Confusion over appliances could be costing Britons hundreds in energy bills
- Almost three quarters (72%) of Brits do not know which electrical appliances use the most energy in their homes.
- 81% have cut back on the use of some appliances in the past year to reduce energy consumption, yet many are missing small changes that could save them money.
- EDF’s free Energy Hub shows customers where they are using the most energy, giving personalised insight into how to reduce energy consumption and cost.
Almost three quarters (72%) of Brits do not know which electrical appliances uses the most energy in their homes[1] - with confusion meaning they could be missing out on small changes that could make bigger differences to energy bills.
A poll of 2,000 UK adults[2] revealed only a quarter (28%) know that their oven is the biggest contributor to electricity bills. 1 in 7 (14%) believe broadband routers consume the most energy, despite them costing on average only £16.88 a year[3].
The research, conducted by EDF, found that people use the microwave for 11 minutes a day at a monthly cost of £1.50, but the oven, which costs over 30 times more to run, is typically on for over two hours a day - at a cost of £47.12 a month.
Only 1 in 5 (22%) are opting to use their washing machine on a 30-degree cycle, despite experts advising this could use around 40% less electricity over a year than washing at higher temperatures[4]. Airing clothes rather than using the tumble dryer could save an average household £50.83 a year, yet only a third (36%) are doing it and only a third (31%) only put on dishwasher loads when the machine is full, despite the appliance costing on average £112 a year.
Even household chores are proving costly - with Brits spending on average over an hour a week ironing, three hours vacuuming, an hour using the tumble dryer and nearly five hours using the dishwasher - at an average cost of £238 a year.
Despite 60% of Brits admitting to being more aware of their energy consumption compared to this time last year and more than 70% having cut the use of certain appliances in a bid to scale back energy use, it appears many are not making the small changes that could make a bigger difference to bills.
Catherine Fowler, Energy Expert at EDF said: “Managing household energy usage is more important than ever at the moment, but it can be hard to make savings without first understanding where your biggest spend is. For instance, spending 10 minutes less using the oven will save considerably more than the same reduction in use of the microwave, so knowing which appliances use the most energy can help all of us make small changes to be more efficient.
Even the way we go about our household chores can have a large impact on bills in the long run, so thinking of ways to cut back or swap for more energy efficient routines can be a great first step. For example, switching from using the tumble dryer to an airer or only using the dishwasher when it is full can go a long way to reducing bills.”
Over half (52%) of the nation have either bought, or considered buying, new gadgets or appliances in the last 12 months to help make their home more energy efficient. These include LED light bulbs (33%), more energy efficient fridges or freezers (31%), air fryers (30%) and slow cookers (25%).
However, 59% admit to finding energy efficiency advice confusing and only 12% have installed a smart meter in the past 12 months to help manage energy efficiency.
Philippe Commaret, Managing Director for Customers at EDF commented: “At EDF, we’re committed to supporting our customers through the cost of living crisis and want to help them identify the best ways for them to reduce energy consumption in their homes. The good news is that installing a smart meter and using EDF’s Energy Hub can help customers understand where they are using the most energy, so that they can make small changes to daily routines that will really help reduce their bills.”
EDF has found that customers with a smart meter that use insights from their Energy Hub app online, which gives them comparisons of their annual energy use alongside tips on how to reduce it throughout the home, can save up to £41 a year on their energy bills.[5]
EDF uses smart meter data to give customers a personalised view of their energy use via the Energy Hub, along with tailored tips on how to save money and where they might benefit from bigger changes, such as insulation.
To encourage customers to take proactive action around their energy consumption, EDF is hosting a ‘super saver’ draw live now to 31st March 2023. Customers who book a smart meter appointment or use EDF’s Energy Hub at least once a month if they have an existing smart meter will be in with the chance of winning £2,500.
Appliance average electricity usage by UK households each day and average daily / monthly cost according to EDF analysis.[6]
| Appliance | Average household usage per day | Average cost per day | Average cost per month |
| Oven | 2 hours 12 minutes | £1.55 | £47.12 |
| Grill or hob (electric) | 2 hours 6 minutes | £1.06 | £32.13 |
| Kettle | 11 minutes | £0.18 | £5.61 |
| Microwave | 11 minutes | £0.05 | £1.50 |
| Dishwasher | 41 minutes | £0.28 | £8.63 |
| Washing machine | 42 minutes | £0.47 | £14.28 |
| Tumble Dryer | 10 minutes | £0.13 | £3.91 |
| Air fryer | 8 minutes | £0.08 | £2.37 |
| Toaster | 9 minutes | £0.06 | £1.76 |
| Broadband router | 17 hours | £0.05 | £1.39 |
| Games console | 2 hours 30 minutes | £0.13 | £3.83 |
| PC or desktop computer | 2 hours 18 minutes | £0.15 | £4.69 |
| Phone Charger | 3 hours | £0.01 | £0.31 |
| Shower (electric) | 12 minutes | £0.60 | £18.36 |
| TV | 4 hours | £0.20 | £6.12 |
| Hairdryer | 9 minutes | £0.09 | £2.77 |
| Iron | 10 minutes | £0.07 | £2.13 |
| Vacuum Cleaner | 27 minutes | £0.12 | £3.70 |
For more information contact:
EDF Press Office: edf@goodrelations.co.uk
Notes to Editors:
[1]Research conducted by OnePoll between 28th October and 2nd November 2022, of 2,000 UK adults found that only 28% believe their oven consumes the most energy. Analysis of time spent using appliances using the Citizens Advice Calculator comparing how much electrical appliances cost to use found that ovens are the largest contributor to electricity bills a year
[2]Research conducted by OnePoll between 28th October and 2nd November 2022, of 2,000 UK adults.
[3]Cost implications worked out using Citizens Advice Calculator comparing how much electrical appliances cost to use
[5]Save £70 with Energy Hub. Savings estimated on sample from Apr20-Apr22 of 1500+Energy Hub users who logged in 5+ times. Costs based on Ofgem typical annual consumption positioned against projected Standard (Variable) consumption costs of Oct22-Sep23.
[6]Research conducted by OnePoll between 28th October and 2nd November 2022, of 2,000 UK adults. Cost implications analysed using Citizens Advice Calculator comparing how much electrical appliances cost to use
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About EDF
EDF is driving the transition towards An Electric Britain – a secure, affordable, low-carbon future for everyone. As Britain’s biggest generator of zero carbon electricity, we are investing more than £100 million weekly in Britain’s electricity infrastructure. We supply millions of customers with electricity and help homes and businesses switch to electricity for heating, transport and industrial processes.
We operate five nuclear power stations and more than 35 onshore wind farms and three offshore wind farms. Since 2009, EDF has invested almost £9 billion in the nuclear fleet to improve reliability and extend station lifetimes. The five generating stations currently supply about 12% of the UK’s electricity demand.
EDF is building the UK's nuclear renaissance with the construction of a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point C. We are a minority investor (12.5%) in and major supplier to a replica plant at Sizewell C in Suffolk. Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C will provide low carbon electricity to meet 14% of UK demand and power around 12 million homes. EDF Group companies Framatome and Arabelle Solutions have a presence in the UK and manufacture critical equipment such as reactor pressure vessels and turbines.
EDF is enabling its 5 million customers, both in business and at home, to choose electric solutions that save cash and carbon, whether it is buying an electric car, generating and storing electricity, selling energy back to the grid or installing solar panels or a heat pump. In 2025, EDF’s Customers business was ranked as one of the Sunday Times’s Best Place to Work.
It is also one of the UK’s leading developers of renewable energy through EDF power solutions UK and Ireland. We have more than 2GW of renewable generation in operation and over 10GW in construction, planning and development across a range of technologies including onshore and offshore wind, solar and battery storage.
We are one of the largest suppliers to British business and a leading supplier of innovative energy solutions that are helping businesses become more energy independent. In addition, the company’s energy services business, Dalkia, one of the UK and Ireland’s largest technical service providers.
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