A consumer watchdog has revealed how much more it costs to run common household appliances compared to the beginning of the cost of living crisis.
New research from Which? has found that appliances cost much more to use compared to October 2021. Rounding up all of the appliances - a washing machine, tumble dryer, oven, dishwasher, fridge and TV - sees average annual costs rising from £283 to £447.
The overall increase of £164 is based on a consumer using a 'medium' amount of energy on a standard variable tariff.
Emily Seymour, Which? Energy Editor, said: "Our research shows running costs for common household appliances have risen by a huge amount – putting yet another dent in household finances when so many are feeling the pressures of the cost of living crisis.
"The good news is that there are things you can do to cut back on energy costs linked to these appliances and applying some or all of these tips could make a difference to your bills."
Household appliance price rises
According to the Which? research, between October 2021 and April 2023, household appliances have risen by the following amounts:
- washing machine with a 9kg capacity - from £49 to £77.47
- heat pump tumble dryer with a 9kg capacity - from £43.95 to £69.49
- dishwasher - from £60 to £94.86
- built-in single electric oven - from £62.19 to £77.02
- integrated fridge-freezer - from £48.17 - £139.90
- 40-43 inch TV - from £19.07 to £30.15
The experts have issued guidance on how to reduce costs where possible, for example washing clothes at 30°C is generally fine for clothes that aren't very dirty and will cut energy use by 38 percent on average.
Likewise, using a dishwasher's energy-saving or eco program will take longer but uses around 30 percent less energy.
They recommend cutting oven costs by cooking in bulk and defrosting any frozen food in advance as well as using fryers or combi microwaves for cooking small items.
Finally, the consumer experts urge people to clean dust from the condenser coils on the back of a fridge-freezer and replace damaged door seals to ensure cold air cannot escape.
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