How much does it cost to run a slow cooker
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USING a slow cooker is a popular choice when it gets nearer to winter.
But cooking for the family will need power to run. We explore how much it's going to add to your energy bills.
A slow cooker could be a good investment as there are several benefits such as hand-off cooking and is designed to bring out the flavour of foods and make some meats tender.
They're also great way to conserve energy as well as being easy to use.
Millions of households face paying more for energy bills, but the Energy Price Guarantee is in place from October 1.
This replaces the existing price cap, which was set to rise to £3,549 in just a few weeks time.
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The two year price freeze on bills will save households £1,000.
But it's important to be aware of how much energy you're using at home and if the day-to-day appliances could be adding to your energy bills unnecessarily.
We've broken down everything you need to know about costs and running a slow cooker.
How much does it cost to run a slow cooker?
It’s estimated that the average slow cooker uses roughly 1.3kWh over eight hours of cooking time.
So in order to work out the cost of making your favourite hot winter-time tea, you'll need to do this equation.
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The equation is: cost = power (kilowatt) x cost of one kWh (pence) x the length of time (just the one off meal, or over a week or month.)
Total cost
Uswitch have told The Sun that using a slow cooker for eight hours currently costs 73p, and will cost 92p under the energy price guarantee.
If you use the slow cooker for eight hours, this will cost you 73p, however as of October, this will rise to £1.33.
If you ate a slow cooked meal every day for September, you'd fork out roughly £9-£10 for costs a month. As of October, this will increase to £13.80.
Plus, if you made a slow cooked dinner every day for a year then you would add another £108 to your energy bills.
It's unlikely you'll use your slow cooker this much, but it gives you a rough indication of how much your bills could if it's used excessively.
The size of the slow cooker will also contribute to its average electricity usage as smaller slow cookers will use less electricity.
Different recipes may also require different settings with some being set to as low as 60°C which will use less electricity than a meal cooked at a higher setting such as 149°C.
There are other ways to reduce the overall costs though, so you won't have to necessarily compromise on the size or quality of your slow cooker.
Cut down on the cost
A slow cooker isn't necessarily an energy draining product, and in some instances it can actually save you more on energy costs than other appliances in your home.
Will Owen, energy expert at said: ““Cooking in the oven is one of the most common ways to prepare dinner, but it is often more expensive to run than other kitchen appliances.
“Slow cookers tend to be the most efficient — they cook food on low power over a number of hours and come with the added benefit of providing a fully cooked meal when you finish work if you get your timings right."
Turning off machines when they're not being used is also a good way to cut down on unnecessary costs as well.
Make sure you flip off the switch on the wall and unplug the appliance as leaving it on standby will continue to drain your bank account in the same way it drains the unneeded power from the wall.
Another home comfort you might want to be wary of is the overnight fan you're leaving on during the hotter nights.
Leaving it running can also hike your energy bill, so being aware of the cost breakdown is important.
Other ways to get help with bills
Energy suppliers offer support for those who are struggling to pay their bills.
Those on Universal Credit and older legacy benefits could get over £3,000 in bill support.
There are plenty of energy grants and schemes open to help you out if you're struggling.
British Gas has recently confirmed that it'll pay its most vulnerable customers grants worth £750 to help with sky-high bills.
Ask your supplier what's on offer and how to apply, or check here:
There's also a one-off fuel voucher from your energy supplier if you're on a prepayment metre.
£400 rebate
From October 1, all UK households are set to receive the £400 energy bills rebate.
The payment will be made up of six discounts between October and March next year.
Households will receive a £66 energy bill discount in October and November and a discount worth £67 in December, January, February and March.
We've listed how the leading energy suppliers plan to pay households the discount and are waiting on others to respond.
The way you'll be paid will depend on how you pay for your energy.
If you're on a credit meter the discount will come off your bills, but if you're on a prepayment meter you'll get a voucher.
Check with your supplier to confirm how you'll receive the cash.
Also, In November, a £300 one-off "Pensioner Cost of Living Payment" will be paid out to eight million households.
It will be given to those who already get the winter fuel payment - which is worth between £100 and £300 for those over state pension age.
Payments for the £150 Warm Home Discount scheme will likely begin from December.
If you're in debt there are plenty of services you can take advantage of and they offer free and friendly advice on how to manage debt.
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Most of them can offer you free guidance and help in person, over the telephone or online.
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- - 0800 138 7777
- - 0808 800 9060
- - 0800 138 1111
- - 0808 808 4000
They can also help you take the next steps if you need a debt management plan (DMP) to tackle your debt or an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA). These are agreements for managing multiple debts.