Those who have microwaves and use them a number of times per day will face £10.81 charges from the beginning of April, our calculations have revealed. Microwaves are incredibly handy inventions, and most households in the UK have these machines in their kitchen. Whether you are eating a microwave meal from the supermarket, heating up leftovers or making things like scrambled eggs or baked beans, microwaves are serious time-savers.
Like any appliance, they cost a certain amount to use. According to our calculations, that is approximately £10.81 per year. Of course, this number depends on a number of factors. For example, if you use your microwave a lot more than other households, your annual bill would be significantly higher. Meanwhile, things like wattage also need to be considered, as this determines the exact amount you pay. We based our calculations on averages.
Using the formula provided by Smart Money Tools, we used an average weekly microwave usage of 42 minutes. This is based on using it twice a day for three minutes at a time, seven times per week.
Additionally, we used a wattage of 1,200, a number that is on the front of many modern microwaves. Based on this, the cost of having and using a microwave came out as:
However, some microwaves have a much lower wattage than that. If we use a microwave with a wattage of 800 for the same amount of time every day, then the annual cost is much lower at £7.20.
However, a weaker microwave will take longer to properly heat up food, so you will likely use it more, and the cost would probably balance out.
According to the energy experts at Uswitch, a microwave is significantly cheaper to run than an oven. This leads many money-conscious Brits to prepare as much food in the microwave as they can, rather than heating up and switching on their ovens.
« Use a microwave whenever possible. It focuses energy directly on your food, making it the most efficient way to cook, » the experts advise.
When calculating the annual cost of using an oven, based on the new energy price cap and the same amount of time as the microwave, the bill comes out at a much higher £18.91 per year.
However, ovens typically take longer to heat up food, so you will likely have it switched on for longer, increasing the price.
According to Ofgem, the new daily standing charge is 57.21 pence per day. This is based on the average across England, Scotland and Wales and includes VAT at 5%.
The price drop comes as the Government recently announced that the funding for two environmental and social schemes will either end or be funded through general taxes from April 2026. Energy customers will now save an average of £150, Ofgem states.
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