As bills fall this month for the first time in years, research reveals how the energy crisis has revolutionised household tasks and habits
Air fryers have rocketed in popularity, with 11 million households now owning the energy efficient gadget – up from two million in 20211]
Households are using their ovens almost a fifth less every week (down 17%), and have increased their use of air fryers (up 18%) and pressure cookers (up 22%)[2]
Two million households bought a heated airer in the last two years[1], with households reducing their weekly tumble dryer use by a third (32%)[2]
Consumers can check how much energy they're using around the home with the free mobile app Utrack to see if they can save.
Consumers have turned to efficient appliances amid the energy crisis – with nine million households purchasing an air fryer in the last two years[1], reveals new research from Uswitch.com, the comparison service.
Cooking and cleaning clothes are two of the most energy intensive chores around the house, with ovens costing about 60p an hour in electricity, and the least efficient tumble dryers costing £1.48 per load[3].
Prior to the energy crisis, just over two million households owned air fryers, which use 1.4kW of power and cook food in about half the time it takes an oven. The army of air fryer advocates has now swelled to more than 11 million – a 433% increase in two years[1].
Ownership of various appliances from June 2021 to June 2023
| Appliance | June 2021 | June 2022 | June 2023 | Increase in two years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air fryer | 2,149,650 | 4,566,250 | 11,464,800 | 433% |
| Heated airer / clothes rack | 969,450 | 1,447,150 | 2,922,400 | 201% |
| Dehumidifier | 2,753,800 | 3,568,700 | 5,240,650 | 90% |
| Electric blanket | 3,386,050 | 4,411,700 | 6,280,350 | 85% |
| Pressure cooker | 3,386,050 | 4,018,300 | 5,240,650 | 55% |
| Slow cooker | 10,625,313 | 12,465,863 | 13,558,250 | 28% |
Source: Uswitch.com
Households have also looked for cheaper ways to dry their clothes. Heated airers or clothes racks use only 300W, meaning they will cost only 10p if used for two hours – a fraction of the cost of a tumble dryer. Fewer than a million people owned a heated clothes rack in 2021, but numbers have grown to nearly three million fans[1].
The cheapest way of drying clothes is leaving them on radiators, but this releases moisture into the room and can cause mould and other issues. The number of households with a dehumidifier has almost doubled in the past two years as people look for a solution to the problem[1].
Households who already own energy saving gadgets are using them more frequently than before the energy crisis. The amount of time that people use their pressure cooker every week has increased by a fifth (22%), while air fryer use has gone up 18%, and the use of heated clothes racks has risen 11%[2].
Change in use of various appliances from June 2021 to 2023
| Appliance | Average weekly use June 2021 (hours) | Average weekly use now (hours | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pressure cooker | 0.9 | 1.1 | 22% |
| Air fryer | 1.7 | 2 | 18% |
| Heated airer/clothes rack | 1.9 | 2.1 | 11% |
| Desk fan | 1.4 | 1.5 | 7% |
| Hob | 2.5 | 2.3 | -8% |
| Shower | 2 | 1.8 | -10% |
| Bath | 1.5 | 1.3 | -13% |
| Oven | 3 | 2.5 | -17% |
| Electric blanket | 1.7 | 1.4 | -18% |
| Microwave | 1.6 | 1.3 | -19% |
| Plug-in electric heater | 1 | 0.7 | -30% |
| Tumble dryer | 2.5 | 1.7 | -32% |
The tumble dryer has seen the biggest fall in use, with households using it for a third less time every week (33%). Plug-in electric heaters – which can cost 66p an hour for a typical 2kW device – have seen their use fall by 30%, and oven use is down 17%[2].
Baths are typically a more costly way of washing than showering, but both have seen their use decrease in the past two years. Weekly bathing is down 13%, and showering has fallen 10%[2].
To help households understand and adapt their energy use, Uswitch.com recommends customers use its free mobile app Utrack, which lets users see how much power appliances are using in real time.
Ben Gallizzi, energy expert at Uswitch.com, comments: “The energy crisis has caused millions of households to look again at how they do everyday things like cooking and laundry, and they’ve embraced more efficient appliances to help cut bills.
“Many are using ovens and hobs less, and have turned instead to air fryers, which typically cook food in about half the time. Others have snapped up heated airers, which use much less energy than tumble dryers.
“Energy prices are starting to fall, but they are still at historic highs, and it’s worth getting into good habits now ahead of winter, when we use more power around the home.
“You can’t always tell if changing your habits is making a difference until you see your bill – unless you track your usage. People using the Utrack by Uswitch app, which connects to their smart meter, can see the impact on their 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
Opinium surveyed 2,000 adults from 6 June to 9 June 2023 in a nationally representative survey.
1. Respondents were asked ‘Which of the following appliances do you currently have in your house?’ 41% said air fryer. 10% said heated clothes rack. 41% of 28.1 million UK households = 11.5 million households currently own an air fryer. 10% of 28.1 million households = 2.8 million households own a heated clothes rack. Respondents were asked ‘When did you first get each of these appliances in your house?’ 32% of air fryer owners said they had bought it in the last six months, 29% in the last year, 21% in the last two years, and 18% over two years ago. See first table in release for when households bought their first appliance.
2. Respondents were asked ‘On average how many hours a week do you use each of these appliances?’ and ‘And on average how many hours did you use these appliances each week before the rising in energy costs in June 2021 – over 2 years ago?’ The average weekly use times for each of these appliances are compared in the second and third tables in the release.
3. INDESIT IDU 6340 Electric Built-under Double Oven uses 1.05kWh per cycle. 1.05kWh x £0.33p/kWh = £0.35. LOGIK LVD7W18 7 kg Vented Tumble Dryer uses 4.49kWh per load. 4.49kWh x £0.33p/kWh = £1.48.
Cost of various appliances under 1 July price cap compared to EPG 2023
| Appliance | Cost per... | Power (kW) | Cost under EPG (June 2023) | Cost under price cap (July 2023) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air fryer | Use (20 minutes | 1.4 | 15.2p | 14p |
| Heated airer/clothes rack | Hour | 300W | 9.8p | 9p |
| Dehumidifier | Two hours | 185W | 12p | 11.1p |
| Electric blanket | Hour | 100W | 6.5p | 6p |
| Pressure cooker | Hour | 1 | 32.5p | 30p |
| Desk fan | 9 hours a day for a week | 35W | 74p | 67p |
| Hob | Use (20 minutes) | 1.5 | 16.3p | 15p |
| Plug in heater | Hour | 2 | 65p | 60p |
| Plug in air-cooler | 9 hours a day for a week | 75W | £1.58 | £1.43 |
| Tumble dryer (average efficiency) | Cycle | 3.02 per cycle | 99.7p | 90.6p |
| Oven | Hour | 2 | 66p | 60p |
| Slow cooker | Eight hours | 0.16 | 42.2p | 38.4p |
| Electric shower | Use (ten mins) | 7.5 | 41.3p | 37.5p |
| Washing machine | Cycle | 0.712 per cycle | 23.5p | 21.4p |
| Iron | Use (ten mins) | 3.1 | 17.1p | 73.2p |
| Fridge | Day | 166kWh per year | 15p | 13.6p |
| Steamer | Use (ten mins) | 1.8 | 9.9p | 9p |
| Hairdryer | Use (ten mins) | 1.8 | 9.9p | 9p |
| XBox | Hour | 0.211 | 7p | 6.3p |
| Coffee maker | Use (ten mins) | 1.25 | 6.9p | 6.3p |
| PlayStation 5 (during use) | Hour | 0.203 | 6.7p | 6.1p |
| Microwave | Use (ten mins) | 1 | 5.5p | 5p |
| Deep fryer | Use (ten mins) | 1 | 5.5p | 5p |
| Kettle | Use (three mins) | 3 | 5p | 4.5p |
| Blender | Use (ten mins) | 0.7 | 3.9p | 3.5p |
| Laptop | Hour | 0.1 | 3.3p | 3p |
| Heated towel rail | Hour | 0.1 | 3.3p | 3p |
| Television | Hour | 0.097 | 3.2p | 2.9p |
| Straighteners | Use (ten mins) | 0.385 | 2.1p | 1.9p |
| Hair curler | Use (ten mins) | 0.385 | 2.1p | 1.9p |
| Toaster | Use (three mins) | 0.8 | 1.3p | 1.2p |
| Google Home | Hour | 0.033 | 1.1p | 1p |
| Amazon Alexa | Hour | 0.030 | 1.1p | 1p |
| Hoover | Use (ten mins) | 0.150 | 0.8p | 0.8p |
| Digital radio | Hour | 0.009 | 0.3p | 0.3p |
| WiFi router | Hour | 0.007 | 0.2p | 0.2p |
| Electric shaver | Use (ten mins) | 0.040 | 0.2p | 0.2p |
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.
