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.

@EddieHowesBlackandWhiteArmy - my DP uses something similar in his office during winter and I have suggested it might be worth buying a heated throw instead. Obviously depends if you’re sitting in one place or need to heat the whole space.

@Wilma55 thats actually one of those tiny genius ideas! I’m terrible at judging how much a mug full is in the kettle.

It's a 1250w wet and dry thing for downstairs. Got it from a Toolstation type place when doing renovations and it's brilliant on all the hard floors so still using it.

The shark hoover kept upstairs for the carpets is still 800w.

@alwaysmovingforwards

1250W at current price cap rates is 35p/hour. I would also look at the manual because it’s very possible it draws more energy used in wet mode than dry (not 100% sure on this but wet mode must involve some sort of pump…worth looking into anyway.

The 800W Shark uses 22p an hour.

this is good to work out what it cost
www.rapidtables.com/calc/electric/energy-consumption-calculator.html

also follow energy and support advice on Facebook
I know it’s Facebook 😂 but it’s a excellent group and one of the best ones for advice
Often on the tv offering help and some really knowledgeable people who can work out your cost quicker than you can switch the tv on 😂😂
They can even liaise with your energy company if you are having problems

Do you have the link to this please? We're a big family and go through a lot of washing and getting everything dry is a massive worry but for 12 hours and £1 cost that will be massively effective

@NightOwl101 it was this one - www.lakeland.co.uk/21736/dry-soon-3-tier-heated-airer

I picked it at random and can’t vouch for it! I did have an Aldi heated airer and honestly I think it’s crap but these ones might be better.

Thank you @AtomicBlondeRose thats sobering reading. I appreciate what you say about it switching itself on and off once it’s reached temp but still.

i have an Aldi heated blanket www.aldi.co.uk/heated-throw/p/021142304353200 but this doesn’t seem to have any wattage info.

But, my oven takes 20mins to reach temperature, and 25mins to cook standard oven food.

The air fryer will do it in about 15 mins, 1.5x the power but only 1/3 the time. 0.8kwh for the oven 0.5 KWh for the fryer. (simplified holiday maths)

www.aldi.co.uk/kikrton-house-heated-throw/p/811324582445501 This is probably similar though I guess.

And I am assuming if this comes back on sale it will be a good buy? www.aldi.co.uk/heated-throw-with-sleeves/p/811324583290700

Those Aldi links are confusing as they say 160V for wattage - assuming they mean 160W (which is plausible) that’s 4.5p hr at current rates, 8p/hr in October. About a third of running the radiator on the lowest setting. So it could pay for itself if you would usually run the heater for hours over the winter.

Thank you OP that's really helpful

washing machine I have this make and model but I'm unsure how tk worm out the costs and cheapest cycle?

This thread has been so helpful and I've made notes to send to my DM

This is a great thread, thanks for starting it OP.

@NightOwl101 if you Google the model of your machine + “manual” (or I’ve also tried “kWh”) it will have the information in it. I’ve found this table for your machine:

Sorry, posted instead of adding image!

@NightOwl101 you have what is called a “quick/super quick” program which can take 10kg and washes at 30 degrees which uses 0.25KWH - 7p at current rates. It does use more water than the Eco programs though. Pay attention to the load size as some programs are only designed for very small loads.

Great thread OP

Ah think I put it in as weekly time spent hoovering.

I wish there was a ‘love’ emoji I could give this thread. It’s so helpful.

Thanks @EddieHowesBlackandWhiteArmy - it’s just frustrating to me when I see people planning things that will be actively harmful and not really save anything (eg switching all the lights off) when there may be very simple things you could do that will really make a difference (tumble drying, oven use, electric showers and heaters being the main ones so far).

Yep I will 100% be investing in more heated blankets off the back of this thread so genuinely thank you for that. I know I could have worked it out for myself but honestly, it ain’t really my skill set and I would have no confidence in getting it right.

We're just moving this thread over to our cost of living topic for the OP.

Smashing thread OP.

Can we talk dishwashers please? I have a newish Bosch and it is on daily. I'm not aiming to eliminate all energy use and it saves alot of time, but equally if it's very expensive I might try to use it a little less.

Electric ovens are tricky. The manual for mine says it uses 0.92 kWh per cycle. Turns out “cycle means the period of heating a standardised load in a cavity of an oven under defined conditions;” and this is the same for all oven energy descriptions (EU law). So that’s helpful as mud, isn’t it? But it doesn’t mean 0.9 an hour.

Fascinating washing machine update!

At October prices my 30 degree eco wash (1hr 20 mins) used 0.2kwh which at October prices is 0.2 x 56p / load = 11p
If I wash 6 times a week it’s £2.91 a month plus laundry powder.

My 40 degree eco wash used 0.4kwh which would therefore be £5.82 per month, an extra £35 a year.