Dishwashers are a staple appliance in most kitchens, but these handy machines can make a significant dent in your energy bills. Using your dishwasher less is one way to reduce the running costs, but how can using it at different times of the day affect your savings? Is it really cheaper to use a dishwasher at night?
How much does it cost to run a dishwasher?
Kitchen appliances – such as dishwashers, washing machines and tumble dryers – can contribute to a large chunk of your energy bill, making them an obvious place to start when it comes to looking for ways to save.
Measured by current electricity prices, the running cost of a dishwasher is around 18.9p/kWh, accounting for around eight percent of the average household’s energy bill.
The exact cost of each cycle varies on the setting, though USwitch estimated that the average dishwasher uses 1.5 kilowatt hours of energy (kWh) on a standard setting (0.73kWh) on an eco setting.
Using your dishwasher on a standard setting will cost around £1.98 per week to use it once per day, and just 96.6p per week if you use an eco cycle.
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Is it cheaper to use a dishwasher at night?
Reducing the running cost of your appliance can be done by downsizing to a smaller machine, or upgrading to a more energy efficient dishwasher.
While making both of these changes will certainly mean your dishwasher costs less to run, some energy tariffs will make appliances cheaper to use at different times of the day too.
Some energy providers charge less in the evenings if you’re on a specific tariff.
Customers who are on an economy 7 or off-peak rate will benefit from discounted energy use at “off-peak” times.
Why is energy cheaper at night?
At peak times – around 4pm-7pm, most households are busy using appliances or central heating while they spend time in their property.
The demand for electricity and gas is then heightened during these busy periods, which can put pressure on supplies across the country.
The Energy Saving Trust said: “Typically, gas or diesel-powered plants fire up to meet that demand, adding to the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions.
“This reactive energy production is expensive, causing price spikes.”
How much has energy increased by?
Around 18 million households on standard tariffs will see an increase of £693 in their annual bill from this month.
This will bring the average household energy bill up from £1,277 to £1,971 per year.
For prepayment customers, energy bills will increase by an average of £708 – from £1,309 to £2,017.
Energy bills won’t rise immediately for customers on fixed rates, but many are likely to see a significant increase when their deal ends.
