Energy bills: ‘Most expensive’ household appliances ‘raking up’ your bills

With energy bills on the rise, the energy experts at Hometree have shared which home appliances use the most energy, and what households can do for cheaper alternatives. According to the experts, the majority of usage on energy bills comes from the wet household appliances, such as dishwashers and washing machines.

The experts explained: "The average dishwasher cycle lasts around an hour and a half, but some lower quality ones can run from two to four hours. Running a dishwasher is one of the most expensive household appliances, using around 3.3 kWh of energy.

"It's possible to estimate how much energy each appliance uses by multiplying its power rating in kW by the number of minutes/hours it's left on. Wattage information should be on the label or in any manual that comes with your appliance.

"For example, a dishwasher may have a power rating of 2200W (there are 1000W in a kW). If you run it for 90 minutes it uses 3.3 kWh, costing around £1.12 for a 90 minute cycle. Here are the workings of the equation: 2.2 x 90/60 = 3.3kWh.

"There are options for saving on your energy bills, such as making sure to only run the dishwasher when fully loaded, and investing in a grade A energy-efficient dishwasher.

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"The good news is that dishwashers are more time efficient, and cheaper than washing dishes by hand, which tends to use more water."

According to the experts, washing machines and dishwashers account for around 14 percent of a typical energy bill. On average, a washing machine will run from around 45 to 90 minutes every time it is run.

The pros added: "A washing machine will have a similar power rating to a dishwasher, with an average rating of 2200W. Typically, though, the running cycle for a washing machine would be shorter, therefore costing less per cycle.

"On an average 2200W washing machine, the appliance will use about 2.2kWh of energy if running for an hour, which will cost around 75p.

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"Again, you should avoid half-loads and opt for a grade A energy-efficiency rating. Some washing machines will have an eco-friendly option, which will use a lower wash and temperature, so less energy is required for heating, therefore costing you less."

On average, fridges and freezers account for around 13 percent of household's energy bills, according to Energy Saving Trust. This is because they are powered 24/7 and have to keep food fresh all the time.

The experts said there are not many options in terms of energy saving because the nature of a fridge and freezer means they have to stay on all day.

However, if looking to save money long-term, it could be a good idea to invest in a more energy-efficient appliance. Hometree experts said: "Every household item will have a grading based on how energy-efficient they are, so look for the ones with Grade A - this will save you money in the long run."

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Using an oven every day can cause a rise in energy bills, but it is often used regularly in most households. To maximise its energy-efficiency, the experts suggested a few ideas.

This included refraining from storing baking trays inside the oven when cooking, because they can block the airflow. Cleaning the appliance regularly can also help to maintain more effective heat distribution.

The experts continued: "The average wattage of an oven is around 3kW, meaning it uses around 1kwh if run for around 20 minutes, which is about 34p.

"A cheaper alternative to an oven would be an air fryer, which is much more energy-efficient than most convection ovens because they cook food much faster. However, they do use electricity, which is typically more expensive than gas. Recent research has shown that cooking in an air fryer costs about half the price of cooking in an oven.

"An air fryer is similar to an oven in the sense that it bakes and roasts. The main difference, however, is that the heating elements are only located on the top and are accompanied by a large, powerful fan.

"The average air fryer wattage is 1kW, meaning that using an air fryer for around ten minutes would use up to around 0.16kWh of energy. This will cost around 5p on average, making it the most affordable way to cook."

Electrical appliances refers to items such as televisions, laptops and games consoles, which take up around six percent of an energy bill, according to Energy Saving Trust.

According to the experts, a typical 50-inch plasma TV will have a power rating of around 300W, which will cost around 10p per house to use. The average laptop with a wattage rating of 50 will cost around 2p to use every hour.

The experts added: "There are things you can do to cut costs when watching TV, such as turning the brightness down slightly, setting a sleep timer, and turning off the plug switch when not in use."

The Hometree experts continued: "Energy Saving Trust reports that lighting will cost around 5% of the average yearly energy bull. The average lightbulb will cost you around 2p per hour, using up 0.06 kWh of energy. This may not seem like much, but when you have several lightbulbs running all day, the numbers soon add up."

It may seem obvious, but making sure to switch light switches off when they are not in use could save as much as £25 a year in energy bills.

Households could also invest in LED lighting, which is often brighter and more energy efficient. Switching out lightbulbs for LEDs could save around £15 per light bulb per year, according to the experts.