Kettle vs Hob: What's Cheaper to Boil Water in the UK 2026?

Electric kettle, gas hob or induction — which boils a litre of water cheapest at 2026 UK energy prices? We crunch the numbers.

Kettle vs Hob: What's Cheaper to Boil Water in the UK 2026?

Updated: May 2026 — Power Guardian UK Editorial Team

Brits boil the kettle around 1,500 times a year. Pick the wrong method and you waste £30–£50. Here's the maths at 27p/kWh electricity and 6.5p/kWh gas.

Cost to boil 1 litre of water

| Method | Energy used | Cost per boil | Annual cost (1,500 boils) | |---|---|---|---| | Electric kettle (3kW, full) | 0.11 kWh | 3.0p | £45 | | Electric kettle (only what you need, 500ml) | 0.06 kWh | 1.6p | £24 | | Gas hob (open pan, no lid) | 0.21 kWh gas | 1.4p | £21 | | Gas hob (lidded pan) | 0.13 kWh gas | 0.8p | £13 | | Induction hob (lidded) | 0.09 kWh | 2.4p | £36 |

The verdict

- Cheapest: gas hob with a lid. About half the cost of a kettle. - Most convenient + reasonably cheap: electric kettle, but only fill what you'll drink. - Worst habit: filling a 1.7L kettle to the top for a single mug. That's £30/year wasted.

Next step: See what your kettle, oven and other appliances cost to run → or check if your bill is too high →

:::briefing

Why kettles often lose

Electric kettles are 90% efficient — almost all the power goes into the water. But UK electricity costs roughly 4× more per kWh than gas, so even an inefficient gas hob beats a kettle on raw fuel cost.

When the kettle still wins