Most household electrical appliances nowadays come with an 'eco' mode, which we are told is greener and more efficient than the standard settings.
The potential savings - in water as well as energy - look like a good idea, but with some appliances taking as long as five hours to do their job on eco setting, it's not for those in a hurry. But if you have the time to load up your dishwasher or washing machine and leave it or you are on a cheaper Economy 7 rate and set the appliances to run overnight, you could save cash.
There's a lot of confusion around eco settings and how much they save, and it is certainly counterintuitive to believe a quick 30-minute spin in the washing machine can cost more than a three-hour wash.
