Best Appliances To Save You Money On Bills And How

Energy bills have gone up, so it's good to know that you can reduce your consumption by using the best appliances to save money on bills. By switching to appliances that run on a lower wattage and cook faster you can save money on household bills and enjoy new and innovative ways of cooking.

The reason it's worth investing in the latest kitchen gadgets is that they consume much less power than standard ovens and older appliances. There is no pre-heating with standard microwaves, halogen ovens or pressure cookers, and air fryers take a fraction of the time compared to an oven.

Best Appliances To Save Money On Bills At A Glance

• Best air fryer for versatility: Salter Professional EK5106 AeroGrill Pro – View on Amazon UK
• Best dual air fryer: Ninja Foodi AF300UK Dual Zone Air Fryer – View on Currys
• Best microwave for every day use: SHARP YC-MG02U-S 800W Digital Microwave – View on Amazon UK

It can also be a chance for you to embrace creative and healthier ways of cooking. And this list is not exhaustive, there are other equally energy-efficient cookware appliances, such as digital soup makers, healthy grills, panini makers and food steamers that can replace conventional household appliances. Scroll to the FAQs at the end of this guide for more advice about the cost of living crisis and how levelling up your kitchen appliances can save you money.

Best Appliances To Save Money On Bills

Best Money-Saving Air Fryers

An air fryer is a countertop convection oven, mostly known as a smart appliance for making healthy chips. You can cook so much more with models that even have a rotisserie, baking, reheating, and grill setting. The wattage of an air fryer ranges from 1300W to 1700W. In general, air fryers retail from around £50, multi-functional air fryers are around £130 and large capacity air fryer ovens between £100 to £200+. It cooks faster and because less oil is used, can be healthier, plus you'll benefit from an appliance that is a lot more cost-effective than a standard oven. And they're cleaner, safer and use up to 99 per cent less oil than a deep fat fryer.

Best Microwaves To Save Money On Bills

No longer a humble kitchen appliance used to make porridge once in a blue moon. A good peruse of the manual will open your eyes to fantastic new ways to poach fish and eggs, melt chocolate and par-cook baked potatoes before finishing in the oven. But if all you need is a simple and quick way to reheat a meal, then a microwave does just that. A basic freestanding microwave costs around £60, that's with around a 20-litre capacity and 700 watts of power. A combination microwave with a 40-litre capacity, 900 watts, grill and oven functionality costs around £250.

A microwave oven uses electromagnetic radiation from microwaves to heat and cook food, and are hugely efficient because the cooking time is so short. Expect grill and convection oven functions to use more power. This essential kitchen appliance can defrost and cook food very quickly. Higher-spec models have convection oven functions which means you can grill, roast, bake, steam and air fry too.

Best Pressure Cookers To Save Money On Bills

A pressure cooker is a pot with a tight-fitting lid that allows steam to build up under high pressure. The pressure makes food cook very quickly, which means less energy is used compared to conventional stove-top cooking. Curries, casseroles and chillies, which you normally make in a slow cooker, can be made in even less time in a pressure cooker. Food is nutritious because all the goodness stays in the pot. Imagine an authentic lamb biriyani in as little as 40 minutes. Savour all of the flavours of a delicious one-pot meal, with deep melt-in-your-mouth appeal, in a fraction of the time.

There are two types of pressure cookers. The cheapest option is a lidded pot powered by your stove, retailing at around £40. There are also electric pressure cookers that work independently of your stove, prices start at £60 and on average they run at 1000W. At the top end of the range, there are models with additional features - such as rice cooker and steamer settings - for £200+.

It makes you think twice about having a hob full of pots and pans bubbling away and how inefficient that cooking process is.

Best Slow Cookers To Save On Bills

With a slow cooker, you get the joy of coming home to a hot dinner that's ready and waiting for you, getting the maximum flavour out of the cheapest cuts of meat saving extra pennies. They tend to have a toughened glass lid so you can check on your meal without letting the heat and juices escape, and it means you only need to add a third of the usual amount of liquid. Basic models have low, warm and high settings and some models have timers. Food won't burn as slow cookers don't get hot enough - you can leave them running all day long. In addition, you can bring the ceramic cooking pot directly to the table and reduce the number of dishes you have to wash up.

The price of a slow cooker starts at £20 and with added functions the price increases to around £80. This makes them the cheapest small kitchen appliance in our guide. Just because it's on for longer doesn't mean it's consuming more energy. A slow cooker's power consumption is the lowest too - around 200 watts being the average. Slow cookers are - without a doubt - the most energy-efficient appliance.

Best Money-Saving Halogen Ovens

Halogen ovens are countertop kitchen appliances that grill, roast, bake and defrost using hot air convection. Small and powerful, they can cook three times faster than a conventional oven. Standard halogen ovens retail between £45-75. The higher spec models with multi cooker and special functions, such as rotisserie, are just over £100. The power of these appliances ranges between 1200W to 1500W. The cooking dish is generally a toughened glass bowl, so you can see your food cooking. A halogen oven is a good option if you were looking to replace a conventional oven with a cheaper alternative, as you can cook more than one thing at once - imagine your roast chicken, jacket potato and vegetables all baking in one dish.

OUR VERDICT: Best Appliances To Save Money On Bills

Before buying, do consider your budget, the size and needs of your household, and the space available to accommodate a new appliance. Any one of these products will make your meal preparation more efficient - saving you time and money - in comparison to using a conventional oven or boiling several pans on the hob.

Nigella Lawson famously pronounced "mee-cro-was-vay" in 2020 and we say if you have a budget of less than £60, the benefits of a standard microwave make this our essential small kitchen appliance to save money on energy bills. In winter, it's even more important that everyone has access to hot food. Do take care to measure your largest dinner plate and compare it with the diameter of the microwave's turntable to make sure you can reheat safely.

Microwaves are practical for busy lives and save on washing up. Consider your kitchen worktop space and the size of the appliance. Are you a small or large household? Therefore, how much capacity does the microwave need to have?

Expect to pay more for functionality and quality. But a combination microwave, with a capacity ranging from 23L to 40L, could be an ideal all-in-one cooking appliance for a family. Great for foodies and space-saving if you are looking for an appliance that can replace your standard oven. Combi microwaves cook with microwave energy and convection (hot air that's circulated by a fan) and a lot of the newer models have sensor technology so your food won't overcook.

FAQs: Best Appliances To Save Money On Bills

Why have household bills risen?

It's a complex range of factors, including the rise in wholesale gas, international politics, and climate change. In the UK, we rely on gas to produce a third of our electricity, this is why the price of electricity has increased along with gas.

What can we do to save money?

Firstly, identify the bills where you can make changes to save money. There are simple things that we can all do, such as switching off 'vampire' appliances rather than leaving them on standby (saving £147 a year). Buy new electrical appliances which have been designed to be more energy efficient. Larger electrical goods, such as ovens and washing machines, have an energy efficiency rating from A to G. If your appliance is rated A to C it is efficient, and the running cost is low.

How can I save money using appliances?

The Energy Saving Trust states that between1 January and 31 March 2024, the unit cost of electricity is 29p per kilowatt hour (kWh).

Having a smart meter installed is a way of monitoring your household's energy consumption and you can see the effect of running a particular appliance. The power it takes to run an appliance is measured in watts. For example, the wattage of a microwave is typically 1000W.

You can work out how much your appliance costs per use with this equation:

Appliance Power (W) x Amount of Time Used (p/h) x GBP per kWh (0.29) / 100 = Price Per Use

Amount of Time must be in decimals (0.5 is 30mins, 1.5 is 90mins)

For example, cooking a baked potato in a standard 5000W oven for one-hour costs 14.5p (5000 x 1 x 0.29 / 100). In comparison, a baked potato that is cooked for 15mins in a 1000W microwave costs 0.72p (1000 x 0.25 x 0.29 / 100).

Which kitchen appliances cost the least to run?

Air fryers, slow cookers, electric pressure cookers and microwaves all consume significantly less energy than a standard oven. They cook faster, have a lower wattage. According to Heatable, a microwave costs just 6p to run for 10 minutes. In comparison, a 2100W oven costs 71p.

Is it safe to cook in a microwave?

It's been proven that cooking with microwaves is safe. But be mindful that there are some things that must not be heated in a microwave: Styrofoam, aluminium foil and metal should not be heated in a microwave. Do not run a microwave when it is empty as this will damage the appliance.

Thicker pieces of food are more difficult for microwaves to penetrate, which may result in uneven cooking and cold spots. This is why it is recommended to rest food after cooking in a microwave. This allows heat to distribute evenly and kills off any potential risk of food poisoning.

What can I cook in an air fryer?

No more deep-fat fryer smells - air fryers are ideal for cooking all the goodies you would have deep-fried in the past. Wild air fryer food hacks have even gone viral on TikTok. If you like to have fun with food, this is the appliance for you. We can't wait to make British Tapas.

What can I cook in a pressure cooker?

For wonderful cooking inspiration follow @catherinephipps on Instagram. Imagine succulent ribs, authentic dhal and even Christmas pudding perfectly cooked in under an hour.

What can I cook in a slow cooker?

It's a one-pot meal wonder - from porridge, and lasagne to mulled wine - there's no shortage of inspiration for delicious recipes online. Even heat is applied, and food is cooked at a low temperature over a longer period. Therefore, slow cookers are much less intensive in energy consumption and are the ideal appliance for batch cooking. With a little planning and preparation, you can save energy and time with a slow cooker. Once cold, you can fill up your freezer with portioned servings of all your slow-cooked favourites, such as Bolognese, kedgeree and comforting sausage casserole.

Natalie Knowles is a Homes & Garden Product Writer for A Modern Kitchen, specialising in kitchen appliances. When she's not testing coffee machines, she flexes her creative flair as an artist.