Cost of Running Home Appliances in the UK (2026)

What each common home appliance costs to run per year under the July–September 2026 Ofgem price cap, built from named-model GB/EU energy labels (Bosch, Beko, Siemens), the EPREL energy-label registry, Energy Saving Trust like-for-like cooking tests and NEA appliance monitoring — not from manufacturer marketing. Every figure shows the annual electricity in kWh and the yearly cost at the cap unit rate of 26.11p/kWh, with the assumption behind it stated in plain English.

By Bikram, UKPicks·Published 26 July 2026·Sources: Ofgem, Bosch/Beko/Siemens labels, EPREL, Energy Saving Trust, NEA
In short: at the July–September 2026 Ofgem cap rate of 26.11p/kWh, typical annual running costs range from about £17 a year for a microwave to roughly £572 for a 3kW immersion heater used two hours a day — and the single biggest like-for-like gap is tumble drying, where a heat-pump dryer (£62/year) costs about £89 a year less than a vented dryer (£151/year) on the same energy-label test.

Key Numbers at a Glance

~£89/yr
Saved by a heat-pump dryer vs a vented dryer (£62 vs £151)
Beko/Bosch energy labels @ 26.11p
£572/yr
Immersion heater (3kW) as sole water heater, 2h/day — the priciest here
Wattage × time @ 26.11p (upper bound)
£21.90/yr
Air-fryer saving vs the oven at one like-for-like cook a day (14p vs 20p)
Energy Saving Trust GB test
37p
One 10-minute shower on an 8.5kW electric shower
Wattage × time @ 26.11p
~£5.20/mo
E-rated frost-free fridge-freezer (238 kWh/yr label)
Siemens KG39NEWEAG spec sheet
26.11p
Ofgem cap electricity unit rate used throughout (1 Jul – 30 Sep 2026)
Ofgem, GB avg, Direct Debit, incl. VAT

How to Read These Numbers

  • The rate: 26.11p/kWh. Every cost on this page uses the Ofgem energy price cap electricity unit rate for 1 July – 30 September 2026: 26.11p per kWh, the average across England, Scotland and Wales for a typical customer paying by Direct Debit, including 5% VAT. Regional rates vary slightly, so treat these as GB-average figures.
  • Standing charge excluded. The cap also sets an electricity standing charge of 57.19p/day (~£209 a year) which you pay regardless of usage — appliance figures here are unit-rate costs only. The typical annual dual-fuel cap bill is £1,862.
  • The cap changes quarterly. The next update takes effect on 1 October 2026 — re-check the Ofgem rate after that date. To rescale any figure: multiply by (your unit rate ÷ 26.11).
  • Label facts vs usage assumptions. Where an appliance carries a GB/EU energy label we quote the label value for a named model (with the spec sheet linked in Sources). Where cost depends on how often you use it — showers, kettles, heaters — the usage pattern is an assumption, and each row says exactly what it is. Label tests are standardised, so treat annual figures as comparison numbers, not a bill forecast.
  • Rounding. £/year figures are annual kWh × 26.11p, shown to the penny; per-use figures are rounded to the nearest penny or as stated.

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Wet Appliances: Washing, Drying & Dishwashing

The tumble dryer is where the money is: on the standard energy-label test, an 8kg heat-pump dryer (236 kWh/year, ~£62) uses roughly 60% less electricity than a vented (577 kWh, ~£151) or condenser (561 kWh, ~£146) dryer — a saving of about £85–89 a year at the current cap rate. The drying technology, not the brand, drives the bill.

Annual electricity use and running cost of washing machines, tumble dryers and dishwashers in the UK at 26.11p/kWh
AppliancekWh/year£/year @ 26.11pBasis & assumption
Washing machine (9kg, A-rated)92£24.02GB/EU label: 46 kWh per 100 cycles on eco 40-60 (Bosch WGG24409GB). ASSUMPTION: 200 cycles/yr (~4 washes a week).
Tumble dryer — vented (8kg, C-rated)577£150.65Energy-label annual figure (Beko DTGV8000W); the label annualises at 160 standard cotton-programme cycles (~3.6 kWh/cycle).
Tumble dryer — condenser (8kg, B-rated)561£146.48Energy label: 4.75 kWh per full-load cycle, 561.1 kWh/annum (Beko DTLCE80041W); label basis of 160 cycles/yr.
Tumble dryer — heat pump (8kg, A++)236£61.62Energy-label annual figure (Bosch WTH85222GB); label basis of 160 cycles/yr (~1.5 kWh/cycle).
Dishwasher — full-size (60cm, 13 place settings)128£33.42GB/EU label: 64 kWh per 100 cycles on Eco 50°C (Bosch SMS4EKW06G, class B). ASSUMPTION: 200 cycles/yr.

Less efficient models widen the gap: a C-rated 8kg washing machine (e.g. Bosch WAN28281GB, 63 kWh/100 cycles) works out at ~125–140 kWh/yr on the same 200-cycle usage (~£33–37/yr), and less efficient full-size dishwashers run to ~84–100 kWh per 100 cycles (e.g. Bosch SMS4ECI26E, energy class D: 84 kWh/100 cycles) — up to ~200 kWh/yr on the same usage, while the Energy Saving Trust puts a G-rated standard-size dishwasher at £70/yr in GB. Dryer labels use the regulatory 160-cycle basis (a mix of full and partial loads on the cotton programme), not a measured household figure.

Cold Appliances: Fridge-Freezers & Freezers

Cold appliances run 24 hours a day, so the label figure compounds quietly: a representative E-rated frost-free fridge-freezer costs about £62 a year (~£5.20 a month), but the UK's older installed stock averages far more — 427 kWh/year (~£111) in the Household Electricity Survey.

Annual electricity use and running cost of fridge-freezers and freezers in the UK at 26.11p/kWh
AppliancekWh/year£/year @ 26.11pBasis & assumption
Fridge-freezer (typical frost-free, E-rated)238£62.14Energy label: 238 kWh/annum (Siemens KG39NEWEAG, 279L fridge + 89L freezer). NEA monitoring of this model extrapolated to ~283 kWh/yr in real use.
Chest / upright freezer (E-rated frost-free)249£65.01Energy label: 249 kWh/annum (Beko RFNE312E43WN upright, 275L net capacity; EPREL fiche 257229). Label-test conditions assumed.

Reference points from the same sources: an efficient A-rated fridge-freezer runs ~100–110 kWh/yr (~£27/yr); a small 95L upright freezer (Beko FSE1174N, class E) is labelled at 168 kWh/annum (~£44/yr); and the UK installed stock measured in the Household Electricity Survey 2010/11 (quoted in NEA CP1920) averaged 427 kWh/yr for fridge-freezers, 327 kWh/yr for upright freezers and 362 kWh/yr for chest freezers (~£85–111/yr at the current cap rate) — older appliances cost meaningfully more. Garage or outbuilding siting outside the rated ambient range can raise consumption further.

Heating & Hot Water

High-wattage heating appliances dominate any electricity bill they appear on: a 2kW portable heater costs up to 52.2p for every hour at full output, a 10-minute electric shower costs 37–46p, and a 3kW immersion heater running two hours a day as the sole water heater is the most expensive item in this entire dataset at roughly £572 a year.

Annual electricity use and running cost of portable heaters, electric showers and immersion heaters in the UK at 26.11p/kWh
AppliancekWh/year£/year @ 26.11pBasis & assumption
Oil-filled radiator / portable heater (1.5–2kW)720£187.99Wattage × time: 2kW = 52.2p/hr at full output (1.5kW = 39.2p/hr). ASSUMPTION: 2kW × 4 hrs/day × 90 winter days.
Electric shower (7.5–10.5kW)517£134.99Wattage × time: 10 min at 8.5kW = 1.42 kWh ≈ 37p (46p at 10.5kW). ASSUMPTION: one 10-minute shower/day at 8.5kW.
Immersion heater (3kW)2,190£571.81Wattage × time: 3kW ≈ 78p/hr. ASSUMPTION: 2 hrs element run-time/day year-round as sole water heater — an upper bound.

These are wattage-times-hours estimates, clearly flagged as such: thermostats cut the element in and out, so 52.2p/hr (heater) and 78p/hr (immersion) are maximum continuous-output costs, and real use is usually lower. Electric showers only draw power while water runs, so cost scales linearly with shower length — a 4-minute shower, the Energy Saving Trust's recommended target, costs ~15p at 8.5kW. UK electric showers are sold at 7.5/8.5/9.5/10.5kW (Triton Seville range); UK immersion elements are typically 3kW (Heatrod); 1.5–2kW is the typical plug-in heater rating (the 13A plug limit is ~3kW). Economy 7 off-peak rates reduce overnight immersion costs.

Kitchen: Oven, Hob, Air Fryer, Kettle & Microwave

Per use, kitchen appliances are cheap — a full kettle boil is about 3.9p, a microwave session 4.4–5.2p, an oven cycle 21–25p — and the air fryer beats the oven on like-for-like cooks: the Energy Saving Trust's 600g chicken-breast test cost 14p in an air fryer versus 20p in an electric oven in GB, about 30% less.

Annual electricity use and running cost of kettles, ovens, air fryers, microwaves and electric hobs in the UK at 26.11p/kWh
AppliancekWh/year£/year @ 26.11pBasis & assumption
Kettle (3kW)219£57.183kW element (Russell Hobbs 21270): a 1.5L boil ≈ 0.15 kWh ≈ 3.9p. ASSUMPTION: four full 1.5L boils/day.
Electric oven (single, built-in)126£32.90EN 60350-1 label (Bosch HBS534BB0B): 0.97 kWh/cycle conventional, 0.81 fan → 21.1–25.3p/cycle. ASSUMPTION: 3 fan cycles/week (156/yr).
Air fryer210£54.83Ninja AF100UK, 1550W: a 30-min cook ≈ 0.5–0.6 kWh ≈ 13–16p with thermostat cycling. ASSUMPTION: one 30-min cook/day (~0.575 kWh).
Microwave66£17.2310 min at 1.0–1.2kW input = 0.17–0.20 kWh ≈ 4.4–5.2p per use. ASSUMPTION: one 10-min session/day (~1.1kW average input).
Electric hob (ceramic)274£71.54Bosch PKE611CA3E zones: 1.2kW (×2), 2.0kW, 2.2kW (6.6kW connected load); full-power ceiling 57p/hr on the 2.2kW zone. ASSUMPTION: ~45 min/day at ~1 kWh effective/hr.

Compare these appliances per use, not by the annual column — the rows assume different usage frequencies (the air fryer at one cook every day, the oven at three cycles a week), so the annual figures are not a like-for-like ranking. Microwave wattages: MoneySuperMarket reports typical UK input power of 700–1,200W and estimates ~4p per use, consistent with our derived 4.4–5.2p; input power exceeds the advertised cooking (output) wattage because magnetrons are not 100% efficient. The Energy Saving Trust's like-for-like test puts a typical oven use at ~20p (GB), consistent with the 21.1–25.3p label-cycle range. Hob duty cycle and daily minutes are usage assumptions, not label values — hob energy labels (EN 60350-2) rate per-kg test loads, not annual use.

Air fryer vs oven, settled with one number:the Energy Saving Trust's like-for-like test (600g chicken breast, GB) cost 14p in an air fryer vs 20p in an electric oven. At one such cook per day that is £51.10/year vs £73.00/year — a saving of ≈£21.90 a year (~30%). The EST's caveat: for big batch meals needing several air-fryer runs against a single oven load, the saving disappears.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to run a tumble dryer in the UK in 2026?
On their GB/EU energy labels (which annualise at 160 standard cotton-programme cycles), an 8kg C-rated vented dryer (Beko DTGV8000W) uses 577 kWh/year ≈ £151/year, an 8kg B-rated condenser (Beko DTLCE80041W) uses 561 kWh ≈ £146, and an 8kg A++ heat-pump dryer (Bosch WTH85222GB) uses 236 kWh ≈ £62 — all at the July–September 2026 Ofgem cap rate of 26.11p/kWh. The heat pump uses roughly 60% less electricity than the vented model on the same label test, saving about £89 a year (about £85 versus the condenser).
Is an air fryer cheaper to use than an electric oven in the UK?
Yes, for like-for-like cooks. The Energy Saving Trust’s comparison test (cooking 600g of chicken breast) found it cost 14p in an air fryer versus 20p in an electric oven in Great Britain — about 30% cheaper. At one such use per day that works out to £51.10/year (air fryer) versus £73.00/year (oven), a saving of roughly £21.90 a year. The EST notes the saving disappears for large batch meals that need multiple air-fryer runs against one oven load.
How much does a 10-minute electric shower cost in the UK?
At the July–September 2026 Ofgem cap rate of 26.11p/kWh, a 10-minute shower on an 8.5kW electric shower uses 1.42 kWh and costs about 37p; on a 10.5kW unit it is 1.75 kWh, about 46p. A 4-minute shower — the Energy Saving Trust’s recommended target — costs about 15p at 8.5kW. One 10-minute shower a day at 8.5kW adds up to roughly 517 kWh, about £135 a year.
How much does a fridge-freezer cost to run per year in the UK?
A representative E-rated frost-free fridge-freezer (Siemens KG39NEWEAG, 279L fridge + 89L freezer) is labelled at 238 kWh/year — about £62 a year, or roughly £5.20 a month, at 26.11p/kWh. Real-world use runs higher: NEA monitoring of this exact model extrapolated to ~283 kWh/year, and the UK’s installed stock averaged 427 kWh/year (~£111/year) in the Household Electricity Survey, reflecting older appliances. Efficient A-rated models run around 100–110 kWh/year (~£27/year).
What is the most expensive appliance to run in a UK home?
Of the appliances in this dataset, a 3kW immersion heater used as the sole water heater is the priciest: at 2 hours’ element run-time a day year-round it uses about 2,190 kWh, roughly £572 a year at 26.11p/kWh — an upper-bound estimate, since the thermostat cuts the element out once the cylinder is hot. Among labelled appliances, vented and condenser tumble dryers top the list at about £146–151 a year on the standard 160-cycle label basis.
What electricity rate should I use to work out appliance running costs in 2026?
Under the Ofgem price cap for 1 July – 30 September 2026, a typical dual-fuel customer paying by Direct Debit pays 26.11p/kWh for electricity plus a 57.19p/day standing charge (GB averages, including 5% VAT); the typical annual dual-fuel cap is £1,862. Rates vary slightly by region, and the cap changes quarterly — the next update takes effect on 1 October 2026, so re-check the Ofgem rate after that date.

Sources & Method

Running cost = annual kWh × the Ofgem cap unit rate of 26.11p/kWh (1 July – 30 September 2026, GB average, Direct Debit, incl. 5% VAT). Annual kWh comes from named-model GB/EU energy labels wherever one exists (washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, fridges, freezers, ovens), from published like-for-like tests (air fryer vs oven), from field monitoring (fridge-freezer real-world figure), and from transparent wattage-times-hours arithmetic — always flagged as an assumption — where cost depends on usage (heaters, showers, immersion, kettle, microwave, hob). Primary sources:

Energy-label values are standardised test figures and differ from real-world use, which varies with usage, settings and appliance age. The Ofgem cap is revised quarterly (next change 1 October 2026) and rates vary slightly by region — the figures here are GB averages. This page contains no product prices and no "we tested" claims; all consumption figures are from the named public sources or stated arithmetic. Reuse is welcome with a link to this page (CC BY 4.0).

Buying an Efficient Replacement?

A heat-pump dryer's ~£89/year saving over a vented model (and ~£85 over a condenser) can repay a higher purchase price within a few years — our UK buying guides pick the models worth it:

Best Tumble Dryers Under £300 →Best Fridge-Freezers Under £500 →Best Blenders Under £50 →Appliance Running-Cost Calculator →