Tea Party: Brits will save £450 million making cups of tea thanks to lower energy costs
Brits will save £450 million making their 37 billion cups of tea this year due to the lower price of energy[1], according to new research for National Tea Day
In the battle for the cheapest hot drink, tea and coffee made in a conventional kettle can cost 3.7p in energy[1] — yet a frothy hot chocolate in a Velvetiser costs only 0.5p[2]
Pod-based machines can be the most energy-efficient way to enjoy a hot drink, with some using less electricity than making instant coffee with a kettle[3]
Home barista machines, which use energy to heat up, grind coffee beans and froth milk, are the most expensive method of making a hot drink[4]
Uswitch.com offers tips to bring your beverage bill down on National Tea Day.
Brits can save £450 million this year on the cost of brewing nearly 37 billion cups of tea because of the lower price of energy[1], according to new research to coincide with National Tea Day from Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service.
An estimated 100 million cups of tea are made every day in the UK. This time last year, boiling the kettle to make a cuppa would have cost around 5p — but falling energy prices means it will now only set people back 3.7p[1].
Filling the kettle with only the amount of water needed for one cup can help cut costs to 1.2p — but 61% of households admit to boiling more water than needed[5].
On average, people drink two cups of tea a day, adding up to an annual £28.60 energy bill based on current prices — £10.10 cheaper than this time last year[1].
Making a hot drink using the traditional kettle is not necessarily the cheapest method, however.
Both pod-based coffee machines and Hotel Chocolat’s Velvetiser, used for frothy hot chocolate, are often quicker than boiling water in a full kettle, helping to save on costs. Making a coffee or hot chocolate via these methods can cost less than 1p[2][3].
Less energy intensive eco kettles can help people save 1.6p per hot drink compared to a brew made with a regular kettle[6].
Many eco kettles come with a vacuum flask that is claimed to keep water hot for up to four hours — meaning users do not necessarily need to reboil the kettle next time they want a drink.
However, barista machines are the most expensive way of brewing a hot drink owing to the time they take to heat up, grind the coffee beans, and steam the milk.
| Drink | Method | Time to boil | Power | Cost per use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee | Pod-based machine | 1 minute | 1.4kW | 0.5 pence |
| Hot chocolate | Velvetiser | 2.5 minutes | 0.5kW | 0.5 pence |
| Tea & coffee | Eco-kettle (one or two cups) | 1 minute | 1.7kW | 0.7 pence |
| Tea & coffee | Kettle (one or two cups) | 1 minute | 3kW | 1.2 pence |
| Tea & coffee | Eco-kettle (full kettle) | 3 minutes | 1.7kW | 2.1 pence |
| Tea & coffee | Kettle (full kettle) | 3 minutes | 3kW | 3.7 pence |
| Tea & coffee | Stove-top kettle | 7 minutes | 1.5kW | 4.3 pence |
| Coffee | Espresso machine | 8 minutes | 1.6kW | 5.2 pence |
Uswitch.com is offering tips to bring your hot drinks bill down on National Tea Day, including saving energy by not over-filling your kettle.
Elise Melville, energy expert at Uswitch.com, comments: “Many Brits like to start the day with a hot cup of tea, and it’s just one of the everyday tasks that has got a bit cheaper thanks to the recent fall in energy bills.
“Making a hot drink in an ordinary kettle now costs less than 4p — but you can reduce that further still if you only fill the kettle with the amount of water needed for the number of drinks you are making.
“Often the cheapest ways to make a hot drink are by using the devices that take the least amount of time. Using a stove-top kettle or espresso machine can cost the most per drink in energy, but it’s still substantially cheaper than buying a drink from a high street coffee shop.”
Uswitch’s tips for making the most efficient cup of tea
1. Use a plug-in kettle. These boil water faster than on an electric hob, saving you precious time and pennies.
2. Only use as much water as you need for the number of hot drinks you are making. It will take less time for the kettle to reach boiling point, saving you energy.
3. But you could do the opposite with some eco kettles. Some versions have a vacuum flask that is claimed to keep water hot for up to four hours — meaning you could enjoy multiple warm drinks with just one boil.
4. Different metals keep kettles hotter for longer. If you’re going for a stovetop kettle, cast iron is best at retaining the heat, while copper kettles warm up quickly but will rapidly cool down afterwards.
5. Boiling water on an electric hob is more expensive than using a kettle — but a gas hob might save you money. This is because the price of gas is cheaper than electricity.
Be the first to hear of the latest energy deals by running a comparison and signing up to Uswitch.com here.
Notes
1. UK Tea & Infusions Association says 100 million cups of tea are drunk every day. Cost of boiling a 3kWh kettle for 3 minutes = 3.7p. £0.037 x 100 million = £3.7 million in energy costs a day. £3.7 million x 365 days a year = £1.3 billion. 100 million cups of tea a day / 47,205,195 adults in the UK = 2.1 cups of tea a day on average. 2.1 cups x 365 days a year = 773 cups of tea a year x £0.037 per brew x 773 = £28.60 yearly cost.
Last year: Cost of boiling a 3kWh kettle for 3 minutes = 5p. £0.05 x 100 million = £5,000,000 in energy costs a day. £5 million x 365 days a year = £1.8 billion. 100 million cups of tea a day / 47,205,195 adults in the UK = 2.1 cups of tea a day on average. 2.1 cups x 365 days a year = 773 cups of tea a year x £0.05 per brew x 0.34 = £38.65 yearly cost.
2. Velvetiser using 500 watts for 2.5 minutes = 0.5p.
3. Pod machine using 1.4kW for 1 minute = 0.5p.
4. Espresso machine using 1.6kW for 8 minutes = 5.2p.
5. Research conducted online by Opinium, 6th to 9th June 2023, among 2,000 UK adults, weighted to be nationally representative. Respondents were asked ‘Do you regularly do any of the following?’ 61% said they
boil more water in the kettle than needed.
6. Eco kettle using 1.7kW for 3 minutes = 2.1p.
7. Stove-top kettle using 1.5kW for 7 minutes = 4.3p.
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.