What uses the most electricity in a home?

This is the golden rule: heating things costs the most. Electric heating, the immersion/hot water, the oven, the kettle, the tumble dryer, the shower — they draw a lot of power because turning electricity into heat is expensive.

What is my always-on base load?

The stuff that never switches off: the fridge and freezer, the router, that second freezer in the garage. Each is small, but running 24/7 it quietly stacks up into a real slice of the bill.

Does standby power cost a lot?

Tellies, consoles, chargers and set-top boxes sipping power while “off”. Real, but usually smaller than people fear — worth a tidy-up, but it’s not where the big money is.

Do lights and chargers use much electricity?

Lights (especially LEDs), phone chargers and the laptop barely register next to anything that heats. Chasing the small stuff while a tumble dryer runs daily is polishing the wrong thing.

← All guides

📚 Guide

What uses the most electricity in your home?

It’s rarely the thing you’d guess. Your electricity bill is mostly a handful of big hitters plus a quiet background hum that runs day and night — and once you know which is which, you know exactly where to look to save.

Appliance	Typical use	Cost
Electric shower	A 10-minute shower	41p a shower · about £150/yr
Tumble dryer	A full load (standard)	65p a cycle · about £102/yr
Electric oven	An hour’s cooking	39p an hour · about £81/yr
Dishwasher	A normal cycle	31p a cycle · about £81/yr
Washing machine	A wash at 40°C	20p a cycle · about £41/yr
Fridge-freezer	Always on, 24/7	about £52/yr · 14p a day

Priced at the current price-cap electricity rate (about 26p a unit, GB average, Jul–Sep 2026; source: Ofgem). Your own rate varies by region and tariff — check your real rate free →

Know your rate before you count the appliances

An appliance costs what it costs multiplied by YOUR unit rate. Put in your postcode and I’ll show the real rates where you live so the numbers on this page are yours.

Check my bill — free →

Anything that makes heat. This is the golden rule: heating things costs the most. Electric heating, the immersion/hot water, the oven, the kettle, the tumble dryer, the shower — they draw a lot of power because turning electricity into heat is expensive. A single load in the tumble dryer can cost more than a whole evening of lights and telly.
Your always-on base load. The stuff that never switches off: the fridge and freezer, the router, that second freezer in the garage. Each is small, but running 24/7 it quietly stacks up into a real slice of the bill. More on what drives a high bill →
Phantom (standby) load. Tellies, consoles, chargers and set-top boxes sipping power while “off”. Real, but usually smaller than people fear — worth a tidy-up, but it’s not where the big money is.
The things that feel expensive but aren’t. Lights (especially LEDs), phone chargers and the laptop barely register next to anything that heats. Chasing the small stuff while a tumble dryer runs daily is polishing the wrong thing. What actually lowers the bill →

The trouble with any “what uses the most” list is that your home isn’t average. Joulely reads your half-hourly data and shows where your electricity actually goes — your real always-on load and your peaks — so you tackle your biggest hitter first, not a guess. How to read your smart meter →

See where your electricity goes →

Keep reading

Connect your meter — join the first 300 members

Coming soon: I’ll connect your smart meters and check every bill for you — from £1.50 a month while a meter is connected (£1.50 for one meter, £2.50 for gas and electricity), and you won’t be charged again after the month you disconnect. That is what buying the meter data costs me, and I’m billed one meter at a time. I take £0 commission if you switch. The first 300 members get 20% off, forever — £1.20 a month for one meter, £2 for two. Add your email and I’ll tell you first.

⚡ Your real big hitters, not a typical home’sSee what really uses the most in your home — from your own half-hourly data, free and impartial.

Joulely

Your home bills, checked on your own numbers — £0 commission on any switch.

Check your home · Check your energy bill (free) · Council tax check · Guides

About · For business · Who we support · Privacy & your data · Terms · Tariff data & supplier corrections