As the price of energy continues to rise, you may be thinking about which of your appliances has the greatest impact on your utility bills. We’ve heard lots about people who say they’re going to change how they use their appliances. But what should they be doing?
Energy consumption data based on average usage has been collected together by Which? to help you estimate how much it will cost to run the common home appliances in your home.
The most expensive home appliances to run
Tests show that condenser tumble dryers are the most expensive appliances to run by quite a sizable margin. Studies based on 24 models found they are costing the average household just over £140 a year. This is twice what you expect to spend if you own a heat pump model. The heat pump model would typically only cost you around £56 a year, saving you around £84. Many people are moving back to clothes airers, heated clothes airers, or systems with dehumidifiers, to save money on tumble drying machines while making sure the house doesn’t become damp.
The second most expensive appliance is the American-style fridge freezer. 100 models were tested, and it was revealed it would set you back by £100 a year. Freestanding and integrated fridge models tend to be smaller, so are significantly cheaper to run, costing between £74 and £85 a year. That’s another £26 saved! It’s understandable that fridge freezers have a high energy use, as they tend to be on all the time to keep your food fresh and safe to eat. To keep the fridge costs down, keep the door shut as much as possible. Brush/vacuum the rear condenser coils every so often, and keep the fridge away from heating products.
If you want your refrigerator or freezer to work as efficiently as possible, you should defrost it periodically and only store food that has had the time to chill before placing it in there, and you should consider upgrading to a frost-free model.
The surprising data
The average built-in oven costs less to run than you may think. Findings found that it only costs £64 per year, based on data from 259 models tested. Thanks to technological advances, a more modern oven will be more energy efficient taking less time to heat up, therefore, save money. Even better still, air fryers can save energy and money compared to a gas or electric oven. Here’s a helpful comparison table:
| Appliance | Cost per year | No. of models tested |
| Tumble dryer | £141.19 | 24 |
| Fridge freezer (American style) | £120.16 | 100 |
| Fridge freezer (free standing) | £84.94 | 178 |
| Dishwasher | £79.41 | 98 |
| Fridge freezer (integrated) | £72.41 | 30 |
| Built-in oven | £64.18 | 259 |
| Washing machine | £63.25 | 187 |
| Tumble dryer | £56.04 | 85 |
How to reduce the energy you use on your home appliances
There are other things that can be done to reduce the amount of energy you use each month. It will come as no surprise that running full loads in your washing machine, tumble dryer, and dishwasher will save money as opposed to washing little and often. It’s a great excuse to put off doing the dishes and the washing! Even taking a shorter shower can add up to larger savings over the course of the year. Get into the habit of switching lights off when you leave a room and switching electrical items off instead of leaving them on standby.
We hope this has given you some helpful ideas
If you’re looking to upgrade your home, get in touch today for more interior help and suggestions for appliances