Three 'vampire devices' in your kitchen that are costing £139 a year and should be unplugged
The warning comes ahead of the new energy price cap on October 1, which will result in a rise in costs for many people
by James Rodger, Sonia Sharma · ChronicleLiveHouseholders are being urged to unplug three 'vampire' kitchen appliances as they can cost £139 a year.
The warning comes from energy firm Utilita, whose Power List reveals the annual cost of running household appliances. It shows that a toaster costs 10p per use or £38 a year, a microwave costs £17.75 per year, and a kettle can set you back by £83 a year.
By unplugging these three items, which consume a lot of energy, households could save £139 a year. Utilita's Power Price list allows users to select a room and find out the cost of running each appliance. With this information, households can make adjustments to reduce usage and start saving money.
The news comes ahead of the new energy price cap on October 1. The energy price cap is reviewed every three months by Ofgem, setting a limit on how much can be charged per unit of gas and electricity, reports the Manchester Evening News.
From October 1, 2024, a typical household will see their energy costs rise to £1,717 per year. However, the actual amount paid will depend on energy usage.
Get all the latest money news and budgeting tips from Chronicle Live with our free newsletter
The Standing Charge Levelisation, introduced on April 1, 2024, ensures that Pay As You Go and Direct Debit customers pay the same standing charge. Direct Debit customers are now paying an average of £10 more annually due to the Levelisation allowance, whereas Pay As You Go customers are seeing a reduction, typically saving £49 per year, or £52 when including VAT.
Energy supplier Utilita guaranteed that its customers will not encounter any standing charges, stating: "Our tariffs have two unit rates (three for economy 7), but none of them have a standing charge. So if you don't use any energy, you won't pay a penny - nice!"
Join our WhatsApp communities
ChronicleLive is now on WhatsApp and we want you to join our communities.
We have a number of communities to join, so you can choose which one you want to be part of and we'll send you the latest news direct to your phone. You could even join them all!
To join you need to have WhatsApp on your device. All you need to do is choose which community you want to join, click on the link and press 'join community'.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the ChronicleLive team.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners.
If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
If you’re curious, you can read our privacy notice.
Join the ChronicleLive Breaking News and Top Stories community
Join our Court & Crime community
Join the Things to do in Newcastle and the North East community
Join our Northumberland community
Join our County Durham community
Join our Great North Run community