One of the biggest hidden culprits behind high energy costs is your washing machine and dishwasher. While it might seem harmless to throw on a load whenever it’s convenient, running the appliances at the wrong time of day could be quietly driving up your electricity bill.
Many energy providers charge different rates depending on the time you use power — known as peak and off-peak hours — meaning that a simple timing tweak could save you more than you think. Consumer expert Alice Beer, appearing on This Morning, offered some invaluable guidance to help households slash their energy costs. She urged: “Never, ever do half loads [on the washing machine]. One full load is much less energy than two half loads, that’s obvious.”
Following the most recent Energy Price Cap from October 1 to December 31 2025, households can now face charges of up to £1,755 annually for gas and electricity.
Alice explained: “Think about what you’re using in the kitchen… it’s more efficient to use a dishwasher than washing up by hand – especially if you keep a tap running.
“The kettle… it honestly saves you money and helps the UK’s electricity supply if you’re just boiling the amount of water you need.”
Alice continued: “Think about using the microwave instead of using a cooker when you can – much cheaper to use a microwave.”
Alice also tackled switching to an off-peak tariff, recommending: “Look at how that works for you. We should all be thinking of using a lot less energy in that peak period [which is] 6pm to 8pm at night.”
Alice questioned: “Can you switch to having your meal a bit earlier or later perhaps? Using the dishwasher between 6pm to 8pm is a no-go.”
The specialist also provided some wise guidance on cutting water consumption and, as a result, lowering bills.
Alice remarked: “There are different thermostatic controls that you should have a look at.
“The first one is the one that is usually in your hall and it’s a dial. One in five have got that set at 22 degrees – that’s Lanzarote temperatures!”.
Lowering the temperature dial from 22C to 18C would be far more energy efficient and more economical to operate.
Moving on to radiators, she recommended: “The second thermostatic control is on your radiators, if you’ve got a valve on your radiator you need to be controlling that to get to the right temperature.”
She emphasised the significance of preserving energy by declaring: “Most importantly, you need to turn that right off if you’re not using a room – spare room, dining room, any room that you don’t use very often, turn the valve off.”
