With millions of households looking for ways to budget and cut down their energy consumption amid soaring energy prices, there are plenty of kitchen hacks floating around - as this is the room that consumes more energy than any other in a household. Magnet Trade report that over the past month, Google searches for ‘energy saving tips’ have rocketed by 1221% in the UK and many are turning to TikTok for home hacks to cut bills, with the #energysaving having a massive 12.4 million views.
Mike Norton, spokesperson at Magnet said: ‘’From the kettle or hob controversy, to the cost of running appliances, people are heavily debating energy efficiency in the light of the ongoing fuel crisis. Some simple tips like turning the lights off, are well known and effective. However, there are several hacks, specifically in the kitchen, that are more of a myth than anything else and have little significant impact on reducing energy bills.’’
For those wanting to cut to the chase, Magnet breakdown and debunk the most commonly disputed energy saving claims and highlight the more long-term solutions that will actually make a significant impact on reducing your energy bills.
Myth: Washing up by hand is cheaper than the dishwasher
It’s commonly believed that a dishwasher will use more energy than washing up in the sink because it uses electricity. It’s actually often cheaper to use the dishwasher as hand-washing uses four times as much water and requires energy to heat it up.
But the exact difference in costs between the two can be widely debated, as essentially it depends on how energy efficient your dishwasher is and your washing up methods. It’s more important to think about how you use these methods as opposed to which one.
With the dishwasher, only put it on once it’s fully loaded to make full use of the energy used and don’t underestimate the eco-wash mode. Using your dishwasher's energy-efficient setting saves 20% by heating the water more slowly and over a longer cycle.
If you don’t have a dishwasher, or prefer hand-washing, get into the habit of filling the sink up rather than letting the hot water tap run for an extended period of time to cut costs.
Myth: Turning electronics on and off uses more energy than just leaving them on
This may have been true at one point, but today, the energy used to power on a device is minimal compared to the constant drain it uses whilst switched on. ‘Vampire appliances’ such as TV’s and coffee machines left on standby, are constantly using energy so that they are ready for immediate use. Get into the household habit of switching off or unplugging appliances when not in use to avoid adding to your energy bills. On average, turning off appliances can save £55 per year.
Myth: Using a big burner on the hob will always heat food faster and use less energy
Whilst it’s tempting to place a small pan on a big hob to make it cook faster, you should always match the size of the burner to the size of the pan you are using - otherwise you’re wasting energy from the heat escaping around it. Oven and hob cooking, amounts to around 4% of gas and electricity bills on average, so simply switching hobs could save you a surprising amount of money.
Myth: It’s cheaper to wash clothes at night
Many people believe that it’s cheaper to run the washing machine at night. But for most of us, the time of day you use your washing machine isn't going to make it cost less to run. It depends on the type of tariff you have. If you are on an Economy 7 or Economy 10 tariff it will be cheaper since you’ll pay less for your energy at night.
Myth: Overfilling the kettle doesn’t waste money
Not many people are aware that overfilling the kettle with more water than you need wastes energy. Most kettles have a scale on the side showing you how far to fill them, depending on how many cups you need. Using this as a guideline will help reduce unnecessary use of energy and water. It’s also a good idea to invest in a more energy efficient kettle or instant hot water tap to help reduce energy bills.
Instant hot water taps can use up to 50% less energy than traditional kettles and you only use the amount of water needed.
Long-term solutions to help reduce energy bills
Invest in energy efficient appliances
Whilst they may have a higher upfront cost, energy efficient appliances will significantly reduce your energy bills in the long-run and transform your home with technology that will last longer and be more reliable.
Fridge-freezers, dishwashers, ovens, washing machines and cooking hobs are the five top appliances worth considering for an upgrade. For example, an F-rated 70/30 287 fridge freezer uses 725 kWh per year, making its annual running cost £143. Upgrade to an example D-rated 70/30 294-litre fridge freezer and its usage is 156 kWh a year, costing just £81.12 to run annually.
Despite a gas cooker costing less to run than induction or electric cooking, making the induction switch can save you money with its faster cooking times and significantly better energy efficiency. With induction cooking, up to 90% of the energy used is transferred to the food, compared to the 40% for gas.
Install a smart meter
Smart meters provide an in-home display that shows exactly how much energy is being used in near-real-time in your household. Half of UK households now have them in their home, but as a feature that demands not no upfront cost, we should all be bringing them into our home.
They are an invaluable tool that can help you reduce your energy bills in the long-run as they give you more control over your energy bills. You can see exactly what you are spending and they will eliminate the unpredictability of estimated billing and ensure you pay for exactly what you use.
The government has required energy suppliers in the UK to provide smart meters to their customers for free. Request one from your supplier and installation should be arranged for a date and time to suit your schedule.
