FOUR of your favourite kitchen appliances could be adding to your energy bills, according to one money-saving expert.
Millions of households are struggling to cope with soaring energy bills, but simple changes around the home could help to cut costs.
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The energy price cap rocketed by 54% in April pushing the average household bill to £1,971 – it is expected to rise by almost another £1,000 in October.
Exactly how much you pay for energy depends on your usage – and commonly used household appliances could be guzzling more gas and electricity than you realise.
Claire Horne, an energy saving expert from Kessler’s, has revealed how to save on the cost of common household appliances.
We’ve rounded up the worst offenders:
Fridge freezer
A fridge freezer can take up a large chunk of your energy bill, especially as it stays running all day and all night.
“The more products your fridge contains, the harder it needs to work in order to stay cool and work properly.
“So begin by making sure you don’t overload the fridge,” Claire told Metro.
“Being mindful on what food you really need to buy not only helps you save money on your energy bill, but can also help save you money on your food shop.”
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Your freezer, on the other hand, will work more effectively when it’s full rather than empty as it’s easier to retain the cold.
But that doesn’t mean you should jam-pack it, as it still needs space for air to circulate.
Another way to save is to defrost the freezer regularly as any build up of ice increases the amount of work your freezer’s motor needs to do.
And if the motor is working harder, then this means it’s using more energy.
Your extractor fan is helpful for wafting away any smells from your cooking – but it does cost money to run.
Claire recommends running it for just five to 10 minutes after you finish cooking.
If you’re prone to leaving it on and forgetting about it, set an alarm to remind you to turn it off.
The Sun found that extractor fans and unused vents are one of the areas around the home which could be leaking heat and costing you hundreds of pounds each year.
You should also check the filter on your extractor fan – keeping them clean will ensure it’s running efficiently.
They usually just need emptying or putting through the washing machine.
Oven
Cooking typically accounts for about 14% of all the electricity used in homes.
And your oven is another energy-intensive appliance, and using a different device to cook your dinner could save you a fortune.
For example, Uswitch estimates it costs 27p to cook a baked potato in the oven, but just 3p in the microwave – a saving of 24p a time.
And for every 40 minutes spent cooking your food in the oven, it takes 15 minutes in an air fryer and costs 22p less.
Some experts suggest turning your oven off a few minutes before your dinner is done cooking, as the residual heat should finish the job – but do be careful and make sure your food is cooked through before eating.
Keep your oven clean too – the dirtier they are, the harder they have to work to heat up and cook your food.
Kettle
A cup of tea is morning must-have for millions of people, but if you’re using your kettle wrong, you could be boiling up your energy bills.
Overfilling the kettle and leaving it on standby are two ways you might be wasting cash, Claire said.
The more water there is in your kettle, the harder it has to work to get it to boiling point. And that’s a waste of energy if you’re only making one cuppa.
To avoid this common mistake, get your mug, fill it with water and pour that into your kettle – this way you are only heating up the water you’re wanting to use.
Meanwhile, according to Utilita, leaving a kettle switched on at the wall adds around a fiver to your annual energy bill.
In fact other “vampire appliances” around the home could be draining your energy on standby and costing you up to £500 a year.
Meanwhile these energy saving devices could help you cut costs.
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