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Top Energy-Efficient Kitchen Appliances
Right now, every household in the UK is looking for ways to lower their energy consumption. But did you know that the way you cook your food can impact how much energy you use?
A great way to save money is by saving energy. We’ve collated a list of the most energy-efficient appliances that you can switch to or invest in a new appliance to save you more in the long term.
But first, let’s explore the energy consumption for a variety of kitchen equipment and what this means in terms of saving money.
Why are energy bills so high?
The UK is currently facing an energy crisis. There are numerous forces at play that has brought us to this position, including:
- The pandemic – Demand for gas began to increase during the aftermath of Covid, and a shortage meant that gas prices began to increase back in 2021. As a country, the UK is the most reliant on gas for its energy.
- Wind and solar – Renewable sources had less power throughout winter, and the cold weather meant more people were turning their heating up.
- War – Russia supplies 40% of the EU’s gas, and the war between Russia and Ukraine has threatened supply, pushing prices up even further.
- The wholesale price of power – Most of the time, in the UK, the cost of energy is set by gas prices. But this can shift during a surge in demand to other fuel prices, like coal.
Energy price caps are generally reviewed twice a year, but this has recently been changed to being reviewed every three months, which is why we’re all seeing so much change much more often than we’re used to.
Can energy-efficient appliances impact energy bills?
Yes, they can. Not only are energy-efficient kitchen appliances better for the environment, a 2021 report from Which has confirmed that appliances that use more energy can increase your bills by £490 every year.
Their report states that energy-efficient:
| Tumble Dryers | Fridge Freezers | Washing Machines |
| Can save you £106 a year. | Can save you £105 a year. | Can save you £55 a year. |
What kitchen appliance uses the most energy?
According to a report from The Energy Saving Trust, the kitchen appliances that have the highest energy usage are:
Dishwashers, washing machines and tumble dryers
These account for 14% of a household’s average energy bill. This is because of how long it takes to heat the water to the required temperature.
With that said, there are things you can do to lower the impact. The first is to opt for appliances with lower energy consumption.
Energy labels changed in 2021, find out all about the changes here
Another effective method is to set your wet appliances to a lower temperature or at an eco setting if there’s the option. It’s also recommended not to run these machines unless there’s a full load.
Fridges and freezers
The running costs for these account for 13% of the average UK household bill.
These appliances need to be on 24 hours a day, and the average lifespan for them is 17 years, so, if you don’t currently have an energy-efficient model, it may be more cost-effective in the long run to invest in a new one.
We stock a wide range of competitively priced refrigeration products and you can filter by energy rating using the tool on the left-hand side. You can also check out our latest deals to snag a great offer. We will even take your old appliance away and recycle it responsibly for you.
When shopping, you’ll also save money by opting for a smaller model if possible. If you compare two fridges with the same energy rating but of different sizes, the smaller fridge will use less energy comparatively.
Lighting
The lighting through your home accounts for approximately 5% of an average electricity bill. If you currently use halogen bulbs, you can reduce your energy consumption in your kitchen and throughout the rest of your property by switching to LED lights.
Additionally, simply turning off your lights when you leave the room can save you approximately £20 on your electricity bills.
According to USwitch, a price comparison website that helps users find the best deals on their household bills states that the microwave is considered the most energy-efficient method of cooking food. This is likely due to the small size of the appliance (which means there’s less space that needs to be heated) and the fact that it doesn’t require any preheating. It reaches its temperature instantaneously.
Research from Uswitch shows that it costs 21 pence for every hour that a microwave runs on an average energy tariff. It does have higher running costs than the other energy-efficient appliances we’ll talk about in the next section, but you typically use a microwave for much quicker dishes, so it uses the least energy.
However, there are other kitchen appliances that also use significantly less energy:
What are the most energy-efficient appliances in the kitchen?
Slow cooker
Oven
kWh used: 1.3 kWh per meal cooked.
kWh used: 0.87 kWh per hour.
Slow cookers may not feel very energy efficient, especially as you leave them on all day, but they actually use less than a tenth of the energy that an oven does. Using a slow cooker for one-hour costs around 1 penny.
Gas and electric ovens are incredibly popular because of the sheer amount of different dishes you can cook in a variety of different ways. You can boil, grill, and roast, and so much more if you have a range cooker, what’s not to love? The fact that an oven will cost 18 pence for every hour it’s on makes it even greater to use.
What is the most energy-efficient cooker?
Convection or fan-assisted ovens are considered the most energy-efficient. This is because it circulates heat around the food during the cooking process, which means the temperatures don’t have to be quite as high as with other types of cookers.
Additional tips to save energy when cooking
Here are some tips for less energy-intensive cooking, sorted by appliance type:
Ovens
Refrigeration
Gas or Induction Hob
Miscellaneous
Can you save money by upgrading to energy-efficient kitchen appliances?
It may feel like an unnecessary expense to upgrade your appliances, especially in light of another energy bill increase. But upgrading to more energy-efficient models can save you a lot of money in the long term.
A comparison from The Energy Savings Trust shows that upgrading your appliances could save you money simply because a newer model will have better energy-saving properties. Here’s what you could potentially save by upgrading to a more energy-efficient appliance.
Energy-Efficient Dishwashers and Dishdrawers
While dishwashers tend to have According to Which?, an inefficient dishwasher (with a low energy rating) can cost over £2,000 in energy throughout the appliance’s lifetime. Opting for a model with an eco-setting can save you an additional 20% in energy use too.
Energy-Efficient Fridge Freezers, Fridges and Freezers
Because of how long these appliances last, upgrading to an energy-efficient model can save you money in the long run – and not a small amount of money, either!
Energy labels for these range from A to G and you’ll see savings simply by moving up the energy efficiency scale. For example, by moving to a D energy label from an F, you’ll save around £570 over the 17-year lifespan of the appliance.
Energy-Efficient Washing Machine
Similar to refrigerator products, a washing machine has an energy rating between A and G. An A-rated energy label will save you £130 over 11 years (the average lifespan) compared to a D rating.
Energy-efficient kitchen appliances from Appliance City
Trying to be more conscious about lowering your gas and electricity bills doesn’t mean that you can’t have stunning appliances. At Appliance City, we put the customer first and foremost at all times, including when it comes to stocking options that have the best energy rating. Browse our entire ranges and filter down to the energy rating of your choice using the tool on the left-hand side of the screen. If you have any questions at all about any of the products available on our site, please don’t hesitate to get in touch for no-obligation help and advice.
