Energy saving appliance swaps that could cut your bills this winter

For millions across the UK energy bills are soaring, with many taking to the internet in a bid to find ways to save money.

Whether it's switching to an air fryer or simply wrapping up warm, there's a few things people can do to cut costs without having to break the bank.

Something that many people are keen to swat up on is what appliances they can swap or switch off to save on energy even more this winter.

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As an example, the average weekly running cost of a fridge freezer, an essential item, has leapt from just under £10 a week last year to now over £17 per week.

With this in mind, the energy experts at Forbes Advisor, the comparison and financial guidance platform, have analysed the running costs of common household appliances and found simple swaps people can make to take control of their energy costs.

But when it comes to money-saving swaps, what does the data show? Here's what the experts suggest you do.

Common appliance swap examples - heating and eating

Swap This	Swap For This	Weekly Costs	Annual Costs	Why You Should Do This
Gas central heating	Plug-in electric heater	£21.91	£1,139.32	At a cost per-room of £1.19, it could still be cheaper for you to heat up to 19 rooms, each with its own plug-in electric heater, than to heat your whole home using gas central heating.
Electric oven (fan)	Microwave	£2.28	£118.56	Not only are microwaves cheaper to run, but then can also be a much quicker way to prepare all or part of your meal, saving you time as well as money.
Electric oven	Slow cooker	£0.59	£30.68	There are whole recipe books dedicated to slow cooker and one-pot meals as they are both a time and money-saving way to prepare meals. The savings compared to a conventional oven may seem slim, but every penny soon adds up.
Electric hob	Air fryer	£1.25	£65	Air fryers are very popular and are positioned as a fast and healthy way to prepare all sorts of food - and they can be cheaper to run than a typical electric hob.
Plug-in electric heater	Electric blanket	£0.92	£47.84	While the cost-saving potential of a plug-in electric heater is hard to beat, an electric blanket is a highly-targeted way to deliver heat exactly where you need it for even less money.

Source: Forbes Advisor

Weekly running costs of appliances based on typical usage habits of each appliance

Appliance	Cost per week 2022 (price guarantee rate)	Cost per week 2021 (annual average rate)
Gas central heating	£23.10	£8.09
Fridge freezer	£17.14	£9.58
Tumble dryer	£2.81	£1.57
Electric oven (fan)	£2.64	£1.47
TV	£2.26	£1.26
Electric oven	£2.14	£1.20
Electric hob	£1.63	£0.91
Slow cooker	£1.55	£0.86
Gas hob	£0.36	£0.13
Plug-in electric heater	£1.19	£0.67
Washing machine	£1.14	£0.64
Full kettle	£1.02	£0.57
Wi-Fi router	£0.57	£0.32
Coffee maker	£0.45	£0.25
Air fryer	£0.38	£0.21
Microwave	£0.36	£0.20
Vacuum cleaner	£0.34	£0.19

Others include

Hair dryer	£0.30	£0.16
Games console	£0.30	£0.17
Iron	£0.27	£0.15
Electric blanket	£0.27	£0.16
Laptop	£0.14	£0.08
Phone charger	£0.005	£0.003

Source: Forbes Advisor

Of course, how much any appliance is used - even the most efficient swaps - will have an effect on the eventual running cost, but by considering which appliance could be best for the job required, you can better control the amount spent on gas and electricity.

Kevin Pratt, energy expert from Forbes Advisor, said: “Energy is so expensive these days that anything we can do to reduce consumption is welcome. Winter is coming, so it’s crucial to start thinking about changing habits, from the way we keep warm to the way we cook food.

2Switching away from power-hungry appliances is one way to slow down the meter dials and take some of the sting out of energy bill inflation.”

For more information and the full comparison of appliance costs, visit www.forbes.com.

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