The “how much does this cost to run” thread?

[AtomicBlondeRose]

Based on posts about people thinking of using candles instead of electric lights - which is both dangerous and not likely to save any money, I’d like to set this thread up as a place where people can ask how much items in their house cost to run, to let posters make informed decisions about whether or not to keep using them after energy price rises.

If you want to ask, useful information to have is: the energy usage of the item - eg a heater might say on it that it’s 1000w. If you don’t know that the name/model number as accurately as possible. Also to give you a useful estimate it would be good to know your current gas/electricity price tariff price per unit. However it’s easy enough to work out at current and predicted price cap levels.

I can’t promise to answer everything so please can I call upon other numerate MNers to help out? I think this could be a real lifesaver.

@FayeGovan Running it for 1 hour = 500w (0.5kwh)
Running it for half an hour (so half the amount of time) = 250w (0.25kwh)

Ah, i get it now

And now I have a question. I am assuming it will be very little but anyone can say how much this uses?
www.costco.co.uk/Furniture-Mattresses/Home-Office-Furniture/Desks/Tresanti-Power-Adjustable-Height-Tech-Desk-White/p/307527
Can't seem to find info and the stickers are not helping either

The height adjustable desk, virtually nothing. Maybe 150W motor for 30 seconds every now and then - well under 1p. Possibly a bit more if it has USB charging but you'd charge them somewhere else otherwise.

Thanks. I did think that because it has not visibly affected my usage. I did wonder though because someone was surprised I have it on standby all working day and how much that must cost. Thanks!

someone was surprised I have it on standby all working day and how much that must cost.

That's why this thread is so good. I don't think, as a group, we have a good understanding of what really cost a lot to run. I know of someone who sits in the dark but uses a tumble dryer when it is sunny outside.

Absolutely.

I have to admit the light thing always concerns me when people mention it because there is always candles instead. They are not cheap for how many would someone need!

Right I’ve had this plug now running for a day on fish tank

an I right in thinking it costs me just over a kWh a day so 30p so just over £9 a month

im on 28p

obv if this goes up to 50p a kWh then tank would be 50p a day and roughly £15 a month

is that right

Handy!

Agh. My fridge freezer is definitely eating a hell of a lot more electricity that it should.
I've fiddled with the temp settings and working out whether the flash freeze button is off or on, and it doesn't seem to make much difference.

I've found a cheapish replacement for £200 - in theory if it works efficiently (175kwh vs my current one using~365+kwh/year) then it should pay for itself over its lifetime in energy savings. I hope..
Haven't clicked on "order" yet

Please, when fiddling with friges and freezers, do keep the correct temperature settings.
Too warm can be dangerous and also lead to too much waste. So what doesn't kill you makes your wallet cry.

pmk

I’ve bought a new kettle and with the money I’m going to save I will buy a tax haven in the Cayman Islands so I will live there and not put the heating on during the winter.

m yes, I think that was the gist of what Boris said.

I am concerned because, due to a mix up, I already have a spare new kettle in the loft.

To access the great savings BoJo has promised: do I get the spare out the loft and use that or do I have to specifically buy a new kettle? He wasn't clear.

😂
I think it just has to be the a brand new one for exactly £20 for it to work

Probably more in winter when it gets colder.

But yes - that's the power usage.

A patio heater inside as well as potentially killing someone would probably mean you were not insured if the house burnt down and you lost everything as it would be a known fire risk and the insurer would probably not pay out.

Thanks @cakeorwine

so that’s 1 extra kWh from my high amount of 13/14 a day

Christ knows how people get it low to 3/4

I hope this moves!

Disappointed....

Anyway. We are just 2 in the house and I think the main difference is oven and washing machine use. No dryer.
I rarely use hairdryer as well, like them drying naturally. Daily hoover is charged one so charge once in 3 days, big hoover only once a week.
We just rarely use stuff naturally. It's not some determination.

I can't give details atm (can't currently get into garage) but, in general, what is cheaper to run, a large fridge freezer or a similar sized upright freezer?

And on the freezer question how should we be filling the space. I've read that space costs money to keep cold so freezers should be full, is that water bottles or would a towel work?

bubble I'm disappointed in you as well.

blondes me thinks that we should have a picture rule if pets are involved!

Xenia I wonder that about candles as well.

I saw somewhere, can’t remember now if it’s YouTube, freezing bottles water. Apparently it freezes quickly and if power cuts the frozen water keeps it cold enough to keep food.

I feel confused about the cost of showers. Somehow it just feel weird that it will cost £1 for a 10 min shower but 20p to heat a room for an hour. Seems like for a shower you are only heating a small amount of water. Plus, surely if you have a cold shower you aren’t using anything because your not heating anything?

Clearly I am misunderstanding something.

Electric showers - you are using electricity to heat water. Which is expensive.

I don't know much about using gas to heat water for a shower.

A cold shower shouldn't cost much.