Consumer expert Harry Kind appeared on BBC Morning Live explained how switching could save households £1,560
A BBC expert has weighed in on what money-saving guru Martin Lewis has previously branded a ‘demon appliance’ — one he urges households to avoid using wherever possible. Consumer specialist Harry Kind appeared on BBC Morning Live as a bout of severe weather swept across the UK, bringing widespread rainfall.
With outdoor washing lines rendered useless in such conditions, many households inevitably reach for the tumble dryer — yet personal finance expert Martin has long cautioned against them. He previously said: “Do you know what the real ‘demon appliance’ is in most people’s houses – the one that you don’t want to use because it’s really expensive.
“Tumble dryers. You’re typically paying up to a quid per load so dry your clothes on an airer outside, to shorten the amount of time you’re using your tumble dryer, or avoid using it completely. Those who have dehumidifiers can take some of the moisture out of the air. It’s less wattage than a tumble dryer, so it can be more cost-effective.”
Speaking on BBC Morning Live, Mr Kind noted that, beyond the significant energy consumption, the type of tumble dryer you purchase can make a considerable difference to your bills. He pointed out that certain models feature ‘eco modes’ capable of delivering substantial savings. He said: “When it comes to tumble dryers, it’s a bit more variable because the main difference in eco mode comes to what kind of tumble dryer you buy. There are some eco modes that will save say 2 or 3%.
“But if you buy the right tumble dryer, you can save a fortune. So a heat pump tumble dryer on average, this is where I get really excited. Some cost 33p a cycle to run one of these tumble dryers.
“That is less even than the average like a heated era. And then you compare that to a condenser model, that’s about 83p per cycle. So you’re saving 50p per cycle. You add that up and say three times a week over a whole year, that’s a saving of £78 a year. And then you look at the lifetime cycle of one of these machines of 20 years, you’re saving £1,560 just by choosing one tumble dryer rather than another one when you’re going down to buy a new substantial savings when you say it like that.”
“They might be a little bit more expensive, but I just checked this morning. The cheapest one you can get is under £250. You might think I’ll go for the cheapest one. I’ll save £20 quid now. And that’s fair enough. We’ve got that kind of cost of living pressure, but I wouldn’t want someone to save £20 now and then spend £1,000 on energy over the next decade.”
Mr Kind went on to explain that eco settings cause the appliance to run for longer while simultaneously operating more efficiently. He said: “Imagine if you’re going to go from, you know, drive from Cardiff to London. If you did that at 50 miles an hour compared to 70, it would take you longer, but it’ll be cheaper because you’ll be more efficient. You’ll use less fuel. And that’s what’s happening here.”
He explained that, as an example, a dishwasher on eco mode will take longer to complete its cycle, but operates at a lower temperature. He added: “If you want to test it for yourself, put it on eco mode, monitor your smart meter, see what happens. So, with washing machines, 90% of all of the energy comes from heating up the water. And so, an eco mode basically lowers that temperature, it reuses the water a little bit more and that will mean that you could save 30 to 40% of the energy compared to a standard, which really is a lot.
“And that adds up to about £18 to £48 less per year. a big saving at the moment. Experiment with it. If you’ve got a really dirty load, a really big load, probably best to try a regular wash, but you know, experiment, right?”
Consumer group Which? examined a wide range of appliance brands, with Mr Kind revealing that their research found the average annual cost of running a standard cycle sits at roughly £71, compared to just £52.13 for an eco programme. He added: “So that’s almost £20 saving just for changing the setting on your dishwasher.
“Even more saving compared to a quick wash which uses a whole lot more. It might mean that you have to dry some of these dishes by hand afterwards. You might have to, you know, if there’s a particularly wet one, put that back in. And sometimes if you’ve got a lasagne dish or something, just try the regular one again and save up maybe a dirty wash.
“So that’s really worth doing.” Finally, he offered some practical advice for tumble dryer usage. He stressed the importance of avoiding overloading both the tumble dryer and washing machine, explaining that they should be no more than 80 per cent full to enable proper tumbling.
He added: “You won’t get really hot spots and cold spots. You’re not going to put a lot of weight on your motor. Make sure that you’re separating your cotton and your synthetics in your tumble dryer because they dry at different rates and so your tumble dryer just needs one type preferably.”
He recommended clearing lint from the filter following each cycle to maintain efficiency. He even went as far as suggesting reducing washing frequency: “Generally speaking, wash less, your clothes last longer. If you got jeans, the head of Levis’s, I believe, doesn’t wash his jeans. Maybe does it once every few years. So, we can all cope with, you know, less cleans clothes.
“And then finally, check energy track tariffs. Are there cheaper times of the day where you can run your tumble dryer at a lower price?”
