Induction vs ceramic hob: which is cheaper to run?

Metered homes: induction hobs used a median 94 kWh a year vs 146 kWh for ceramic, about £25 vs £38 at the UK cap. Calculator, efficiency, gas and payback.

By the Wisiko editorial team · Published 12 October 2026 · 4 min read

Pick your current hob: the calculator fills in its median annual use as metered by ADEME, which you can replace with your own figure (from a plug-in or circuit energy monitor, or an estimate). It shows the yearly cost at your price per kWh, what the same cooking would cost with the other technology, and how long an induction hob would take to repay its extra cost.

What metered homes actually use

ADEME, the French environment agency, runs the Panel Elecdom study: appliances in 100 representative French homes are metered every 10 minutes for a full year (here July 2023 to July 2024). For hobs:

So induction hobs used clearly less in this panel. But the study itself warns that no firm conclusion can be drawn about the technologies because the samples are small and cooking habits vary widely. A family cooking every evening and a single person who mostly uses the microwave are not comparable, whatever the hob. The measured gap mixes the effect of technology with the effect of habits.

Across all hob types, the average was 118 kWh a year, and all kitchen appliances together (hob, oven, microwave, kettle…) made up about 7% of a panel home’s electricity. To compare your whole home, see average household electricity usage.

Same cooking: the efficiency difference

To isolate the technology, look at efficiency: the share of the energy that actually heats the pan. According to ENERGY STAR (US Environmental Protection Agency):

With induction, a magnetic field heats the base of the pan directly, so less heat is lost to the glass and the air. ENERGY STAR puts induction at 5–10% more efficient than conventional electric hobs.

Applied to a median ceramic hob (146 kWh a year), switching to induction would bring use down to about 133 kWh: a saving of about 13 kWh a year, worth £3.40 at the UK cap or $2.40 at the US average. That cautious figure is what the calculator uses for the payback.

Gas hob or induction?

Gas is far less efficient (about 32%), but in Great Britain it is also much cheaper per kWh. Under the October–December 2026 cap (Direct Debit averages), the cost of each kWh of heat that reaches the pan works out at roughly:

On running cost alone, a gas hob is therefore slightly cheaper than induction at current UK prices, and the amounts involved are small either way. The usual reasons to switch are different: no combustion fumes in the kitchen, easier cleaning, precise control, and the option to remove the gas supply (and its standing charge) if the hob is your last gas appliance.

Does induction pay for itself?

• Your ceramic hob still works: replacing it to save electricity makes no sense. With a £300 price difference, the payback would be close to 90 years on the theoretical saving (about £3.40 a year) and over 20 years even on the gap between ADEME medians (about £14 a year).
• Your hob has failed or you are refitting the kitchen: the running-cost gap is still small, but induction heats very fast, the surface stays cooler (safer around children), it wipes clean easily and responds instantly. Decide on those features and on purchase price.

Remember that induction only works with magnetic pans (a fridge magnet should stick to the base), so budget for a few new pans if needed.

Six ways to cook for less

1. Put a lid on it: water boils faster and the heat stays in the pan.
2. Match the pan to the zone, especially on ceramic, where uncovered glass heats the air.
3. Boil water in the kettle and pour it into the pan: see what it costs to boil a kettle.
4. Switch off a few minutes early on ceramic, which stays hot (less effective with induction, which cools quickly).
5. Reheat small portions in the microwave: 29 kWh a year median in the ADEME panel, against 109 kWh for an electric oven.
6. Use a time-of-use tariff for long, slow cooking if you have one.

Compare with other appliances in our measured appliance energy data, or estimate any device with the appliance running cost calculator.