5 of the most expensive appliances to run in 2026 – and how to stop them from driving up your energy bills
Beware the electricity guzzlers lurking in your kitchen, utility room or even your garage...
While many of us have grown accustomed to higher energy bills, that doesn't make them any less scary. Meanwhile, even in the most carefully run homes, there are several everyday appliances quietly racking up costs while your back's turned.
From the kitchen to the laundry room, some of our most trusted household helpers are bleeding us dry – and they aren't always the obvious culprits.
Energy costs: how we made our calculations
To calculate our energy use figures, we've used the energy price cap that applies in the UK from April 1st to June 30th 2026. This figure is 24.67 pence per kilowatt hour (kWh).
We've then looked at the average annual use of different appliances, according to independent energy insights from YourEko and various appliance usage reports from the European Commission. In the case of always-on appliances, such as fridge freezers, this wasn't necessary.
Finally, we've analysed the power consumption in kW/h as listed by the appliance manufacturers. Depending on the appliance, this is listed as per cycle or per year (for always-on appliances). For this article, we've visited Currys and looked at the top 10 most popular appliances in each category as of 17th March 2026, taking an average of these 10 energy use figures.
From that, we've calculated an annual cost to run.
The most expensive appliances to run in 2026
"There are some nifty energy-saving tricks you can try to ease the burden on your wallet," Gwilym Snook, appliance expert at AO.com, assures us. For instance, cleaning neglected household appliances can reduce bills.
We’ll also explore some of the latest eco-friendly technologies to look out for when buying a new appliance, which will help you keep those bills moving in the right direction.
Gwil is a cooking, heated laundry and dishwasher appliance expert at AO.com, with more than seven years experience, and holds a particular interest in heat-pump tumble dryers.
1. Washer dryer
The worst offender on our list is, unsurprisingly, an appliance that we require to do two jobs. It's estimated that the average household uses a washer-dryer 4 times a week, placing significant strain on energy bills.
Average cost per cycle of top 10 washer dryers: 3.1767 kWh Average cost per cycle: 78.37 pence
Cost to run each year (based on approx 220 cycles a year as per European Commission): £172.41
Haier's X Series 7 range of laundry appliances have super-efficient inverter motors and are A++ rated for energy use
So other than the obvious – washing our clothes less often, or drying our clothes outside in the sun – how do we combat this cost?
"A quick win off the bat is to wash your clothes at 30 or 40 degrees," says Gwilym. "Lower temperatures use less energy for each wash, meaning you’ll save money every time you pop your washer dryer on."
"Be sure to activate any eco or energy-saving settings if your washer dryer has one, and you should also only run your appliance when you have a full load to avoid wasting any energy.”
Buying a new washer-dryer? Energy-saving features to look for:
- AI technology that automatically detects the type of fabrics you're washing and the load size, then adjusts the cycle time, water, drying time and even amount of detergent used to deliver perfect results with minimal waste.
- New, efficient motor types, such as inverter or BPM (Brushless Permanent Magnet) motors, that waste less energy and keep performance efficient over the long term.
2. Tumble dryer
A saviour for drying clothes indoors, but second on our list is the tumble dryer, with older vented models being the biggest energy guzzlers. Condenser dryers tend to be more efficient, and heat-pump models even more so. Regardless, there are a few tricks that will help you reduce any dryer's running costs.
Average cost per cycle of top 10 tumble dryers: 2.836 kWh. Average cost per cycle: 69.96 pence. Cost to run each year (based on approx 160 cycles a year as per European Commission): £111.94
"Adding a tennis ball or two to your cycle will help clothes dry faster by moving air around the machine, which in turn helps prevent wrinkling," says Gwil Snook. "Tennis balls work in the same way as woollen ‘dryer balls’ but can be a cheaper and more durable option. The bouncing action of the balls helps to separate clothes, preventing them from clumping together. This allows hot air to circulate better, resulting in a quicker drying time. Not only that, but your clothes will come out less creased, eliminating the need for ironing."
There's also a maintenance job you should carry out regularly to help. "Fluff, a by-product of drying cycles, can build up in the condenser. This build-up makes the machine work harder, negatively affecting both its performance and energy efficiency," says TV's Queen of Clean, Lynsey Crombie. "So after every use, it’s super important to remove the lint and fluff that collects."
As well as cutting running costs, Lynsey says there's an even more important reason to remove it: "Because lint build-up is a fire hazard," she says. "So, grab yourself a handy brush to sweep it all out, keep your dryer running efficiently, and even extend its life."
Three energy-saving products for your tumble dryer:
Lynsey Crombie recommends this handy brush for getting into all the nooks and crannies of your dryer vent. "Lint doesn’t just sit in the filter – it sneaks underneath too!" she says. The combination of its flexible telescopic shaft and sturdy nylon bristles, will give your dryer a reassuringly thorough clean.
An alternative to wool and solid plastic, this ball is made from light, hollow plastic with a mirror-like coating. This coating aims to reflect heat as the load dries, and Boss It claims it can reduce drying time by between 30% and 40%.
The downside of reflective balls is that they don't soften fabrics quite as well as wool balls like these from Lakeland. Wool isn't quite as effective at reducing drying times, but is significantly better than nothing at all or using dryer sheets.
Lynsey is the UK’s leading home expert, specialising in all things related to cleaning, organising, and home management. She is the author of Queen of Clean 15-Minute Clean: The Quickest Way To A Sparkling Home. A familiar face on popular shows like This Morning and Good Morning Britain, Lynsey is a go-to resident cleaning expert.
Buying a new tumble dryer? Energy saving features to look for:
- Heat-pump technology: While conventional condenser dryers use energy intensive heating rods to heat the air., a heat pump conserves and reuses the hot air which provides most of the energy needed for the next drying process. This can cut running costs by half.
- Sensor drying, whereby sensors detect moisture levels and automatically stop the cycle when clothes are dry, preventing unnecessary run time.
- Self-emptying condensers that clean themselves during the cycle so your dryer doesn't have to work as hard.
3. American-style fridge freezers
All fridge freezers draw a decent amount of energy, but given their size and capacity, American-style models are unsurprisingly the greediest.
Average cost per year of top 10 American-style fridge freezers: 229.6 kWh
Cost to run each year: £73.91
“To get ahead of the curve, set your fridge to around 4 degrees C and your freezer to -18 C as these temperatures are the marker for efficiency," says Gwilym.
"Also, be careful not to overload your fridge as this can block airflow and force your appliance to work harder to keep your foods cold," he adds, though the opposite is true in the freezer "Keeping a freezer full, even with water bottles, helps it run more efficiently and reduces electricity costs," he explains.
And while many modern-day models are frost-free, Gwim recommends that "you should also defrost your freezer regularly to prevent any ice build-up from making it less efficient,” if they are older and require it.
Buying a new fridge freezer? Energy-saving features to look for:
- Inverter compressors that, instead of turning on/off, run at variable speeds, precisely maintaining temperatures and reducing energy consumption compared to standard motors.
- No-frost or frost-free technology will prevent ice from building up in the freezer, which will otherwise cause the compressor to overwork and use more energy.
- Eco/holiday modes that will raise the temperature of the fridge when it isn't being used, so it drains less power.
4. Dishwashers
Average cost per cycle of top 10 dishwashers: 0.7915 kWh
Average cost per cycle: 19.53 pence
Cost to run each year (based on approx 280 cycles a year as per European Commission): £54.68
This Hotpoint dishwasher's door opens by 10cm when the internal temperature cools to 40°C, allowing air to circulate to speed up the drying process and save energy.
"Like your washing machine, dishwashers are only energy efficient when you run them on a full load," says Gwilym. "Make sure your dishwasher is fully stacked before you turn it on, and it’s a wise idea to scrape food off dishes rather than pre-rinsing to save wasting energy and water.
"Another handy tip is to use the air-dry setting or simply open the door after the wash cycle to let the dishes air dry instead of using the heated drying function," he says.
Buying a new dishwasher? Energy saving features to look for:
- Low water usage: The less water a dishwasher uses, the less that needs to be heated, saving money. "Miele dishwashers are designed to be exceptionally efficient, using as little as six litres of water per cycle," says Sophie Lane, Product Training Manager at Miele GB. "They can also connect to a hot water supply, cutting heating times and energy consumption by up to 40%."
- Eco settings are the most effective feature, as running for a longer duration at lower temperatures reduces the energy needed to heat water by up to 40%.
- Door-open drying: Instead of using energy-intensive heated drying, this feature automatically opens the door at the end of the cycle, using natural airflow to dry dishes, reducing consumption.
5. Chest freezers
Tucked away in garages and utility spaces, chest freezers are often an “out of sight, out of mind” appliance – easily overlooked when considering what’s driving up our energy bills. Yet they appear in our top five of 'most expensive'.
Average cost per year of the top 10 chest freezers: 210.2 kWh.
Cost to run each year: £51.86
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As is the case with fridge freezers, making sure this freezer compartment is reasonably full will help it run as efficiently as possible. Freezer manufacturers generally recommend keeping the freezer at about 75% to 80% capacity to retain cold air flow.
When buying a new appliance might be the best option
Depending on the age of your appliances, the most sensible move may be to replace them. "The newer the appliance, the less it costs to run," says AO’s purchasing director, Paul Whyte.
“A-rated appliances cost a bit more, but ultimately save you money in the long run. That said, if your appliance is over seven years old, even just replacing it with a basic new model will still save you money on your energy bills – but stretching your budget a little further will save you more in the long run."
We did a quick calculation based on two washer dryers, once rated A+++ and one rated C:
The A+++ Bosch Series 6 WQG24502GB 9 kg Heat Pump Tumble Dryer, £799, Currys costs £63.15 a year to run.
By comparison, the C-rated LOGIK LVD7W18 7 kg Vented Tumble Dryer - White, £239, Currys costs £175.26 to run.
That's a price difference of £112.10 a year, versus the extra initial outlay of £560. Therefore, it would take just under 5 years for the Bosch dryer to pay its way, which totally backs up Paul's advice.
In short, if you have elderly appliances, it may be worth upgrading them, even if they still work. Just remember to recycle them wherever possible.
This favourite from our archives has been fully reviewed and updated for 2026. It remains part of our "Best Of" collection, ensuring our readers always have access to our most trusted and relevant insights.
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