pot rather than into it. Electric-powered methods are costed against your electricity rate directly; gas is converted from kWh to therms (using 29.3 kWh per therm) and priced against your gas rate.
The calculator scales daily figures to monthly (×30) and annual (×12 months) costs, and reports savings from switching to induction versus either alternative, plus a rough annual CO₂ estimate using a US-average grid factor (0.42 kg CO₂/kWh) for electricity and a direct-combustion factor (5.3 kg CO₂/therm) for gas — the gas CO₂ figure only counts combustion emissions, not upstream extraction or transport. Because the three efficiency percentages are fixed assumptions rather than adjustable inputs, results will shift for unusually efficient gas burners or older resistance coils; use the comparison as a general efficiency argument rather than a precise bill forecast for your specific appliances.
Inputs
Results
Induction monthly cost
$15.52
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter your daily cooking hours and average burner power in kW.
- Set your electricity cost per kWh and natural gas cost per therm.
- The calculator compares monthly energy costs for induction, electric coil, and gas cooking.
- Review annual savings versus gas and versus electric coil, plus CO₂ emissions for each option.
- Use the results to justify an induction cooktop upgrade and estimate payback period.
How the result changes with Cooking hours per day
| Cooking hours per day | Induction monthly cost |
|---|---|
| 0.75 | $7.76 |
| 1.13 | $11.69 |
| 2.25 | $23.28 |
| 3.75 | $38.79 |
What each input means
- Cooking hours per day
- Average daily active cooking time (burner on). US average is about 1–2 hours.
- Average burner power
- Average power draw while cooking. Simmering ≈ 0.5–1 kW, medium ≈ 1.5–2 kW, high ≈ 2.5–3.5 kW.
- Electricity cost
- Your electricity rate per kilowatt-hour. US average ≈ $0.12–0.17/kWh.
- Natural gas cost
- Your natural gas rate per therm. US average ≈ $1.00–1.50/therm.
What each result means
- Induction monthly cost
- Monthly cooking energy cost using induction (87% efficient).
- Electric coil monthly cost
- Monthly cooking energy cost using electric resistance (72% efficient).
- Gas monthly cost
- Monthly cooking energy cost using a gas burner (38% efficient).
- Annual savings vs. gas
- How much you save per year by switching from gas to induction.
- Annual savings vs. electric coil
- Annual savings by switching from electric resistance to induction.
- Induction electricity use
- Monthly electricity consumed by induction cooking.
- Induction CO₂ emissions
- Estimated annual CO₂ from induction cooking (US average grid mix).
- Gas CO₂ emissions
- Estimated annual CO₂ from gas cooking (direct combustion only).
How this is calculated
Worked example, using the default values
- Identify Input Parameters4 parametersCooking hours per day = 1.5, Average burner power = 2, Electricity cost = 0.15, Natural gas cost = 1.2 = 4 input(s) provided
- Calculate Induction monthly costInduction monthly cost = inductionCostDay * 3015.52 = $15.52
- Calculate Electric coil monthly costElectric coil monthly cost = electricCostDay * 3018.75 = $18.75
- Calculate Gas monthly costGas monthly cost = gasCostDay * 309.7 = $9.7
Engine last updated . Checked against 2 independently-derived tests — how we verify calculators. Built by Paul Gunder, a software engineer, not a licensed financial, medical, or legal professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are the efficiency percentages fixed instead of something I can adjust?
The calculator uses set values — 87% for induction, 72% for electric resistance, and 38% for gas — representing typical performance for each method rather than your specific stove model. These are reasonable averages, but an especially old resistance coil or an unusually well-tuned gas burner could shift your real-world numbers somewhat from what's shown here.
Why does gas end up so much more expensive per unit of useful cooking heat?
Gas is only 38% efficient at getting heat into the food in this model, versus 87% for induction, so gas has to burn roughly 2.3 times as much source energy to deliver the same useful cooking heat. Since gas is also converted through therms (1 therm = 29.3 kWh) and priced at your gas rate rather than your electricity rate, the actual cost comparison depends on both this efficiency gap and how your local gas and electricity prices compare.
Are the CO2 emissions estimates comparing the same thing for gas and electricity?
Not exactly — the electricity CO2 figure (0.42 kg/kWh) reflects the US-average grid mix, which includes generation losses upstream of your outlet, while the gas figure (5.3 kg/therm) only counts direct combustion at the burner and doesn't include upstream extraction or transport emissions. That asymmetry means the gas CO2 number likely understates its full lifecycle footprint relative to the electricity figure.
How is 'annual savings vs. gas' actually calculated?
It's simply the annual gas cost minus the annual induction cost, where each annual cost is built up from your daily cooking hours and average burner power scaled to source energy needed (using each method's fixed efficiency), then priced at your entered rate and multiplied out to 30 days a month and 12 months a year. Changing your cooking hours or burner power scales all three methods' costs proportionally, so the savings gap grows with usage but the underlying percentage difference between methods stays the same.
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