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How Many Watts Does a Crock-Pot Use? Slow Cooker Watts by Size
A Crock-Pot or slow cooker uses about 100 to 370 watts, depending on its size. A 2-quart Crock-Pot is listed at 100 watts, a 7-quart at 270 watts, and an 8-quart at 370 watts. Green Mountain Energy puts slow cookers at 70 to 250 watts depending on whether they run on low or high. Even a full 8-hour cook uses at most about 0.8 to 3 kWh, which makes a slow cooker an easy meal to make on a power station.
Crock-Pot watts by size
| Model | Size | Rated watts | Amps at 120V |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crock-Pot 2-Quart Manual | 2 qt | 100 W | About 0.8 A |
| Crock-Pot 4.5-Quart (Silver) | 4.5 qt | 175 W | About 1.5 A |
| Crock-Pot 4.5-Quart (Ocean Fog) | 4.5 qt | 210 W | About 1.8 A |
| Crock-Pot Cook & Carry SCCPVL603R | 6 qt | 240 W | 2.0 A |
| Crock-Pot 7-Quart Manual | 7 qt | 270 W | About 2.3 A |
| Crock-Pot CPSCVM80-R3 | 8 qt | 370 W | About 3.1 A |
Sources: Crock-Pot consumer care answer at crock-pot.com (CPSCVM80-R3); product spec listings at Target (2, 4.5, and 7 qt) and Kohl's (SCCPVL603R). Amps = watts / 120. Honda's generator wattage guide lists a slow cooker at 170 to 270 watts.
Notice the two 4.5-quart models: same size, different watts. Check the label on the bottom of your cooker for its exact rating.
How much electricity does a slow cooker use?
Watts x hours / 1,000 = kWh. The rated watts is the most a cooker can draw, so these are upper limits for an 8-hour cook. On low, it uses less.
| Cooker | 8 hours at rated watts | Cost at 17 cents per kWh |
|---|---|---|
| 2 qt (100 W) | 0.8 kWh | About 14 cents |
| 6 qt (240 W) | 1.92 kWh | About 33 cents |
| 7 qt (270 W) | 2.16 kWh | About 37 cents |
| 8 qt (370 W) | 2.96 kWh | About 50 cents |
Can you run a Crock-Pot on a power station?
Yes. Every cooker above is well under the output of the stations below. Run time at the full rated watts of a 6-quart (240 W), with nothing else plugged in:
| Power station | Capacity / output | 6 qt at 240 W | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 | 1,070 Wh / 1,500 W | About 4 hours | From $499 |
| Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 | 2,042 Wh / 2,200 W | About 7.7 hours | From $899 |
| Jackery HomePower 3000 | 3,072 Wh / 3,600 W | About 11.5 hours | From $1,349 |
Hours = capacity x 0.9 / 240 W. Capacity and output are from each product page. Cooking on low stretches these times. A smaller 2-quart (100 W) runs over twice as long. Browse all portable power stations.
Cooking during a power outage
A slow cooker is a heating element with no motor surge, so any generator or power station that covers its rated watts can run it. Add it to your outage plan alongside the fridge: see What Size Generator to Run a Refrigerator. Making coffee too? Read How Many Watts Does a Coffee Maker Use? and How Many Watts Does a Microwave Use?
Need help sizing? Call 1-888-855-7286. Tell us what you want to cook and run in an outage, and we will match you to a power station.
Crock-Pot wattage FAQ
How many watts does a Crock-Pot use? About 100 to 370 watts depending on size: about 100 W for a 2-quart, 175 to 210 W for a 4.5-quart, 240 W for a 6-quart, 270 W for a 7-quart, and 370 W for an 8-quart model.
How many watts does a slow cooker use on low vs high? Green Mountain Energy puts slow cookers at about 70 to 250 watts depending on whether they run on low or high.
How much does it cost to run a Crock-Pot for 8 hours? At most about 14 to 50 cents at 17 cents per kWh, from a 2-quart to an 8-quart at full rated watts. On low it costs less.
How many amps does a Crock-Pot use? About 0.8 to 3.1 amps at 120V.
Can a power station run a slow cooker all day? Yes, with enough capacity. The 3,072 Wh HomePower 3000 runs a 6-quart at its full 240 W rating for about 11.5 hours.