Running costs for popular home appliances rose to £447, from £283, on average during this period for a household using a medium amount of energy.

The huge increase is down to soaring energy costs which are one of the main factors in the cost-of-living crisis.

Yet households are also struggling with significant increases in a range of other costs including food prices which are still rising and were up 17.3% in April.

It also comes as the Government’s energy discount ended at the start of April, which had given households £400, broken down into £67 a month payments, to help with rising energy bills. Energy customers with a prepayment meter are also being urged to claim £160 million in vouchers by June to help with their energy bills.

Running costs rise £164 since October 2021

Researchers at Which? tested six popular home appliances to calculate how much running costs rose between October 2021 and April 2023 and also provided tips for saving money on each.

1. Washing machines: The average cost of running a washing machine with a 9kg capacity increased from £49 to £77.47. Washing clothes which aren’t too dirty at 30C,  will cut energy use by 38% while washing at 20C will use 62% less energy.
2. Heat pump tumble dryers: Costs for using a heat pump tumble drier rose to £69.49, from £43.95. They were still cheaper than condenser dryers, although cost more to buy upfront. Separating clothes by fabric is one way to save on energy costs, and to empty the filter after every use.
3. Dishwashers: The cost of running a dishwasher rose to an average of £97.86, from £60. Using a dishwasher’s eco program uses 30% less energy and running it when the machine is full, rather than more regularly with smaller loads, will also save energy and money.
4. Built-in ovens: On average it now costs £77.02 to run a built-in oven, up from £48.71. You can reduce how much energy it uses by cooking in bulk while smaller appliances such as microwaves or air fryers can also save money as they use less energy.
5. Fridge-freezers: Costs for running a fridge-freezer rose to £139.90, from £62.19. To make your fridge-freezer as efficient as possible, Which? suggests cleaning the condenser coils at the back and replacing damaged door seals to ensure cold air cannot escape and be wasted.
6. Televisions: It now costs £30.15 a year to run a TV, compared to £19.07 in October 2021. It is one of the cheapest appliances to use at home but the bigger the TV, the more expensive its running costs will be.

Emily Seymour, Which? energy editor, said: “Our research shows running costs for common household appliances have risen by a huge amount – putting yet another dent in household finances when so many are feeling the pressures of the cost of living crisis.

“The good news is that there are things you can do to cut back on energy costs linked to these appliances and applying some or all of these tips could make a difference to your bills.”