As energy costs soar, Irish households are discovering which appliances hit their wallets the hardest this winter
Galway: Ireland just faced its first cold snap of the year. Many homes are now dealing with higher energy bills. It’s a tough time for everyone.
After the holiday season, when we all used extra energy, the government is stepping in. They’re giving every household €250 in energy credits to help out.
This will come in two payments of €125. One payment has already gone out, and the second is coming soon. While this is helpful, it won’t cover all the rising costs.
So, folks are looking for ways to cut back on energy use. Many don’t realize how much they spend on appliances. A recent study by Energia shows which gadgets are the biggest culprits.
They found that the tumble dryer, often blamed for high bills, is actually third on the list. Ovens are even lower down. The worst offenders are the power shower and immersion heater.
Running a power shower for an hour costs €3.33. That’s almost double the immersion heater’s €1.67 and more than twice the tumble dryer’s €1.30.
On the flip side, a 42-inch LCD TV costs just €0.04 per hour. That’s a huge difference! A washing machine will set you back €0.43 per hour, while a dishwasher costs €0.65.
When cooking, air fryers are the most energy-efficient, costing only €0.56 per hour. In comparison, an oven costs €0.58, and a microwave is slightly higher at €0.65.
These figures are based on a unit rate of 37 cents as of October 2022. It’s a good reminder to be mindful of our energy use this winter.
