If you’re looking to lower your energy usage this winter, it’s important to remember that not all appliances are created equal – and some of them are seriously rinsing your cash.
Tumble dryers, ovens and kettles are the biggest offenders, according to a guide by Money Saving Expert.
Financial gurus crunched the numbers using standard appliances and the upcoming October price cap charges for electricity (51.89p/kWh).
The figures they came up with are “ballpark” but give a very good idea of the appliances that are costing families more.
Number one on the list is the humble tumble dryer, which could end up costing you £1.56 per hour to use. If you don’t have a clothes airer lying around, it might be time to invest in one.
Next on the list is the oven, which costs £1.04 per hour to use. In comparison, an air fryer would cost 59p and a slow cooker would cost 12p.
And third is the kettle, which costs 93p per hour.
A study by the University of York estimates 45 million Brits will be forced into fuel poverty and struggle to pay energy bills this winter.
Two-thirds of all UK households – or 18 million families – will be plunged into financial precariousness by January due to soaring inflation – which is already at a 40-year record high.
According to the study, the region hardest hit will be Northern Ireland with 76.3% of families battling to make ends meet, followed by Scotland at 72.8%, then the West Midlands (70.9%) and Yorkshire and the Humber (70.6%).
Money Saving Expert’s guide found an electric hob will set you back 88p per hour, while a vacuum cleaner costs roughly 73p per hour to use.
A microwave, toaster and dishwasher all cost roughly 62p per hour to use.
Some of the cheapest appliances to run, per hour, are the TV, fridge, lightbulbs and phone chargers.