Which Household Appliances Use the Most Electricity?

Quick links:

• How to check which appliances use the most energy
• Electric heating and hot water systems
• Tumble dryers and washing machines
• Which kitchen appliances use the most electricity
• Off-peak electricity and smart meters: shifting your usage
• Managing energy bills in a shared house or apartment
• Keep electricity bills predictable with Unlimited Energy

Household appliances that generate heat or run for long periods tend to use the most electricity.

Electric heating systems and immersion heaters can be some of the biggest energy users in a home. Tumble dryers, washing machines and electric ovens also use a lot of electricity, and this adds up if you run them regularly.

You can reduce your electricity use and potentially lower your bills by knowing which appliances use the most electricity and using them smartly.

In this guide, we'll look at some of the biggest electricity users around the home, how much they typically cost to run, and simple ways to use less energy.

When comparing how much electricity appliances use, these are the two figures you’ll need to understand:

• Kilowatts (kW) measure how much power an appliance needs at a particular time
• Kilowatt hours (kWh) measure how much energy it uses over a period of time

This difference matters because some appliances run longer than others, while others use lots of energy in short bursts. For example, an electric shower might use around 7 kW of power, but you may only run it for 10 minutes at a time. A fridge-freezer uses much less power at once, but it needs to stay switched on 24 hours a day. This means its electricity use can add up over a year.

The best way to keep track of what you’re using and when is with a smart meter. Try checking your usage before and while running different appliances to see how it changes.

You can also compare your overall electricity use with Ofgem's typical consumption figures. From July 2026, Ofgem uses 2,500 kWh per year as its medium typical electricity consumption figure for a household with a standard single-rate meter.

These figures are just a guide. The exact amount of electricity you use in your home depends on factors such as the number of people in your household, your appliances, and how you use them.

Read our guide to average monthly energy bills by household size.

Electric central heating and storage heaters need a significant amount of energy to keep your home warm, particularly during the colder months.

Heating water can also use a lot of energy. Immersion heaters use electricity to heat water stored in a hot water cylinder, while electric showers heat water as you use it.

There are a few simple ways to make your heating and hot water more efficient:

• Only heat the water you need: If you have an immersion heater, use its timer instead of leaving it on unnecessarily.
• Take shorter showers: Cutting a few minutes from your shower can help you use less energy.
• Keep the heat in: Draught-proofing and other energy-efficiency improvements can help your home stay warmer for longer. Find more ideas in our [how to keep the heat in and save energy this winter guide].

Keeping your home warm is important, particularly for babies, children and older people. If you're struggling to afford your energy bills, read our energy grants and funds guide to see whether you can get help with your energy costs.

Tumble dryers use a lot of electricity to generate heat throughout the drying cycle. How much they use depends on the model and load size.

Washing machines use most of their energy to heat the water, rather than spin the drum. So, one of the easiest ways to use less electricity is to wash your clothes at a lower temperature, such as 30°C or 40°C. Most laundry detergents are now designed to work perfectly at this temperature!

You can save energy on laundry by:

• Waiting until you have a full load before putting a wash on
• Choosing a lower temperature when your clothes don't need a hot wash
• Air-drying clothes instead of using the tumble dryer when you can

Electric ovens and hobs are some of the biggest electricity users in the kitchen because it takes a lot of power to reach and maintain high temperatures, but other appliances add to your electricity usage too.

Here's a quick comparison of how much electricity some common kitchen appliances typically use:

Remember, these are only typical figures. How much electricity an appliance actually uses depends on its power rating, how long you use it, and the programme or settings you choose.

For smaller meals, using an air fryer, microwave or slow cooker instead of heating your whole oven could help you use less electricity. You can also make small changes, such as only boiling as much water as you need and waiting until the dishwasher is full before switching it on.

Knowing which appliances use the most electricity is a good start, but when you use them can also make a difference to your bills.

Smart meter

A smart meter's in-home display shows your energy use and estimated cost, so you can see the impact of switching on appliances such as your washing machine, tumble dryer or oven. It can also help you spot times when your electricity use is particularly high.

Off-peak tariffs

If you’re on an Economy 7 tariff or another off-peak tariff, electricity costs less at certain times. You could save money by using appliances such as your dishwasher or washing machine during these cheaper hours, or charging your EV overnight.

For this type of tariff to work out cheaper, you’ll generally need to use around 30–45% of your electricity during off-peak hours, although this depends on your tariff and energy use.

Low-cost energy periods

Some energy suppliers also offer cheaper electricity at certain times, such as British Gas PeakSave Sundays, EDF Weekend Saver and Octopus Energy Weekend Happy Hours. These offers can change, so check with your supplier to see what's currently available.

Energy use can look different in a flat or shared house. You might share laundry facilities, rely on electric heaters or have a housemate charging an EV, for example.

It's worth talking about how you'll use appliances that use a lot of electricity, especially when you're splitting the electricity bill. A bills package from One Utility Bill can also make managing shared household costs simpler, with Unlimited Energy to stop fights about the heating and one monthly payment that's easy to split (if you like).

For more ways to save, check out our guides on 11 little things you can do to save energy and improve energy efficiency during your winter break.

Whether you're running the washing machine, cooking dinner or keeping your home warm, it helps to know how much you'll pay each month. Add Unlimited Energy to your One Utility Bill package and use the energy you need for one fixed monthly price.

Your Unlimited Energy price is based on:

• The size of your home
• The number of people in your home
• The power supply at your address
• The price of energy
• Whether you have an electric car

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