Energy experts have explained the cheapest way to make a cuppa, with bills expected to skyrocket again this winter.
Analysts at Cornwall Insight predict that the Ofgem energy price cap will increase to £3,582 in October, before it climbs to £4,266 once again after the turn of the year.
Auxilone however, has issued a much more dire forecast for billpayers - expecting the price cap to potentially hit £3,628 in October, £4,538 in January and £5,277 in April.
Read more: The five most expensive appliances in homes that add hundreds to energy bills
The Mirror reports that the price cap currently sits at £1,971 for an average user who pays for their energy via direct debit - meaning a potential total increase of £1,611 come winter. Ofgem also haven't confirmed the figure that bills will rise by as of yet, with an official announcement expected come August 26.
The potentially substantial rise in energy bills means that families are constantly looking for ways to cut costs - no matter how minimal or large. And one way you may be able to save your hard-earned money is by rethinking your kitchen routines.
Experts at Uswitch.com have explained how the cheapest way to boil a cup of tea is by using a covered pan on a gas hob, instead of depending on your usual kettle. This is because gas is currently cheaper to use than electricity, despite it taking longer to heat that water.
A kettle with a power rating of 3kW takes roughly 52 seconds to boil 300ml of water, according to uSwitch. This equates to 0.043kWh of power, with the cost of electricity being 0.28p. For 100 cups of tea, this would mean £1.21 would be spent.
However, if you opt to boil the water in a more traditional fashion over a gas hob, it would take in the region of 217 seconds and use around 0.118kWh of power. Even though it takes substantially longer to boil on the hob, the cost of gas is cheaper at 0.0737p. So for 100 cups of tea, the price would end up being about 87p.
It is also important that the pan is covered so it doesn't unnecessarily lose heat. This means that it will take longer to boil and you'll lose more money. In hindsight, an uncovered pan would cost 98p for 100 cups of tea.
Finally, the humble microwave is also a marginally cheaper option when compared to the kettle - despite it taking longer. It would take roughly 190 seconds to heat a cup of tea, but the microwave uses less power than a kettle. Uswitch uses an example of a microwave with a power rating of 0.8kW - the cost for 100 teas would be £1.12.
An energy expert at Uswitch.com said: “Boiling water in a covered pan on a gas hob is the cheapest way to make a cup of tea, thanks to the lower price of gas compared to electricity. Making 100 cups of tea this way would save you 34 pence compared to doing it in a kettle, and 25 pence against using the microwave.
“Make sure to cover pans when you are cooking on the stove, as uncovered saucepans will lose heat and waste energy.”
Read next:
- Martin Lewis blasts Tories on Good Morning Britain over energy bills support ahead of ‘catastrophic’ price hikes
-
DWP update on how you will get the £400 energy bill discount
-
Supermarkets face renewed criticism from RAC over high petrol prices
-
Money saving mum shares 12 clever hacks for families on a budget this summer
-
Most new parents now concerned about cost of essentials for baby
