As the cost of living crisis continues, homeowners are questioning the efficiency of the appliances in their home in an effort to reduce their energy bills as much as possible. 

Whether you’re a first time buyer, a home mover or a current homeowner looking to stay put, we’ve reviewed a number of essential home appliances in the market and identified which are the most energy-efficient vs those that may have the greatest impact on your bills. In this review, we’ve also considered the longer term financial benefits of implementing certain home upgrades to optimise energy efficiency in the home.

Microwaves

For many people, microwaves are an essential addition to the kitchen, as they tend to be great for quick meal prep. After looking at five different brands, we found the Igenix IG2081S 20L to be the most cost-effective at £84.99 to buy – and if used for 5 minutes, it would cost around £0.02, based on the unit rates from the government’s Energy Price Guarantee, updated 29th November 2022. 

Based on one hour’s use (per week) for 7 years – the average lifetime of a microwave – the Igenix IG2081S 20L has a total running energy cost of £98.28 for its lifetime – costing a total amount of £183.27 when factoring in the original purchase price. This makes this the most cost effective microwave option, over a Panasonic NN-E28JBMBPQ, (which would cost around £204.09 for it’s total purchase cost and lifetime running costs) and the Russell Hobbs RHMD804CP, which would cost around £200.28 for it’s total purchase cost and lifetime running costs.

Dishwashers

When it comes to dishwashers, we found the Samsung DW6A8060BB to be the most energy-efficient of the brands we looked at, costing only £0.22 when running for an hour. This is based on the 1,800W of energy per use.

Based on one hour’s use per week, for 10 years (the average lifespan of a dishwasher), the Samsung DW6A8060BB has a total running energy cost of £114.40 for its lifetime – costing a total amount of £963.40 when factoring in the original purchase price of £849. 

Product Director of Hometree, Nicola Battery said: “While many people think that dishwashers are expensive to run, it can be more cost-effective than hand-washing if loaded correctly. It’s important to ensure the dishwasher is full when running and you can opt for a lower temperature to conserve energy. Some dishwashers even have an energy saving mode, which saves on the amount of water used, so it’s worth checking to see if yours has that option.”

Washing Machines

Next up, we crunched the numbers for washing machines. The most energy-efficient model was the AEG L9FEC966R, which costs just £0.11 to run per hour. This is based on a 330W energy usage per use. Despite this, it is on the pricier end of the scale to buy outright, at £949.00.

Based on four hours of use per week, for 12 years (the average lifetime of a washing machine), the AEG L9FEC966R has a total running energy cost of £274.56 for its lifespan – costing a total amount of £1,223.56 when factoring in the original purchase price of £949.  

Tumble Dryers

Many people let their clothes dry naturally, in order to save money and energy vs using a tumble dryer. However, drying clothes naturally can cause damp if the room isn’t sufficiently ventilated. When reviewing tumble dryers, we found the most energy-efficient model to be the Bosch Serie 8 WTX88EH9GB – equipped with an impressive running time price tag of just £0.41 per hour, compared to other brands on the market.

Based on one hour’s use per week, for 12 years (the average lifespan of a tumble dryer), the Bosch Serie 8 WTX88EH9GB has a total running energy cost of £255.84 for its lifetime – costing a total amount of £1,254.84 when factoring in the original purchase price of £999.  

Kettle

Another household essential is the kettle – and we found the most energy-efficient model of those we looked at to be the Tower Presto, with an hourly cost of £0.75. It also costs just £13.99 (based on current discounted offer) to buy and has a fairly low energy consumption rate of 2,200W. 

Based on 30 minutes of use per week, for 4.5 years (the average lifetime of a kettle), the Tower Presto has a total running energy cost of £51.48 for its lifespan – costing a total amount of £65.47 when factoring in the original purchase price of £13.99.  

Vacuum Cleaner

Out of the five we analysed, the most energy-efficient model was the Dyson Cyclone V10 Animal, costing just £0.01 to run for an hour. This is based on a wattage of 21. However, despite this, the vacuum is on the more expensive end of the spectrum at a purchase cost of £369.00. 

Based on one hour’s use per week, for 8 years (the average lifespan of a vacuum cleaner), the Dyson Cyclone V10 Animal has a total running energy cost of £4.19 for its lifetime – costing a total amount of £373.16 when factoring in the original purchase price of £369.  

TV

While some people may be trying to cut down on their screen time, a television is still considered by many people to be an essential appliance in the home. Out of the TVs we reviewed, the most energy-efficient model was the Sharp 1T-C32EE7KF2FB. The 70” TV had a very impressive hourly energy cost of only £0.01, which was thanks to its energy consumption of 20W. 

At the other end of the scale was the 50” Philips 50HFL5014/12, with a whopping hourly cost of £0.17, even though this TV is a smaller size in comparison. This is unsurprising, as its energy consumption per use was 49W.

Based on the average 36 hours of use per week in the UK according to Ofcom, for 7 years, (the average lifetime of a TV), the Sharp 1T-C32EE7KF2FB has a total running energy cost of £131.04 for its lifespan – costing a total amount of £291.03 when factoring in the original purchase price of £159.99.  

Fridge Freezer

Finally, we delved into the most energy-efficient fridge freezers, and every model we analysed cost only £0.01 every hour when set to a temperature of 4oC – highlighting that they were all highly energy-efficient. The Amica FDR2213B model had the highest energy consumption at 0.0258kWh, while the Whirlpool SW8 1Q XR had the lowest at 0.0166kWh. This model was also the cheapest to buy outright at £499, compared to the most expensive at £1,699.

Based on the Whirlpool SW8 1Q XR fridge freezer running 24/7, for 10 years, (the average lifespan of a fridge freezer), it has a total running energy cost of £492.90 for its lifetime – costing a total amount of £991.90 when factoring in the original purchase price of £499. 

The energy efficiency of modern home amenities

Modern home appliances, such as air fryers, slow cookers and blenders have been taking the world by storm this winter, as consumers look to cut energy costs. Sky News reported that air fryer sales skyrocketed by 3000% in 2022 as the cost of living crisis took its toll, so how energy-efficient are these appliances?

Air Fryers

Air fryers are much more energy-efficient than most ovens, because they cook food much faster, although keep in mind that they use electricity, which is typically more expensive than gas. Recent research has shown that cooking in an air fryer costs about half the price of cooking in an oven.

An air fryer is similar to an oven in the sense that it bakes and roasts. The main difference is that the heating elements are only located on the top and are accompanied by a large, powerful fan. 

When crunching the numbers for air fryers, the Tower T17026 took first place for being the most energy-efficient of the group, costing only £0.04 if left running for an hour. This is based on the 1 kWh of energy consumption per use.

Slow Cookers

Slow cookers are also making a comeback – and with good reason. In terms of appliances, it’s one of the most energy-efficient ways to cook.

Even if you have it on all day, slowly braising a beef casserole, it will use about the same amount of energy as a lightbulb, cutting your energy consumption and saving you some money in the process. Slow cookers have low wattage, so even cooking something for 8 hours will use less energy than an oven or hob.

On average, slow cookers usually use about 1.2 kWh over the course of 8 hours, costing you around £0.32 for the use – compared to £0.37 for using a regular cooker for one hour. Data showed that the most energy efficient slow cooker was the Tower 1.5 Litre Slow Cooker, which came to a purchase price of £16.99. 

Energy efficiency in the home: Your questions answered:

Between January 2022 to January ‘23, Google searches for ‘energy efficiency’ have increased by 233.3% in the UK as the energy crisis rises to an all-time high. After delving into data from Google search trends and aHrefs, we were able to reveal the most frequently asked questions from the public about energy-efficient home appliances. As well as this, our resident experts were able to offer insight into these topics, making it easier for people to choose the right appliances to save money and energy. 

Why is energy efficiency important?

This was the most-asked question, highlighting that people are actively seeking more insight about the benefits of being more energy-efficient. Our Product Director, Nicola Battey said:

“If an appliance doesn’t require much energy to function, it won’t cost so much to run. For example, boilers are rated from A to G based on their performance level, with A being the highest and G being the lowest. G-rated boilers are often found in older buildings and are far less energy-efficient, as they require a lot of power to run. 

“However, in 2010 it was made illegal to install boilers with ratings lower than A and B, so it is always worth checking to see whether you could save yourself money. Newer models will naturally be more expensive to buy outright but will save you more money in the long run.

“This goes for many home appliances, such as your fridge, washing machine, dryer or dishwasher. Energy-efficient items will also, naturally, use up fewer fossil fuels and produce fewer emissions, which means they’re kinder to the environment.” 

How to improve home energy efficiency? 

“When buying appliances for your home, consider whether an item is truly essential – or a luxury. The answer will be different for each person, depending on what you value the most. For example, a coffee machine can be crucial for a coffee lover, but others may consider it to be a more extravagant purchase. 

“If an appliance feels like a necessity, it will save money in the long run to buy the most energy-efficient model, however the purchase price does not necessarily correlate to energy efficiency. 

How to build the most energy-efficient home?

“A great way to make a new home more energy-efficient is to invest in double glazing. Double-glazed windows ensure that your home is kept warmer, by allowing less to no heat to pass through them. This means you wouldn’t need to turn the heating up as much over the winter, or you could have it on for shorter periods of time. 

Currently, 86% of UK households have some form of double glazing, but only 48% have cavity or solid wall insulation.

“If you want to keep your energy bills lower whilst reducing your carbon emissions, having proper insulation installed in your home could save you as much as £700 a year. 

“Insulation reduces heat loss, helps cut utility bills, and makes you less likely to rely on standard home heating and cooling solutions. Not only will you be saving money, you’ll be much more comfortable in your home too.

“Installing loft insulation will prevent up to 25% of the heat in your home escaping. It’s also an effective way to cut utility bills, saving the average homeowner around £200 a year on heating costs.

‘You should also opt for wall insulation – and the potential savings when using cavity wall insulation depends on the size of your home. Homeowners can expect to save anywhere between £120 and £425 on their energy bill per year.”

See our guide to proper wall, floor and loft insulation here.

What about appliances?

“While buying energy-efficient appliances is guaranteed to save you money in the long run, it is also worth checking whether the models you currently have come with an eco setting. Most washing machines have eco-wash settings, allowing you to cleanse things on a shorter, colder wash cycle. Washing machines take up around 14% of an energy bill, so it is always worth checking your existing one for the most cost-effective settings. 

“Ovens can also be a hugely costly appliance, typically using 1kwh if run for around 20 minutes with a wattage of 3kW. This would mean that it costs 34p every 20 minutes, which is bound to add up in the long term. 

“Investing in a more energy-efficient model would allow you to cut down the average running cost. Alternatively, you could invest in an air fryer, as they are cheaper to run at 5p per 10 minutes, based on 1kW wattage, which would be equal to 0.16kWh of energy in this time period.

Methodology: 

The most energy efficient home appliances: By applying the total energy cost (watts/1000) x hours operating x cost per kWh, and finding the cost of electricity, we found the most energy efficient home appliances, and the brands providing the best buys.

Energy units data comes from the government’s Energy Price Guarantee, which is capped at £0.34 as of November 2022.

*All appliance prices correct as of 27/02/23 – prices may change

Buying an energy efficient home: Your questions answered: We analysed Answer The Public to find the UK’s top burning questions about home efficiency.