From the 1st October 2022, energy prices have risen again (we saw the first increase in April 2022), and if you have a smart meter the dramatic increases are really starting to show. You’ll  have a better understanding of how different appliances are shooting up the prices on that smart meter screen. 

There are some ways we can help to reduce the amount of energy we use, and there are even some swaps we can make with appliances that are considered to be more efficient.

So here we go, what are things costing now and how can we make them more efficient?

What’s Cooking?

When we’re cooking, we don’t usually take into consideration how much it costs to actually make the meal. Instead, we presume it wouldn’t be that much… Would it?

From a recent study by Go Compare, it was announced that from October 2022 the cost to use your oven for an hour would work out between £1.04 and £1.14. Prior to October, it would cost you between 56p and 61.60p.

This price jump is pretty extreme, especially when there are other appliances you can use to halve the cost of your cooking - and no, this doesn’t involve loading the Deliveroo app!

Microwaves

(Prices from Go Compare)

Admittedly, they’re not everybody’s first choice but running a microwave for 10 minutes will cost you between 5.20p and 12p per hour. 

Whether you’re going to batch cook your meals for the week and then use the microwave to heat them up, or if you find ways to cook your meals from fresh using a microwave, this could be a cost-effective option towards the cost of cooking.

Air Fryers

(Prices from Hometree)

Yes people were starting to buy air fryers a few years ago, but since the announcement of the energy bills rising, air fryers have become a popular and firm favourite in our households.

Using an air fryer for 10 minutes costs around 5p, so using it for an hour would cost around 30p.

The great thing about air fryers is that you can cook practically anything in them! From roasted veggies to meat, eggs to cheese on toast… Great meals for the fraction of the price of turning on the oven!

Toasters

(Prices from Go Compare)

To use your toaster for 30 minutes is going to cost you between 20.80p and 39p. This seems like a lot for toasting some bread doesn’t it?!

Another alternative is to use an air fryer; you can cook some amazing recipes in there! (See above)

Slow Cookers

(Prices from Hometree)

Slow cookers are great for cooking large pieces of meat, stews, curries and more. People tend to use slow cookers in the colder months, or for the convenience of putting something in the slow cooker and leaving it until meal time.

To use a slow cooker for 8 hours (the standard use) costs around 5p per hour which is 40p.

Washing Your Clothes

(Prices from Go Compare)

We all need clean clothes and the majority of us do this at home using our washing machines.

As of 1st October 2022, washing your clothes will cost you between 5.20p and 13p for ten minutes. Although these prices are quite unavoidable, there are some options to help make it more efficient.

Try washing your clothes on a 30° or even 20° wash, to stop using as much heat. When you need to put a wash on, make sure you’re doing full loads so you don’t need to use the washing machine as frequently.

Many of us have tumble dryers to dry our clothes, however when it’s fine weather we have the option of putting clothes outside to dry (if you have access to an outside area), or using a clothes horse. When we start to enter the colder months, we can’t really use Mother Nature’s services to dry our clothes, so we end up using a tumble dryer or a clothes horse indoors.

A tumble dryer sounds lovely and cosy, but from the 1st October it will cost you between £1.04p and £1.56p per hour to warm your pyjamas up. That price is extortionate, especially if you have multiple loads of washing and a busy house with no option to dry your clothes outdoors! However, drying your clothes indoors without proper ventilation can come at a cost too, as this produces damp and mould.

Once all your washing is done, most people like to give their clothes an iron to make them look more presentable. The cost of using an iron has risen to 72.80p per hour. 

So, what can we use instead?

Heated Drying Rack

(Prices from Go Compare)

Ever since the energy prices have increased, heated drying racks have become a must have! You should see the queues in Aldi with customers drying to get their hands on one.

Using between 13p and 26p per hour to run, they are the new alternative to a tumble dryer and drying your clothes indoors…(basically the two options at a fraction of the cost) Heated drying racks are upright or wide, and they normally hold a full wash load.

You’ll no longer have to grin and bear the tumble dryer costs or damp clothes, and you’ll no longer have to pile on the jumpers either. Heated drying racks give off heat so the temperature will increase in the room your clothes are drying in and give you that added extra bit of warmth. As your clothing is drying hanging up, the creases will drop, reducing the need to pull out the iron and use another 72.80p!

Here are just a few ways you can reduce your energy bills this winter and turn your home into efficiency central. We’ve got plenty more tricks up our heated dryer sleeve, so feel free to give us an email or message us on our socials and we’ll let you in on a few more energy saving techniques. Who knows, with all these pennies you’re saving you might just be able to open up the Deliveroo app at the end of the month after all.