The garden energy guzzlers that could add £14 million a week to Brits bills
Brits could spend £14 million a week this summer powering popular garden devices including hot tubs, electric barbecues and lawn mowers[1]
Barbecue fans could spend £1.1 million a week cooking outside on electric appliances this summer — but it is still cheaper than traditional charcoal[2]
More than one million households have a hot tub, with even the most efficient models adding £1 per day to energy bills[3]
Uswitch.com offers tips on how to cut your energy consumption in the garden during the summer months.
Brits could spend £14 million a week powering garden appliances as temperatures start to rise[1], according to new analysis by Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service.
Many households may have steered clear of their gardens in recent weeks as rain has put a dampener on the start of the school holidays. But with temperatures expected to rise soon, many will be turning their outdoor appliances back on.
Hot tubs are the biggest contributors to garden energy bills, but the cost of running lawn mowers, electric barbecues and plug-in water features can also add up.
More than one million households own electric barbecues, which cost about 99p to run for 90 minutes of cooking. Using traditional charcoal is more expensive, however, with 1kg of supermarket charcoal costing around £1.11. In total, electric barbecue users could spend £1.1 million cooking outdoors in a week, if all owners made one al fresco meal[2].
As temperatures increase, the million-plus households which own a hot tub are likely to take a dip, but need to be conscious of higher energy costs associated with them. The most efficient models can add £1 a day to energy bills, as the heater works constantly to keep them warm enough to be used when people want[3].
The UK’s 1.4 million hot tub owners could be building up energy bills of £10.6 million a week over the summer months if they all have very efficient models. However, less efficient models can be even pricier to run — potentially running up bills of around £6 a day[3].
Electric lawn mowers are the most popular garden appliance, owned by more than a quarter (29%) of UK households. Using one for around 30 minutes a week will cost the nation’s gardeners £2.3 million[4].
Plug-in water features are a way to improve the appearance of a garden, and only add 3p per week to energy bills[5]. Over 3.7 million households also have electric lights. Although they only cost 9p to run per home, it adds up to £317,352 across the whole country[6].
| Appliance | Owned by | Hours used per week | Weekly cost per household | UK weekly cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric lawn mower | 29% | 0.6 | 29p | £2,363,900 |
| Garden electric lights | 13% | 2.3 | 9p | £317,352 |
| Plug-in water feature | 7% | 2.2 | 3p | £57,535 |
| Hot tub | 5% | 1.6 | £1 | £10,613,775 |
| Electric BBQ | 4% | 1.5 | 99p | £1,120,815 |
Uswitch’s five tips for making savings in the garden
Hot tub running costs can add up: If you are thinking about buying a hot tub, make sure you check their energy efficiency. Pricier hot tubs are likely to be better insulated and could be a good investment as they will cost less to run long term. Make sure you get a well-fitted cover that forms an air-tight seal to avoid losing heat and using more energy.
Let the grass grow: At only 29p a time on average, mowing the lawn is not a big contributor to energy bills[4], but households looking to make savings could reduce the number of times they cut the grass — which can also be beneficial for insects, hedgehogs and wild flowers.
Ditch the patio heater: When the garden gets chilly in the evening, patio heaters may seem like an easy way to warm up, but they can be costly to run. Electric patio heaters can vary a lot in power consumption, and commonly use between 1.5kW and 3kW. A 2.4kW unit would cost 72p per hour to run[7].
Use the sun’s power: Solar-powered lights can make a great alternative to electric garden lighting. They’re much more versatile as you can position them wherever you want as you don’t need to be near a power source, and will save you money in the long run as they are powered by the sun.
Use your garden to cut your laundry bill: If you have a garden or balcony, you can make use of the warmer weather by hanging clothes outside to dry. The average tumble dryer costs households 90p per cycle.
Ben Gallizzi, energy expert at Uswitch.com, comments: “It’s been a drizzly start to the summer, but with temperatures starting to rise again, many of us will be flocking to our gardens to make use of barbecues and hot tubs.
“Running outdoor appliances during the summer is always cheaper than using the heating in the winter, but there are many ways people could use their gadgets more efficiently.
“Hot tubs are the biggest garden energy guzzlers, as they need to be kept at an ambient temperature so they are ready to be used.
“When buying any new gadget or appliance for the garden, remember to weigh up not just purchase price, but how much they will cost to run. Sometimes the most energy efficient devices are more expensive - but they will save you money in the long run.
“If you want to see how changing your energy habits makes a difference to your bills, make sure you’re tracking your usage. The Utrack by Uswitch app connects to your smart meter and can show you the impact on bills with hourly graphs, comparing gas and electricity use by day, week, month and year.”
To find out how much energy you’re using, download the Utrack by Uswitch app here and connect to your smart meter.
Notes
Research conducted online by Opinium, 29th April to 3rd May 2022, among 2,000 UK residents, weighted to be nationally representative.
1. Respondents were asked, ‘Which of the following do you have?’ 29% said electric lawn mower, 13% garden electric lights, 7% said plug-in water feature, 5% said hot tub, 4% said electric barbecue. 29% of 28.2 million UK households = 8.2 million households, 13% of 28.2 million = 3.7 million, 7% of 28.2 million UK households = 2 million households, 5% of 28.2 million UK households = 1.4 million households, 4% of 28.2 million UK households = 1.1 million.
Respondents were asked, ‘For how long per week do you use each of these appliances?’
Lawn mower users said 0.6 hours, electric light owners said 2.3 hours, plug-in water feature owners said 2.2 hours, hot tub users said 1.6 hours, electric barbecue users said 1.5 hours.
2.Electric barbecue: 1.5 hours x 2.2 kW x 30p/kWh = £0.95 per house. £0.95 x 1.1 million = £1,120,815 a week.
Charcoal BBQ: 1 kg meat needs 1 kg charcoal. 4.5 kg charcoal = £5. 5/4.5 = £1.11 for 1.5 hours of cooking.
3. WhatSpa?: How much does it cost to run a hot tub?
4. Electric mower: 0.6 hours x 1.6 kW x 30p/kWh = £0.29 a week per house. £0.29 x 8.2million = £2,363,900 a week.
5. Plug-in water feature: 2.2 hours x 0.044 kW x 30p/kWh = £0.03 per house. £0.03 x 2 million = £57,535 a week.
6. Garden electric lights: 2.3 hours x 0.125 kW x 30p/kWh = £0.09 per house. £0.09 x 3.7 million = £317,352 a week
7. Patio heater: 1 hour x 2.4 kW x 30p/kWh = 72p an hour.
About Uswitch
Uswitch is one of the UK’s top comparison websites for home services switching, including energy, broadband and mobiles.
More people go to Uswitch to switch their energy, broadband and mobile than any other site, and we have saved consumers over £2.7 billion off their bills since we launched in September 2000.
Free mobile app Utrack also helps households manage their home energy usage and make potential savings.
Uswitch is part of RVU, a group of online brands with a mission to empower consumers to make more confident home services, insurance and financial decisions.