Brits rush to buy money-saving home gadgets in a bid to keep energy bills down

More than half of adults have invested in new household appliances in a bid to be more energy efficient.

A study of 2,000 people found 56 per cent have bought appliances such as air fryers, kettles and washing machines in an effort to keep down energy costs.

Smart Energy GB / Ollie Dixon

Presenter Angellica Bell has partnered with Smart Energy GB[/caption]

With the average household spending £645.30 on new gadgets in the last 12 months, 28 per cent say home energy management is at the ‘top of their agenda’.

And 81 per cent are making more of a conscious effort to be savvier when using devices in the home.

New habits include only boiling a kettle with the water required (55 per cent) and switching off appliances at the mains as opposed to leaving them on standby (45 per cent).

And of those who have installed a smart meter, 43 per cent agree the in-home display has helped them to be more efficient with their energy.

Despite these actions, 30 per cent would still like to know more about how to reduce their energy usage of appliances to reduce bills.

In response to help the nation better manage their energy usage, Smart Energy GB, which commissioned the research, has partnered with Energy Saving Trust to share advice when assessing which appliances are actually worth the investment.

According to the data, air fryers and heated clothes dryers (compared to ovens and tumble dryers) are among the most cost-efficient purchases, taking less than five years to pay off the initial investment through the amount of energy saved.

Simple desk top fans are also a popular choice for Brits and can run for eight hours a day while still costing less than using a small air conditioner for 20 minutes.

But some devices don’t fare so well – the popular games console could take up to 35 years to make back the investment, compared to PC gaming which is a significantly more efficient means of entertainment.

Victoria Bacon, director at Smart Energy GB, said: “For many households, the lack of control when it comes to managing high energy prices is a real concern.

“We want to cut through the noise and help people understand what types of appliances are worth investing in when it comes to energy efficiency.

“Partnering with Energy Saving Trust, we’ve gathered information on the appliances many of us use day-to-day and assessed which will prove the most cost effective in the long run.

“But you don’t necessarily need to buy new appliances to make savings as there are simple and cost-free things that could make a big difference, such as turning down your combi-boiler flow rate, taking shorter showers or lowering your thermostat by one degree.

“Seeing the impact of these things on our energy bills is the key to using them effectively.

“A smart meter’s in-home display shows your energy use in near real-time and can be a vital tool for anyone wanting more control over their energy spend.”

When looking to buy new products, over two-thirds (69 per cent) claim the energy efficiency credentials influence their decision more than they did before prices soared.

Exactly one in five (20 per cent) admit the number of appliances they use makes them feel nervous each time an energy bill arrives, with 56 per cent using certain home appliances less often than they normally would in a bid to cut costs.

Keen to learn more, 39 per cent say that monitoring their energy usage in real-time would help them understand more about home energy management, according to the OnePoll.com study.

Having sight over which devices use the most energy (41 per cent), being able to have more control over them (35 per cent) and seeing how much energy they are using in real-time (34 per cent) would also prove useful.

Meanwhile, four in 10 smart meter owners claim they are able to better manage their energy usage, and 38 per cent have been encouraged to implement more energy efficient habits when using appliances in the home.

Brian Horne, technical knowledge lead at Energy Saving Trust said: “There is a lot of confusion and misconceptions around the role of household appliances and our energy consumption in the home.

“Our aim is to equip the nation with better knowledge and understanding of energy use so they can make simple swaps to better manage their household energy consumption.”

Angellica Bell, TV presenter and consumer champion, said: “The energy and cost-of-living crisis has been on many people’s minds over the past 12 months, with many households concerned about paying their bills.

“This is why I’ve partnered with Smart Energy GB to bring the true energy efficiency of household appliances into question, and to offer advice on how people can make small, positive changes to the way they use appliances, and in turn reduce costs.”

Smart Energy GB / Ollie Dixon

Everyone is being extra careful about their energy consumption[/caption]

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