cost to smoke ribs in my electric smoker

plj

Meat Mopper

Original poster

Feb 7, 2009

255

16

Kutztown PA

• Apr 7, 2010

• #1

I have a "kill-a-watt" meter, very handy for determining how much electricity something uses. So last week I decided to see how much it costs me to run my electric smoker. Here's a picture showing hours & kwh used:





3 racks of ribs, mac&cheese, frozen corn w/ evoo S&P. No water pan this time.

Total smoke time (including warm-up) = 7 hours & 3 minutes
Total electricity used = 6.72 kwh
my cost of electricity = 12 cents per kwh

Total Fuel cost to cook ribs = 80 cents
value of home smoked ribs = priceless

 

dave from mesa

Meat Mopper

SMF Premier Member

Dec 8, 2009

279

14

Mesa, az

• Apr 7, 2010

• #2

Great idea. I've heard talk about how much it costs to run an elect smoker but no hard facts.

 

mythmaster

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Mar 24, 2010

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34

Guthrie, OK

• Apr 7, 2010

• #3

Is that one 1250 watts? I guess my 800W MES uses even less!

Thanks, I was wondering about this.

 

deltadude

Master of the Pit

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Jun 3, 2008

1,529

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Sacramento Area

• Apr 7, 2010

• #4

Its great to have such a meter, however you can do the math yourself

[font=Arial, Verdana, sans-serif]Doing the Calculation
Once you have the watts for your electric smoker (see rating plate) and your power company's charge per kilowatt hour (Kwh) (it is on your electric bill), just run the numbers:[/font]
[font=Arial, Verdana, sans-serif]To find the cost to run your smoker:[/font]
[font=Arial, Verdana, sans-serif] 1. Total up the watts per day for the item to get total watts/day.[/font]
[font=Arial, Verdana, sans-serif] 2. Divide total watts/day by 1000 to get the total kilowatt hours (Kwh) per day.[/font]
[font=Arial, Verdana, sans-serif] 3. Multiply the Kwh/day times the cost per Kwh* to get cost/day.[/font]

Example... my smoker 800 watts...

Smoke for 7 hours x 800 w = 5600 watts
5600/1000 = 5.6 Kwh
5.6 x cost or .12 cents per Kwh = .672 cents for 7 hour smoke..

hmmm lets see, compared to LP or Charcoal, I am saving enough each smoke to buy a pork butt each smoke.

 

jjwdiver

Smoking Fanatic

Feb 5, 2010

911

16

St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

• Apr 7, 2010

• #5

Very handy bit of information there, I appreciate you posting that! Until this post, I had not given it much thought except at the very beginning when I started doing it. My calculation (or justification) of getting and continuing to run the smoker was that the local rib joint that served what I liked charged $20 for a rack of ribs... I can buy 3 racks at Sam's for about $30 (give or take). Cost of rub and smoking was still less than $20 so I was ahead.

So... now I have some info to pass along to the wife when she says "you're using too much electricity now, what about when the fridge project gets going"


Knowledge is power!

 

smokeguy

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Sep 23, 2008

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10

The Pineywoods of East Texas

• Apr 7, 2010

• #6

These calcs are good ones, but the actual cost will be lower than this because of the off times after it reaches temperature. The Kill A Watt gives actual times. Without it, plj's at 1200 watts would be 8.4 Kwh x .12 cents = 1.01 for the 7 hour smoke estimating at "always on". I aways knew the costs were pretty low, but for me the interesting part is that now we know that the smoker was "on" about 80% of the time so that makes your guesstimate formula even more accurate. Taking your numbers, .672 * 80%= about 54 cents so even better!
I have the same 800 watt version, and I'm at 11.9 cents so my #'s fall pretty much in line with yours. Good to know.

Of course, since plj has an extra 400 watts, the warm up and recovery times will be faster so it'll turn off more than ours will, so 80% probably doesn't apply to us with the same conditions for all of us.

Plj- what was the outside temp and how windy was it during this smoke so we'll have a reference point?

Of course, 13 cents over a 7 hour period is pretty much in the splitting hairs category.

 

graybeard

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May 21, 2008

633

15

Athens Ga

• Apr 7, 2010

• #7

I guessed a couple of dollars a while back butt I'm really surprised to see it this low. What a deal compared to the other fuels, especially compared to lump!

beard

 

plj

Meat Mopper

Original poster

Thread starter

Feb 7, 2009

255

16

Kutztown PA

• Apr 7, 2010

• #8

Yes, you are correct (except for the on/off cycles as SmokeGuy pointed out).
In fact I've measured just about every electrical thing I own, and also estimated the usage & cost. Estimates were surprisingly accurate. Spreadsheets are wonderful!

 

plj

Meat Mopper

Original poster

Thread starter

Feb 7, 2009

255

16

Kutztown PA

• Apr 7, 2010

• #9

Sorry, I should know enough by now to have mentioned that.
partly cloudy, light breeze all day, 40s in the morning when I started, 60s at chow time :)

 

mama's smoke

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SMF Premier Member

Feb 9, 2010

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13

Austin, TX

• Apr 7, 2010

• #10

This is great info. The hubs now has another reason to love my MES, besides the "fruits" of my addiction.

 

stircrazy

Meat Mopper

Dec 31, 2009

295

12

Kamloops, BC, Canada

• Apr 7, 2010

• #11

hmm thats about 1/10 of the cost of the charcoal I use in making ribs..

Steve

 

morkdach

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OTBS Member

Apr 8, 2007

2,255

13

mid kansas

• Apr 7, 2010

• #12

well here is my meter that does work and i use it just to see the wheel move.

that means it is still cooking

never calced the cost but just fun to watch

 

dribron

Meat Mopper

Apr 9, 2010

214

10

Elk River MN

• Apr 10, 2010

• #13

Wow that is a heck of alot cheaper than charcole....lol It cost me about 3/4 of a 18lb bag on a good day. Guessing that is about 4.50 to 6.00 but in the end still priceless!!