Flintshire residents pay £42 more than Yorkshire counterparts to power five most energy-consuming household appliances
Residents in Flintshire are finding themselves delving deeper into their pockets than their Yorkshire counterparts when it comes to powering the five most energy-consuming household appliances.
According to research by Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service, the cost disparity stands at £42 annually.
The price cap means the average UK household will pay 27.35p per kWh of electricity from 1 October, but prices vary across the country due to different costs of running the energy grids.
Interestingly, while the North Wales and Mersey region has a rate of 28.26p per kWh, Yorkshire residents benefit from a slightly lower 26.52p rate. This leads to a significant 6.6% difference.
Using the five most power-hungry household gadgets – an electric shower, electric hob, kettle, tumble dryer, and oven – will cost the average UK household £606 a year in electricity.
Electric showers top the list of major energy guzzlers, costing an average of £213 a year in electricity at 1 October unit rates.
Showers are used for two hours a week on average, but the Energy Saving Trust estimates that keeping your shower time to just four minutes could save a typical household £95 a year on their bills.
The second most power-hungry household appliance is the electric hob, found in 86% of homes. Owners use their hobs for almost three hours a week on average, costing them just under £132 a year.
Tumble dryers cost £89 a year to run for those households that own them. Switching to alternatives like a heated airer or drying clothes on radiators can save significant amounts.
Households use their oven for three hours a week on average, and with the typical cooker using 2kW, this amounts to an £87 annual energy bill.
It’s unsurprising that many homes have switched to using air fryers instead, which only cost £34 a year to run.
Thanks to the nation’s love of tea, the humble kettle is the fifth-largest household energy consumer.
Many models use 3kW of power and, with the average home using theirs for two hours a week, this results in an £85 annual energy bill.
Fridge-freezers are one of the few household appliances left running 24 hours a day, so savings can be challenging.
However, modern fridges and freezers are more efficient than their older counterparts, and the average fridge-freezer consumes just 246kWh per year. This translates to £67 annually for the average home.
Ben Gallizzi, energy expert at Uswitch.com, said, “It’s startling to think that using just five appliances can cost over £600 a year in energy, and some households may feel the pinch more, paying £42 more than others.
“The disparity arises from varying energy supply costs around the country. This means residents of North Wales & Mersey might envy those in Yorkshire.”
“You’d be amazed at the costs of some household appliances, and monitoring your energy consumption can reveal savings.”
“For instance, showers are among the UK’s largest energy consumers, but substantial savings can be made by cutting your washing time from ten minutes to four.”
- Uswitch’s free app Utrack links to a home smart meter to help consumers understand their home energy consumption, monitor when they are using the most power and find ways to cut costs around the home.
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