What Does a Popcorn Maker Cost to Run?
This tool estimates how much electricity your popcorn maker costs per month. Enter your machine's wattage, how often you pop, and your local kWh rate to get a monthly figure. The calculator uses a simple formula: wattage divided by 1000, multiplied by weekly hours of use, times 4.33 weeks, times your rate. All wattage numbers come from official product specs we track. No lab testing here, just honest math from real data.
Calculator
How the math works
Monthly cost = wattage / 1000 x weekly hours x 4.33 weeks x your $/kWh rate
Worked example: the Elite Gourmet EPM250 Tabletop Kettle Popcorn Maker comes out at $0.20 using the default assumptions (hours per week = 1, rate kwh = 0.186).
Every spec in this tool comes from the product data behind our Best Popcorn Makers; see how we choose.
U.S. residential electricity rates by state
The calculator's state dropdown uses these numbers. Download the full table as CSV.
| Alabama | 17.15 |
| Alaska | 27.17 |
| Arizona | 15.59 |
| Arkansas | 13.63 |
| California | 33.35 |
| Colorado | 16.74 |
| Connecticut | 30.47 |
| Delaware | 17.64 |
| District of Columbia | 25.0 |
| Florida | 14.86 |
| Georgia | 15.01 |
| Hawaii | 42.23 |
| Idaho | 13.01 |
| Illinois | 18.86 |
| Indiana | 17.85 |
| Iowa | 13.42 |
| Kansas | 15.34 |
| Kentucky | 14.88 |
| Louisiana | 14.16 |
| Maine | 28.32 |
| Maryland | 22.2 |
| Massachusetts | 30.21 |
| Michigan | 21.2 |
| Minnesota | 15.08 |
| Mississippi | 16.3 |
| Missouri | 13.44 |
| Montana | 13.48 |
| Nebraska | 13.1 |
| Nevada | 14.17 |
| New Hampshire | 26.92 |
| New Jersey | 23.49 |
| New Mexico | 14.81 |
| New York | 28.55 |
| North Carolina | 16.0 |
| North Dakota | 11.95 |
| Ohio | 18.78 |
| Oklahoma | 13.56 |
| Oregon | 14.89 |
| Pennsylvania | 20.92 |
| Rhode Island | 29.91 |
| South Carolina | 16.45 |
| South Dakota | 14.29 |
| Tennessee | 15.08 |
| Texas | 16.39 |
| Utah | 13.17 |
| Vermont | 24.11 |
| Virginia | 17.05 |
| Washington | 14.4 |
| West Virginia | 16.37 |
| Wisconsin | 18.8 |
| Wyoming | 13.59 |
Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A, March 2026. Retrieved 2026-06-10. U.S. average: 18.56 cents/kWh.
Frequently asked questions
Which popcorn maker has the lowest wattage?
The Elite Gourmet EPM250 kettle maker uses only 250 watts, the lowest among models tracked. The Great Northern Little Bambino uses 300 watts, and the Nostalgia RKP630 uses 580 watts. Compare that to hot air models like the Dash DAPP150V2 at 1000 watts or the Presto PopLite at 1050 watts.
Does a higher wattage popcorn maker cost more to run?
Yes, generally higher wattage means higher electricity cost per hour. For example, the Cuisinart EasyPop runs at 1300 watts, while the West Bend Stir Crazy uses 600 watts. But you also need to consider popping time, a more powerful machine may finish faster, partly offsetting the wattage difference.
How many hours per week do people typically use a popcorn maker?
That depends on your habits. Many buyers use their popper once or twice a week for movie nights, averaging about 1-2 hours total. The calculator lets you enter your own weekly hours, so you can tailor the estimate to your routine. For reference, a 1000-watt machine used 1 hour/week at $0.12/kWh costs about $0.52 per month.
Do stovetop popcorn makers use electricity?
Stovetop models like the Wabash Valley Farms Whirley-Pop (priced at $29.95, 4.7 stars from 22,300 reviews) don't plug in, they use a gas or electric stove burner. The calculator can still be used by entering your stove burner's wattage (typically 1000-2000 watts) if you want to estimate the cost.