Despite cracking through Chancellors of the Exchequer with a breath-takingly exciting expediency of late, the combined crippling problem of the rocketing cost of living and the energy crisis shows no sign of being solved, regardless of which utterly replaceable suit we have sat in No. 11.
Indeed, as we move ever closer to – what I’m going to coin – the ‘winter of Rishcontent’, every kilowatt counts when it comes to staying warm, staying lit, staying clean and, of course, staying fed.
To that end, I have been charged (electricity pun intended) by the boss here at ES Best recently to put together a series of articles on energy saving devices, power-preserving LED lightbulbs, and now bringing that all together under one, big energy-saving umbrella, it’s time to get down to brass tacks and point the finger of power-draining blame at those large appliances around your home responsible for raiding your bank account.
Did you know that home appliance usage accounts for nearly a third of UK household energy bills? That’s a fact. So, hopefully you’re now wondering exactly how much overly expensive energy each of the essential appliances you own cost to run and what more efficient options are on the market. While appliance age and wear-and-tear will obviously affect efficiency, I have gleaned some solid general kilowatt-hour (kWh) consumption facts and figures from the very minds of varying energy efficiency experts themselves to back me up.
So, as the meters continue to spin like deranged Dervishes, let’s avoid any further unnecessary expense and start saving…
Rate the State
You may have heard all about appliance energy ratings, you may have seen the colours, the letters, even the little + signs sometimes dotted about after those letters, but what does this semi-rainbow of abridged alphabetical nonsense actually equate to?
Well, in a nutshell, all appliances are tested to see how much power they consume during typical usage. Once that is measured, they are then awarded a rating running ‘A’ to ‘G’ with ‘A’ being ‘go to the top of the class’ and ‘G’ being ‘return to the it of damnation, thou hellbeast’, roughly. Also, if you do see some + signs, which are always a – ahem – plus-point but tend to only feature on older machines.
As ever, size is aways an issue too as, say, two fridges of differing scale may have the same rating, so, basically if you are in the market for a new, more efficient appliance, pick the right size for you and check the ratings of all those in that category.
The Price of Power
According to the independent experts in the area, the Energy Savings Trust, the top five energy draining appliance activities are – and just to add a touch of Top of the Pops excitement, in reverse order – at 5, Cooking, with the likes of your hob, oven, kettle and microwave seeing off making up 4 per cent of your annual energy bill. Just above that, at number 4, is Lighting – the night-time essential consuming 5 per cent of your yearly power supply. In at 3 is Consuming Electronics with the likes of laptops and TVs claiming a 6 per cent share of your energy. Upping the energy eating ante at 2, it’s Cold Appliances icing up to 13 per cent of your power. And in at 1 with a rocket, it’s Wet Appliances, washing away around a whopping 14 per cent of moolah from your mains.
At this juncture, some people will be pointing furiously at the display of whatever device they’re reading this on, screaming that those figures don’t add up to 100 per cent. And they’re correct, but then this is merely about what your appliances will drain from your resources, while the rest will be rounded-up to a very hard-hitting 100 by your heating. Yeah, it’ll certainly suck to be stuck on this Sceptred Isle as the cold creeps in.
But back to the matter in hand, for the sake of this piece I’m going to focus on what your major appliances are costing you and how can you cut that cost. So, what’s the answer? Well, let’s take them to task one by one…
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Washing Machines
Public enemy number one when it comes to appliance power consumption, you may be gifted with all the powers of frugality possible, but Spinderella here is going to take you to the cleaners.
Now, without wanting to get myself promoted to General Obvious, washing machines come in all manner of flavours, so key here is wattage. Whichever rip-off merchant sends you your power bills, it’ll be charging by kilowatt-hours (kWh) which, as the name suggests, is the amount of kilowatts you consume each 60-minutes.
Now to keep things simple, I’m going to use averages, and the average electricity price per kWh unit since the energy cap ceased to be a cap at all on October 1 of this year is 34p, so if you can’t find your machine’s stated kWh you can work it out from its wattage, length of cycle and the power of maths: kWh = (watts x hours) ÷ 1000. Now take that number and times it by 34 to find out how much each wash costs you. And if you want to get extra depressed, according to data from Ofgem (The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets), the average household runs 270 loads a year, so take that last figure and times it by 270 to see how much you’re paying per year; then curl into a ball and rock slowly back and forth.
Now, the kWh spectrum can run quite wide, depending on your machine, it’s energy rating, the cycle length, how large a load you’re laundering and so on, but the nice people from the Centre for Sustainable Energy state that the average washing machine comes in at 2100W and therefore, if you’re average, your washer is picking 71p from your pocket every hour it’s on.
Given that fact, if you’ve just learnt that your washing machine is haemorrhaging your hard-earned away, then you might want to consider replacing it with a far more money-friendly model; so I’ve selected three. However, on the flipside, if you don’t have the spending power with which to splash out right now, then skip my nonsense and go directly to the top tips from Beko Marketing Manager and energy saving expert, Shalika Hooda, at the end of this section.
Samsung ecobubble WW80TA046AX
I wrote quite recently about the savvy of Samsung when it comes to washing machines and the ecobubble WW80TA046AX is an excellent example of appliance energy efficiency at it’s best. An 8kg max load model, the Sammy is priced at £519, but for that initial outlay you get a brand new machine that comes with a whole host of programmes, including one that can do a complete cycle in just 15-minutes, plus the power-saving presence of Samsung’s very own ecobubble, which mixes air, water and detergent to create bubbles that wash your clothes at cooler temperatures, thus helping to bring down the bills.
Energy efficiency rating: B
Energy consumption: 55 kWh per 100 cycles
Buy now £519.00, Samsung
Beko IronFast RecycledTub B3W5841IW
Delivering top class efficiency and lovely low running costs, the IronFast RecycledTub B3W5841IW from Beko offers an ‘A’ energy efficiency rating, costs well under £400, and chews up a manageable 47 kWh of overly expensive electricity pen annum.
Featuring 15 programmes to get all laundry loads just right, including a 28-minute quick cycle, plus Bluetooth-connectivity complete with a smartphone app to select and download new programmes to match really specific load needs, the bargain Beko is ideal to kep your clothes clean despite the energy cost crisis.
Energy efficiency rating: A
Energy consumption: 47 kWh per 100 cycles
Buy now £329.00, Currys
Miele WEG 365
Miele may cost more, but you are buying a machine that’s tested to provide 20-years of trouble-free laundry tumbling, which makes its washing machines an excellent long-term investment. What’s more, this model also comes packing automatic Intelligent adjustment, which uses less water and electricity on lower loads, features a ProfiEco motor with inverter drive to ensure wear-free, quiet, energy-saving operation, and comes ‘A’ rated for efficiency, using up just 49 kWh per 100 cycles, which will keep the right down now and for decade to come.
Energy efficiency rating: A
Energy consumption (per 100 operating cycles): 49 kWh
Buy now £1199.00, John Lews
Shalika’s Washing Machine Tips
- Selecting an eco-programme will reduce a significant amount of energy whilst giving the same cleaning results.
- For clothes that are heavily stained, make sure to pre-treat them instead of using additional energy to rewash them.
- Fill your machine to full capacity as this will reduce the number of washing loads per week and choose a lower wash temperature to save up to 40 per cent of energy each year.
Tumble Dryers
Yes, it has ‘dryer’ in the name, but these hot-air blowing beasts of the laundry world still qualify as ‘Wet Appliances’ and still consume quite a bit of many-a-penny-pinching power, indeed, on average around 4.5 kWh per cycle according to the Energy Saving Trust, so that’s going to add up considerably under the new 34p ‘price cap’.
If you have the option to dry your clothes naturally, then that’s clearly a far more frugal way to get the job done, but otherwise you should keep your use of the tumble dryer to the bare minimum.
Heat pump dryers use a lower temperature to dry your stuff and can save around 130 quid a year in running costs, whereas your standard condenser dryer is brazenly bill-mugging you in broad daylight.
Again, energy ratings are what to look for on your existing and – should you decide so – any new options you decided to look at instead, alongside programme options.
As per, I’ve selected a trio of more energy efficient alternate options you may want to try. Or, failing that, skip merrily ahead onto Beko Marketing Manager and energy saving expert, Shalika Hooda, top tips.
Samsung Series 6 DV90T6240LN/S1
Using the aforementioned heat pump technology, the Samsung Series 6 gives great drying for less electricity. ‘A+++’ energy rated and featuring temperature sensors that adjust the drying time to save money, it may be pricey to purchase, but the pounds will pile up thanks to this tumbling act’s low power consumption.
Energy efficiency rating: A+++
Energy consumption: 194 kWh per year
Buy now £829.00, Amazon
Sharp KD-HHH8S7GW2-EN
A hugely energy efficient heat pump-toting option at a far more attainable price than the Miele, the Sharp KD-HHH8S7GW2-EN is an 8kg capacity model with an ‘A++’ and sensor drying that monitors the moisture of your laundry and stops the cycle when drying is complete, helping save on power consumption, unlike a timed cycle.
With lots of different programmes available too, the Sharp is not just cost-cutting and affordable, it’s also feature packed to cope with any kind of load.
Energy efficiency rating: A++
Energy consumption: 235 kWh per year
Buy now £359.00, Currys
Beko SteamCure B3T4923D
With a capacious 9kg drum and a steam pump to recycle warm air and keep usage costs down, the Beko also features sensors so that your load is dried to perfection without having to stick to rigid timed programmes (also available) that may run longer than necessary and use more electricity. ‘A++’ rated, the SteamCure B3T4923D features a full 15 drying programmes for all manner of loads and currently enjoying £60 the purchase price at AO.com, the savings start straight away.
Energy efficiency rating: A++
Energy consumption: 258.6 kWh per year
Buy now £449.00, AO
Shalika’s Tumble Dryer Tips
- Use the sensor drying programme rather than timed, to avoid over-drying and unnecessary energy consumption while also protecting laundry.
- Select a high spin cycle when washing to reduce the amount of water left in clothes before popping in the dryer.
- Keep the machine’s lint and evaporator filters clean as blocked filters will cause the dryer’s motor to work harder, increasing energy consumption and usage costs.
Dishwashers
Did you know that almost 9000-litres of water is wasted in households each year by absolute lunatics washing dishes by hand? No? Well, why would you? But the eco-affair of that aside for a second, the question here is: how much electricity do these nowadays home essential consume?
Well, according to those seemingly omnipresent, anthropomorphised GI rodents over at Compare the Market, the average UK dishwasher uses between 1.2 kWh and 1.5 kWh per load, meaning that at the 34p price cap, if you run one full cycle a day every day, your dishwasher will cost you between £2.85 and £3.57 per week.
Obviously, there are ways and means to make sure you’re getting your absolute money’s worth out of the model you have, and our expert from Beko, Shalika, will deliver her tips for that at the end of my delve into dishwashers, but if you are in the market for a less wasteful washer, let me make some recommendations…
Beko Fast45
With a kWh consumption well below the stated average (77 kWh per 100 cycles), the Beko Fast45 is going to start saving dishwasher dosh from the very first load and priced at well under £400 it’s something of a bargain too.
As the name might have given away, the Fast45 has an, erm, fast cycle that an get your dishes gleaming in just, er, 45-minutes, so it’ll save you time too if you’re in the habit of hosting back-to-back dinner parties.
Energy efficiency rating: C
Energy consumption: 77 kWh per 100 cycles
Buy now £369.00, AO
Miele G7422SC
More big money machinery now from Miele, but we are here to look at energy efficiency and with an ‘A’ rating, you’re not going to get any more efficient than this exacting slice of German engineering.
With many, many modes to pick from, including an ECO one that does the dishy deed at just 54 kWh per 100 cycles, which is ludicrously low power consumption. Then there’s the knockout punch – for households that already have a solar heating system, heat pump or gas-oil heating in place, the Miele G7422SC’s ‘SolarSave’ tech allows you to plumb it into that, using the temperature of the already heated water alone and thereby dropping energy use to an incredibly low 0.05 kWh per wash cycle. Beat that; no, you can’t.
Energy efficiency rating: A
Energy consumption: 54 kWh per 100 cycles
Buy now £1599.00, AO
Bosch Serie 4 SKS62E32EU
Although only ‘F’ rated for energy efficiency, as stated in the intro, size matters when it comes to appliances and this small (six settings), countertop dishwasher only actually uses 61 kWh of energy per 100 cycles, which is pretty darn low.
Equally waste-free on the water front thanks to a system that uses targeted water distribution, if you have limited space and only need to do a small daily wash for which you want to pay very little dosh, Bosch have the answer.
Energy efficiency rating: F
Energy consumption: 61 kWh per 100 cycles
Buy now £569.00, Appliance Direct
Shalika’s Dishwasher Tips
- Selecting an eco-programme will reduce energy use by a significant amount whilst giving the same cleaning results.
- Run the dishwasher when it’s full and don’t pre-rinse dishes.
- If there’s a tendency to wash a small number of plates, then choose a dishwasher that features a half load function.
Fridge/Fridge-freezers
After Wet Appliances, cold appliances are the next main culprit when it comes to working out where all your money went. Naturally, fridges and fridge-freezers come in all manner of sizes, so I have turned once again to the finely focused minds at the Centre for Sustainable Energy who inform that the running costs of the average separate fridge and freezer are 5p per hour a piece and 10p per hour for an average fridge-freezer.
Now, it’s important to remember that fridges, freezers and fridge-freezers alike work by circulating the cold air the compressor has already produced inside, so they don’t need to run constantly. Indeed, the average ‘healthy’ icebox should only sound like it’s on for around eight-hours a day, depending on how full it is, how often and how long the door(s) have been opened, and whether its just gone through a defrost cycle.
As with everything else here, size and energy efficiency rating are what matters and the difference in annual running costs between an ‘A’ and an ‘F’ can be over £100, which could well be an extra tin of beans in 2023 Britain. So choose wisely when it comes to the actual capacity you’ll require and, of course, the letter it comes carrying.
For expert tippery on all things both electrical and cold, we heard from Village Heating spokesman and energy expert, Daniel Dwyer, who had a duo of gems to help you cut costs. But first, some energy-saving alternative options from yours truly.
LG Centum GBB92MCBAP
Is it good-looking? Yes, it is. Should we get distracted by that. No, we should not. With a large 384L of internal storage available, this feature-packed fridge-freezer is more than capable of taking the most tender cooling car of all your varying foodstuffs, but it also does so with an energy efficiency rating of ‘A’ and consuming just 110 kWh of power per year, equating to an annual running bill of just £37.40.
Alco coming complete with a whopping 20-year warranty, the LG is going to be saving you cold hard cash way into the future.
Energy efficiency rating: A
Energy consumption: 110 kWh per year
Buy now £1900.00, LG
Russell Hobbs RH55UCLF4
Don’t need a lanky old fridge freezer cluttering up what space you have in your kitchen when a simple, discreet under-counter larder fridge will suffice? Then clap eyes on the RH55UCLF4 from Russell Hobbs. A smaller option that manages to keep energy eating down to a far more affordable 113 kWh per year (£38.42).
At £230, its also eminently attainable, while the internal dimensions give you 131-litres spread across three removable shelves and a salad crisper drawer, so economical and practical.
Energy efficiency rating: F
Energy consumption: 113 kWh per year
Buy now £219.00, Amazon
Samsung Bespoke RL38A776ASR/EU
Akin to the LG for costing considerably less, the Samsung comes ‘A’ rated for efficiency and has a lovely low kWh per year of just 108, driving down cost of running to a meagre £36.72. Featuring a 70/30 split between fridge and freezer, you get 273-litres of former space and 114-litres for the latter, keeping more of your funds frozen in the bank, despite what happens next with the wayward price ‘cap’.
Energy efficiency rating: A
Energy consumption: 108 kWh per year
Buy now £1049.00, Currys
Daniel’s Fridge/Freezer Tips
- A freezer that has allowed a significant amount of ice to build up will use more energy than usual, working harder to keep your items cold. As such, you should ensure to regularly defrost your freezer to keep it energy efficient.
- You should use a lower setting on your refrigerator (if possible) to cut down on costs. Many refrigerators have a dial or buttons to select a higher or lower temperature. A lower number will require less energy while keeping your items cool, while a higher number means a colder fridge, and a higher energy bill.
- Try not to fill your fridge/freezer too full, as this could stop air from circulating properly, which will use more energy.
- Avoid putting hot food straight into the fridge, as the fridge will expend a lot of energy cooling it down.
Cooking Kit
The last of what I would term the major household appliances and the least drain on your financial resources, the ability to rustle up a hot meal is going to be essential over the coming months of misery here in the UK and you need to do so without worrying about cooking up an overflowing plate of costs.
Firstly, if you can, go gas – it’s far cheaper than electricity and gas ovens heat up more rapidly. However, if that’s not an option, don’t panic – a modern electric oven only uses (on average, of course…) around 0.87 kWh of power, so there’s no need to overly concern yourself when it comes to heating up your daily diet or, indeed, going all Great British Bake Off and getting your cakes on in time for Christmas (other religious holidays are available), as you’re only looking at around 30p per hour.
And it’s similar with microwaves, with most modern models weighing in at 700- to 1200W, meaning they burn up between 0.7 kWh and 1.2 kWh. But in the case of microwaves, they also don’t need preheating and often cook more quickly, so they’re far more energy efficient. However, like all energy vampire appliances, your microwave will eat-up energy, so – again like all other appliances of its phantom-filching ilk – always turn it off when not in use.
If you are stuck in oven mode only, there are still things you can do to cut the costs. Firstly, if it has a fan setting, always use that to cut the cooking temperature by 20°C and save literally pounds (over time) and also, the same as with fridges/freezers, don’t go opening and closing the door all the time, as this just haemorrhages heat.
For more tiptop tips on money-saving oven and microwave use, see what Beko’s Shakila Hooda suggests at the end of this segment. However, if you’re hungry for hot info on the most energy efficient new kitchen kit to consider for conquering the power crisis, then stick with me…
Samsung Serie 4 Dual Cook Flex NV7B45305AS/U4
With an ‘A+’ rating and a power consumption rate of a pleasing pitiful 0.71/1.05 kWh per year, this integrated offering from Samsung features faster preheating to help save the pennies. It also comes with a hinged flexible door meaning you can open the whole oven or just the top half to save of lost heat, and if you’re cooking a smaller meal and don’t need the whole oven, Dual Cook lets you save over 25 per cent on energy.
Energy efficiency rating: A+
Energy consumption: 0.71/1.05 kWh per year
Buy now £699.00, Currys
Amica 608CE2TAXX
An excellent energy efficient freestanding oven option that’s equally easy on initial cost, the Amica 608CE2TAXX comes flaunting an ‘A’ rating for energy and burns up as little as 0.99 kWh in conventional use and a piffling 0.87 kWh in fan mode, which rounds up to 34p and 30p per hour respectively.
With a capacity of 67-litres, feeding the family won’t be an issue, and you’ll find no fewer than four burner zones on the ceramic hob top ranging in power from 1.2kW to 2.3kW, making for the complete cost-cutting cooking package.
Energy efficiency rating: A
Energy consumption conventional: 0.99 kWh per year
Energy consumption fan: 0.87 kWh per year
Buy now £319.00, AO
Beko AeroPerfect BBRIF22300
Brand new from Beko, the BBRIF22300 is a low-price integrated single oven number that comes carrying an ‘A’ energy efficiency rating and an abstemious kWh consumption of just 0.81 (I think you can do the maths by now).
With a generous 72-litre capacity and featuring Beko’s fresh AeroPerfect tech that circulates hot air to cook more evenly and quickly, this stainless-steel cooking cost-cutter is an absolute steal at £229 and could be just the thing to feed you and yours through the remaining months/years of the country’s energy cost crisis and beyond, if there is a beyond.
Energy efficiency rating: A
Energy consumption: 0.81 kWh per year
Buy now £229.00, AO
Shalika’s Cooking Tips
- Ensure food is fully defrosted before cooking in the oven and don’t wait for it to preheat, start cooking right away and save up to 20% of energy.
- Cook food using the microwave rather than an oven, which uses less energy and is perfect for cooking baked potatoes and other vegetables, as well as scrambled eggs, and even cakes.
- If there’s a need to use an oven, think whether the cooking process can begin in the microwave and finish it off in the oven instead. It only costs 4p to cook a baked potato in the microwave compared to £1.04 in the oven.
Verdict
So, there we have it. Having now hopefully given you greater insight into how much expensive electricity each of your major appliances gulps down, plus arming you with tips and other options to help you cling to your cash, the bank-breaking bleak midwinter that looms before us might just be a bit more manageable. Optimism, after all, costs nothing.
