Dishwashers will become more expensive to run in the coming weeks (Image: Getty)
After Ofgem confirmed an energy price cap increase in July, households face higher costs for running everyday appliances , like dishwashers. The last cap saw the price being brought down, but there is a steep increase on the way. Dishwashers are becoming more and more common in the UK, and many households have got used to the convenience of these machines. However, some might reconsider switching it on as energy prices go up.
Ofgem said in its announcement yesterday that, if you are on a standard variable tariff (default tariff) and pay for your electricity by Direct Debit, you will pay on average 26.11p per kilowatt hour (kWh). This is a jump from the current 24.67p. When it comes to dishwashers, this could make quite a difference. According to The Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances, more than 40% of UK households have a dishwasher. Beko, home appliance experts, say that the average dishwasher cycle is two hours.
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From there, we can work out how much it will cost to run a dishwasher with the new energy price cap confirmed.
However, we have to first work out how much energy your dishwasher uses. Dishwasher experts at Finish UK say the typical dishwasher uses anywhere between 1,200 and 1,400 watts. So, we will go down the middle with 1,800.
Assuming that the dishwasher is run every day, that means 3.6 kWh is consumed per day by running the dishwasher. When we translate this into cost, we get 94p per day, or £28.59 per month.
That is a jump from the previous energy price cap, where the monthly cost would have been £27.01 per month. Therefore, dishwashers will cost, on average, an extra £1.58 per month from July.
The energy price cap is set every three months, and is normally announced around a month before the change takes effect, as is the case here. The next price cap will be in place until September 30.
“Today’s price change reflects continued volatility in global energy markets,” said Tim Jarvis, Ofgem CEO. “This means higher wholesale gas prices, driven by ongoing conflict in the Middle East, is impacting the price we pay for energy.
“We understand many will be concerned about rising prices. While energy use typically falls over the summer months, there are still practical steps households can take to manage costs, including exploring fixed tariffs or changing their payment method. Smart meter customers can also take advantage of half-price or cheap electricity at the weekends.”
He added: “While our energy supplies remain secure, the best way to limit this exposure is by investing in our energy network. That’s why we’re unlocking the funding needed for the biggest transformation of our lifetime to deliver a system that is secure, resilient, and works for consumers across Great Britain.”