The most expensive home appliance to run has finally been confirmed – and it’s not the tumble dryer!
The most expensive household appliances to run have been revealed, and the culprit is the electric shower.
The team at Energia, one of Ireland’s leading energy providers, have analysed the 20 most common household appliances in Irish homes, to find out which one is racking up the highest energy usage.
It may be time to say goodbye to those long, leisurely morning showers with the electric shower revealed as the appliance that uses the most energy. Taking a ten-minute shower could cost you up to €0.59 per day, with a total running cost of €3.39 per hour.
Immersion
In second place, the immersion heater remains one of the most expensive appliances to run in the home with one hour of use costing up to €1.13. In third place is the electric heater, with a cost of up to €0.94 an hour. In joint third place is the tumble dryer with a one-hour cycle also costing up to €0.94.
Rounding out the top five, the hair dryer costs up to €0.81 per hour in running costs, with an average 20-minute use costing €0.27.
| Appliance | Average Power Consumption (Watts) | Running cost per hour (€) | Typical Usage | Typical Usage Cost (€) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric Shower | 9000 | € 3.39 | 10 minutes of use | € 0.56 |
| Immersion Heater | 3000 | € 1.13 | 2 hours of use to heat tank | € 2.26 |
| Electric Heater | 2500 | € 0.94 | 1 hour of use | € 0.94 |
| Tumble Dryer | 2500 | € 0.94 | 1 cycle (1 hour of use) | € 0.94 |
| Hair Dryer | 2150 | € 0.81 | 20 minutes of use | € 0.27 |
| Oven | 2150 | € 0.81 | 1 hour of use | € 0.81 |
| Kettle | 2100 | € 0.79 | 12 minutes use based on being boiled 4 times per day | € 0.16 |
| Air Fryer | 1500 | € 0.56 | 30 minutes of use | € 0.28 |
| Coffee Pod Machine | 1400 | € 0.53 | 3 minutes (3 coffees per day) | € 0.03 |
| Dishwasher | 1350 | € 0.51 | 1 cycle (1 hour of use) | € 0.51 |
| Toaster | 1300 | € 0.49 | 10 minutes of use | € 0.08 |
| Microwave | 1150 | € 0.43 | 15 minutes of use | € 0.11 |
| Iron | 1000 | € 0.38 | 1 hour of use | € 0.38 |
| Vacuum Cleaner | 675 | € 0.25 | 30 minutes of use | € 0.13 |
| Washing Machine | 500 | € 0.19 | 1 cycle (1 hour of use) | € 0.19 |
| Playstation 5 | 180 | € 0.07 | 2 hours of use | € 0.14 |
| Television (55" LED) | 116 | € 0.04 | 4 hours of use | € 0.17 |
| Laptop | 75 | € 0.03 | 8 hours of use - One Day working from home | € 0.23 |
| American Fridge/Freezer | 60 | € 0.02 | 24 hours of use | € 0.54 |
| Light Bulb (Traditional) | 60 | € 0.02 | 6 hours of use | € 0.14 |
Energy expert at Energia, Claire Love, commented on the analysis:
“Most of us don’t think twice about taking that extra-long hot shower on a cold morning, but some of our energy habits are costing us.
Aside from the usual suspects of tumble dryers and dishwashers, even using the oven for an hour can add up over time, so looking at ways you can cut that time down is crucial.
Not only can we all be more vigilant with our energy usage, but it’s important we track what's contributing to our consumption by keeping an eye on the energy insights available with a smart plan.”
