Uswitch reveals ten gadgets that will save you money on your energy bills this winter
Black Friday shoppers can snap up ten energy efficient gadgets that will save them money on bills in the long run, reveals Uswitch[1]
Slow cookers, heated airers and electric blankets are among devices that can pay for themselves in as little as two months in the colder months
Spending on efficient gadgets now could help you save money for many winters to come, according to Uswitch.com.
Shoppers can save themselves money this Black Friday by buying energy saving gadgets that will reduce their power bill, reveals Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service.
Slow cookers, heated airers and electric blankets are among the low-energy devices that can be cheaper to run than other household appliances[1].
Other items like draught excluders and water-efficient shower heads can cut energy bills and pay for themselves in a few months.
Draught excluders — which can cost as little as £4.79 for tape that seals gaps to prevent hot air escaping — can slash energy bills by £25 a year, meaning they pay for themselves in only two months.
Other items, like radiator reflectors that reduce heat loss and smart power strips that prevent devices from staying on standby mode, take longer to pay for themselves. However, they remain effective for many years to come, meaning they could start saving consumers money in just a year’s time.
Electrical items for kitchens and bedrooms can be equally as effective at reducing energy consumption in the home.
Slow cookers and microwaves use less energy than ovens, while using an electric blanket to heat the bed in the evening can mean thermostats can be turned down by a few degrees without leaving people cold under the sheets.
Using an electric blanket for 30 minutes a night to heat up the bed only costs around 6.7p a week.
Most households will rely on drying clothes indoors during the winter months, but it is possible to save money by using a heated airer instead of a tumble dryer. A tumble dryer could cost 9p per cycle per kg of clothing, versus an air dryer costing 5p to run per kg.
Sarah Broomfield, energy expert at Uswitch.com, comments: “Black Friday is commonly associated with fancy new technology and big discounts off fashion items, but spending on the right gadgets could save consumers money on their energy bills in the long run.
“At a time when many people are trying to save money on their bills, now might be a good time to make relatively inexpensive changes to the home that can make a big difference to your energy consumption.
“Many of the energy efficient items on our list will pay for themselves in a year or less through savings on your energy bill, and the fact that they will last for many years means they come with a long-term benefit.”
Find Uswitch’s full list of tips to help save money on your energy bills here.
Notes
1. Prices collected by Uswitch.com on Argos and B&Q. Annual energy savings taken from Energy Saving Trust calculations.
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.