What appliances use the most electricity?

Washing machines, dishwashers and tumble dryers account for 14% of a typical energy bill, making them the most energy thirsty. The power they need to heat the water or air inside them means they use more electricity.

Checking the energy rating of dishwashers can help you save money. For example, an A-rated 12-place dishwasher costs £35 a year to run in Great Britain (GB) and £45 in Northern Ireland (NI).

Compare that to the G-rated equivalent appliance, which costs £70 a year in GB and £85 in NI – that’s almost double!

So, what can you do to reduce this cost? Choosing to wash your clothes at a lower temperature can help reduce your energy use. The same goes for avoiding only washing half loads.

We’ve got more tips in our blog on being energy efficient when using your washing machine.

You can follow similar advice for your dishwasher too. Together with using its Eco setting (if it has one) or a short cycle, you can also wait until it’s full before running a cycle.

Fridges and freezers account for around 13% of the average household’s energy bill. These appliances need to stay on all the time, so they’re continually using energy to maintain a constant temperature.

They’re also among the longest lasting appliances in the home. The typical fridge-freezer has a lifespan of 17 years. Just think: 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, for 17 years . You can see why choosing an energy-efficient model is a good idea.

It’s important to check the energy label, as energy efficiency is a big factor when it comes to running costs. Take this example:

• A F-rated 424-litre fridge-freezer costs £75 a year to run in GB and £95 in NI.
• A G-rated 265-litre fridge-freezer costs £70 a year to run in GB and £90 in NI.

So, despite being significantly bigger, the F-rated fridge-freezer only costs a little more each year to run.

The next time you’re buying a new fridge or freezer, consider the smallest model that:

• meets your needs and budget
• has the highest energy efficiency rating

Despite laptops, TVs, and games consoles consuming relatively small amounts on their own, consumer electronics account for around 6% of your energy bill.

Switching devices off standby can help you save £45 in GB and £55 in NI. But it also pays to check the energy efficiency of models.

Sizing your TV screen appropriately will also have an effect. A 60” F-rated TV costs £40 a year to run in GB and £50 in NI. A smaller 40” F-rated TV costs £20 a year to run in GB and £25 in NI.

Lighting takes up around 5% of an average home’s total energy bill. An obvious energy-saving tip is to switch the lights off when you a leave a room. This will save you £7 in GB and £9 in NI.

But you can reduce the amount of energy you use by replacing halogen bulbs with LEDs. LEDs come in a range of shades from cool to warm, allowing you to create the lighting effect that you want for your home.

If the average household replaced all halogen bulbs with LEDs, it would cost about £180. But you could save around £40 a year in GB and £50 in NI.

Are your cooking habits costing you too much in your energy bills? Around 4% of your energy bill is spent on powering kitchen appliances, including the hob, oven, kettle, and microwave.

Microwaves are generally more efficient than ovens at heating food up, as they only heat the food and not the air space inside.

And try to avoid overfilling the kettle and save yourself £10 a year in GB and £12 in NI on your electricity bill.

What’s the cheapest way of cooking your meals? Our experts have compared how much it costs to use some common cooking appliances