5 cheaper alternatives to common household appliances

The cost of living crisis has made everyone wary of how much they are spending and with energy prices expected to keep rising well into next year, people are, understandably, looking for ways to cut costs at home. 

But whilst there’s little you can do to stop the rising cost of living, there are tweaks you can make to your household appliances that can save you hundreds on your annual energy bills. 

In this blog, we’ll provide some cheaper alternatives to common household appliances as well as some general cost-cutting tips to help you weather the worst of the cost of living crisis. 

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Air fryer 

The air fryer has exploded in popularity in recent years with millions of families flocking to purchase the kitchen appliance that claims to cook food quicker, healthier and, more importantly, cheaper. 

But as well as providing greater convenience, energy experts have also worked out that, compared to ovens, air fryers are significantly cheaper to run with the average model costing around £52.74 a year whilst electric and gas cookers cost around £316 and £264 respectively.

This is because air fryers require less than half the energy of ovens to cook the same meal with a baked potato cooked in oven requiring 1.31 kWh of energy, or 26.25p’s worth, and an air fryer requiring just 0.55 kWh, or 11.02p.

Microwave

They might not be quite as versatile as other cooking appliances but, for some tasks, a microwave can save you a considerable amount of time and, as it turns out, money with the average model using up to 80% less energy than a conventional oven. 

For example, the average 700W microwave uses just 0.058 kWh, or 1.98p, of energy every few minutes which is equivalent to 23.8p per hour. So, if you use your microwave for an hour a week, it will set you back a modest £21.22 a year. 

There are, obviously, some things that can’t and shouldn’t be cooked in a microwave but by using it whenever possible, you could reduce the amount of times you use your oven and slash your annual energy bill. 

Electric blanket 

Did you know that using an electric blanket for an hour before bed every night can be cheaper, and warmer, than turning on the heating? 

Well, according to the Energy Saving Trust, it will cost just 3.5p to have an 100W electric blanket on for an hour under the latest energy price cap. This amounts to a total of 49p a night and, when compared to the cost of central heating, could save you a massive £10.51 a day. 

However, with 50W or 60W models costing as little as £25 to purchase and a measly 2p to run, you can still keep warm and keep costs down by opting for a less powerful option.

Heated clothes airer

With the weather back to its old tricks, households are facing the age-old gamble of whether to dry their clothes outdoors or keep them safe from the elements indoors.

But with energy bills also on the rise, chucking your clothes in a tumble dryer will set you back 37.5p an hour – an expense that is forcing some households to cut back on their usual laundry schedule.

This is where a heated clothes airer could come in handy with an hour’s usage coming in at a much more cost-effective 13.7p, more than 50% less, and some models costing as little as £35 to purchase. 

They can take slightly longer than a tumble dryer to dry a load of laundry but if you don’t mind waiting, they’re a worthwhile investment that can help you make super savings when it comes to your energy bills.

LED light bulb 

The Energy Saving Trust recently revealed that the average household could be missing out on annual savings of up to £3 per light bulb just by switching to LED alternatives. 

This specific type of bulb – which requires far less electricity to power than a standard bulb – doesn’t cost a pretty penny to purchase either with multipacks available at most supermarkets for as little as £1.49. 

What’s more, most LED light bulbs also come equipped with timers, dimmers and motion-activated sensors so you can control your energy usage for further savings.