Buying less expensive appliances could lead to hefty energy bills in the future, a consumer champion warns, as the worst offenders are named.
Which? analysed a range of products to determine how much cheaper home goods including freezers, kettles and tumble dryers could end up costing households.
The Hoover-HLEV10LG vented tumble dryer costs £279 but was the priciest to run – adding up to over £200 per year on to energy bills.
That’s five times more to run than the most energy-efficient heat pump alternative (£57) and compares unfavourably to the annual average of £147.
Another energy-sapping product was the Hisense RB327N4WW1 fridge freezer which retails at around £399 – much lower than the average price of £800. The consumer champion found the product would cost £113.12 a year to run, while the average freestanding option costs £81.
Despite being priced at £279, the Beko DIN15X20 dishwasher ranked poorly for energy-efficiency. It costs £88.89 to operate – around £10 higher than the average – and over £30 more than the cheapest equivalent model tested by the consumer champion.
The £7 kettle that could cost over £50 to run
Meanwhile, the £7 Cookworks 825/6344 kettle might add unwanted pounds on top of your bills. The item from Argos racked up £50.74 in running costs, when the average cost was just £23, while the most energy-efficient models will cost just £8 per year.
Despite the findings, there are energy efficient bargain kettles out there. These include the Asda George Home GDK101B-22 which might be worth considering for a frugal festive gift, with a price tag of £30 and running costs of just £11.17 per year.
Meanwhile, a reasonably priced, energy-efficient washing machine that costs just over £50 on bills is the Samsung WW80T554DAW/S1, retailing at £449.
With a frugal festive season approaching as the UK bracing itself for hefty energy bills, shoppers have been advices to take their time to avoid getting caught out by surprise charges.
‘Don’t be fooled by a low price point’
Natalie Hitchins, Which? head of home products and services, said: “When buying a new household appliance, don’t be fooled by a low price point as this can mask bigger costs in the long run.
“Which?’s robust testing goes further by including energy efficiency ratings so customers have a much clearer idea of the true cost of the product they’re buying. When looking to buy a new appliance you can check the Which? website for our recommended Eco Buys and tips on how to cut your energy costs generally.”
How the companies responded
Beko
Adam Norris, senior product manager for Beko replied: “At Beko we pride ourselves on providing affordable, energy-efficient dishwashers at a range of price points to ensure we meet consumer demand. As a business we made the decision to discontinue any F-rated appliances and upweight our A, B and C-rated appliances, demonstrating our commitment to energy efficiency and cost-savings for our customers.
Norris added: “There are many independent statistics that show dishwashers (whether A or E-rated) can save both water and energy versus handwashing, so we would never want to discourage consumers from looking into owning a dishwasher, as longer term it will support overall household energy savings.”
Hisense
A spokesperson for Hisense said: “Hisense is committed to bringing new products to market that are energy efficient, to ensure that consumer’s bills are as low as possible, and this is reflected across our appliance ranges.
“The RB327N4WW1 referenced is one of our older models which launched back in 2019 and the figure quoted by Which? is higher than the running costs for this model stated elsewhere. Given the new EU regulations, all F Rated products are being removed from the market, and this will be replaced with the E Rated RB327N4WWE.”
Argos and Hoover declined to comment.
