How Many Watts Does A Microwave Use [With Data Table]

Microwave ovens have become an essential part of every kitchen nowadays. We use them to heat our food quickly, and the new microwaves can cook and bake. Though it is a very handy gadget, it greatly eats up your electricity power. Looking at the increasing cost of electricity, it is important to know how many watts a microwave use and how you can control the power expense in a microwave. So, let us see how you can calculate the microwave wattage and the average wattage of a microwave.

Key Takeaways About Microwave Wattage

1. Small or compact microwaves used in hotel rooms consume around 600-800 watts.
2. Standard microwaves that we use in our homes consume 800 to 1000 watts.
3. Commercial microwaves are large microwaves usually found in restaurants that consume 1000+ watts.
4. If we consider an average use of a microwave as 15 minutes per day, it will consume about 6.1 kilowatt-hours of electricity per month and eventually about 73 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year.
5. Solar generators are a popular and the most efficient solution to save on your electricity bills because after the initial equipment cost, there are no fuel charges or any bills, so it is a profitable long term investment.

How Many Watts Does A Microwave Use?

How many watts a microwave use depends on the microwave's size and how long it is used in the kitchen. So, let us dig deep down and find out the exact numbers.

Definition Of Amps, Volts, Watts, Running Watts, Watt-Hours

We will use many electrical units and terms in the following discussion, so it is a good idea first to understand what these terms mean and how to calculate them.

Volts (V): Volts are a unit of voltage that measures electrical pressure difference. It is the speed of electricity that passes through a circuit.

Amps (A): amps are the measurement unit representing electrical current. Amps is the number of electrons flowing in a circuit.

Watts (W): Watts is the unit that measures the electricity consumption rate. It can be calculated by;

Watts = Volts * amps

 A kilowatt is 1,000 watts.

Kilowatt-hours (kWh): kilowatt hours are the kilowatts consumed during a time period. This is the unit that is used to measure your electric bill.

How Many Watts Does A Microwave Use Per Minute

How many watts a microwave use per minute can be calculated using some parameters. Based on a microwave's average efficiency, i.e., 71.29%,  microwaves use about 16.4 watts to 49.1 watts per minute. The average is 23.4 watts. Similarly, small 700W microwaves may use 16.4W, while high-powered 2100W microwaves may use about 49.1W. These measurements take the initial power spike consumption in the startup.

Estimate Your Microwaves Energy Consumption

We have calculated how many watts a microwave use, and now we can calculate the energy and the cost to run it.  

The power unit consumed by the microwave or any other appliance is KWh.

KWh of microwave = watts used by microwave x working hours

Suppose a microwave uses 800 watts in an hour then;

Power consumed in one hour = 800 x 1 = 800 watt-hours = 0.8 kWh

Power consumed by microwave when used for 1 minute = 0.8/60 = 0.0133kWh

Power consumed by microwave when used for 10 minutes = 0.8/60 x 10 = 0.133kWh

Power consumption in a month when used 10 minutes daily = 0.133 x 30 = 3.99 kWh

How To Find the Wattage Of the Microwave

You can find your microwave's wattage in your microwave's manual. It is also present on the specification sticker that you may find on your microwave door. If that is not possible for you to find, then we can also find how many watts does microwave use through a test.

Fill a microwave-safe liquid measuring cup with a cup of cold water. Now, please turn your microwave on high and observe how long it takes for the water to come to a boil. The time it takes the water to boil shows the approximate microwave wattage.

1. 5 minutes means 1,200 microwave wattage
2. 2 minutes => 1,000 watts
3. 5 minutes => 800 watts
4. 3 minutes => 700 watts
5. 4 minutes => 600 watts

How To Calculate How Much Energy Your Microwave Uses

Now, you know how many watts your microwave uses, so it is easy to calculate how much energy it uses. Energy or power consumption is measured in kWh.

KWh = watts used by microwave x working hours

If your microwave uses 1000 watts in an hour, then;

Power consumed in one hour = 1000 x 1 = 1000 watt-hours = 1 kWh

Best Solar Generator For Microwave

As the electricity prices are soaring and it is getting increasingly difficult to manage the power cost, we are always looking for alternatives. In the recent past, solar-powered appliances and solar generators have proved their worth in reducing power bills. It is an upfront investment, but after that, there is no fuel cost, very low maintenance cost, and easy operation.

Medium to large-sized electronic appliances, including refrigerators, TV, and microwaves, need an optimal-sized reliable solar generator to support the required energy without any fluctuation. Jackery has introduced a comprehensive line of solar generators with solar panels that are very safe and reliable. This line of solar generators has products with different power ratings.

Jackery Solar Generator 1500 (Explorer 1500 + SolarSaga 100W)

The Jackery solar generator 1500 has a 1534Wh capacity with 1800 running wattage. It can run many home appliances and outdoor tools with its multiple output ports. It has very fast solar engineering supported by Solarpeak™ technology. You can charge it to 80% within 4 hours.

Jackery Solar Generator 1000 Pro (Explorer 1000 Pro + SolarSaga 80W)

The Jackery solar generator 1000 Pro takes only 1.8 hours to charge fully. It is lightweight and compact, making it portable and perfect for outdoor power generation. It has an integrated battery system that monitors and protects the battery life to safeguard your equipment from fluctuations.

Faq About Microwave Wattage

1. What Is Standard Microwave Wattage?

A standard microwave wattage is 800 to 1000 watts. This is the wattage of a common microwave you find in homes.

2. What Is Samsung Microwave Wattage?

Samsung offers various microwave models with different wattages. We can see that the Samsung microwave wattage range is 1100-1600W.

1. Solo Microwave Oven, 32L - 1500W
2. Solo Microwave Oven, 23L - 1150W
3. Built-in Grill Microwave Oven, 22L - 1100-1300W
4. Grill Microwave Oven, 40L - 1 600W
5. Grill Microwave Oven, 40L- 1300W

3. What Is GE Microwave Wattage?

GE microwaves offer a wide range of microwaves, including built-in microwaves, over-the-range, and countertop microwaves. The average GE microwave wattage range is 450-600 for older models and 100-1800 watts for the latest models.

4. What's The Best Wattage For A Microwave?

The best microwave wattage is close to 1,000 watts as the lower voltage touching 700 watts does not reheat or heat the food evenly.

5. What Is the Average Wattage Of A Microwave?

The average microwave wattage is about 800 to 1000 watts. However, grilling microwaves might need more power.

6. Can Solar Generators Run a Microwave?

Yes, solar generators that provide 1000 watts of energy or higher can run a microwave. However, solar generators must be safe and reliable and provide power without fluctuation so that the equipment is not damaged.

Conclusion

Microwaves have become an essential electronic appliance for all kitchens. How many watts a microwave use depends on the type and size of the microwave. However, the average microwave wattage is 800 to 1000 watts. We have discussed how you can calculate your own microwave power. Solar generators can help you save on electricity bills, so knowing the microwave wattage helps you to choose the best generator for your needs.