Modern life has seen us become reliant on electricity, whether it be to charge our devices, heat our homes, or wash our dishes. While it makes our lives easier, it also makes them more expensive. Here are 18 devices in your home that hike up your electricity bill.
Mobile Phones
These days, mobile phones accompany us everywhere, even if we’re moving from one room to another in the same house. With all this usage, they require frequent charging, which inevitably increases electricity bills, but you can minimize this by removing your phone from charge as soon as it’s ready.
Clothes Dryer
Despite clothes racks also being an effective and free method of drying clothes, clothes drying machines are incredibly popular in the US. According to Energy Star, 80% of US households own a clothes dryer, generating billions of dollars a year in electricity costs!
Internet Router
It would be tough to live without the internet, but unfortunately, the routers that supply it need constant electricity to run. Most people won’t turn their router off at the wall at the end of the day, either, meaning they often run for 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That’s worth considering!
Game Consoles
The newer generation of game consoles uses more power than their predecessors, as developers prioritize graphic power and console speed over energy efficiency. Consoles can use up to 25 times more electricity than the TVs they run on, making them expensive to own but a whole lot of fun!
Heaters
Like air conditioners, running a heater for a long period of time will quickly add extra digits to your monthly electricity bill. Generating heat takes a lot of electricity, much of which will escape the room if the house is not properly insulated. So, get yours checked to ensure you’re being efficient.
Refrigerators and Freezers
Refrigerators never stop running to keep food cool and fresh. Unfortunately, you cannot stop this unless you revert to more primitive cooling methods. Freezers are the same, if not worse, as they need to maintain even colder temperatures. It is what it is!
Air Conditioners
As TIME Magazine confirms, climate change means that more people are relying on their air conditioning units than ever. Unfortunately, they’re not only expensive to install but also expensive to maintain, especially if they’re running for long periods of the day.
Electric Stove
Maintaining cooking temperatures, especially if you are slow-cooking something or using multiple sections of it at once, is tough on your electric stove. It requires a lot of electricity to work, which will be one of the main contributing factors to an elevated electricity bill. Consider using an air fryer instead!
Dishwashers
One of the most useful appliances to have in the home is a dishwasher, which saves hours a year spent at the sink washing dishes manually. The problem is that dishwashers are very expensive to run and need constant maintenance, as bits of food will often clog the filters.
Washing Machines
One of the biggest perpetrators of hiked electricity bills is the washing machine, especially ones that heat water internally. Thankfully, energy-efficient washing machines are readily available and can save you money in the long run, even if they cost more up front.
Pool Maintenance
If you’re lucky enough to have a swimming pool in your back garden, you’ll be well aware of the added expenses that come along with it. These include investments in chemicals, water treatment, and keeping the pumps that help filter the water running. These pumps are particularly bad for your electricity bill.
Incandescent Bulbs
The United States has been phasing out the manufacturing and selling of incandescent light bulbs since 2022, as they are incredibly economically inefficient. A study by the US Department of Energy has found that households can expect to save around $225 a year by switching to LED lighting–that’s insane!
Televisions
As you can imagine, lazy days in front of the television won’t be kind to your electricity bill. Televisions use more electricity as they become more advanced, and as screens get bigger, as they need to generate more screen lighting and cope with more pixels on the screen. It’s kind of unavoidable, sadly.
Laptops
It can be easy to think that laptops don’t use up too much electricity, but if you don’t turn them off after each use, you’ll have to charge them more often, contributing to increased electricity bills. Just like phones, take them off charge when they’re full, and it won’t be too bad.
Microwaves
While microwaves are usually used in fairly short bursts, they will quickly add to your electricity bill if you use them frequently. Microwaves work at their best, most energy-efficient levels when they’re clean, so it’s important that you maintain them well if you’re on a budget.
Kettles
Electric kettles are a more understated issue. It’s hard to believe that boiling the kettle would have that much of an impact on your electricity bill. As reported by iNews, your kettle could be costing you around $95 to run, and it could be even higher if you’re a chronic coffee drinker!
Coffee Machines
Speaking of coffee, most coffee machines will boil the water within their system; they require a lot of electricity to run, which adds up to your bill each month. High-end models are the biggest culprits, as they often have a feature that maintains the water temperature throughout the day.
Vacuums
Last but not least, the stronger the vacuum cleaner, the more electricity bills it will cost you per year. Getting the best out of your vacuum cleaner will require constant maintenance of the filters, meaning you’ll have greater suction power and use less electricity, not having to go over areas twice. Don’t forget that!
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