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Since moving into our home, in 2019, we’ve had more than our share of appliance breakdowns! We’ve also treated ourself to some lovely items, such as a Melitta TS Smart coffee machine, which have really made us feel like real grown ups – as if buying your own home doesn’t do that already!
I’m a big fan of making our money work as hard as possible, and I love to make savings anywhere that I can. Here are some of my top tips on how to save money on kitchen appliances – and I hope you’ll find them useful.
Consider the energy efficiency rating of devices:
Before making a purchase be sure to look at the energy efficiency rating of devices. For example, with fridge freezers, if you chose the absolute cheapest model, typically around £200-£230 you’ll receive one with an F energy rating, most likely. If you purchase a model for slightly more money, you may spend double this, but receive one with a C energy rating.
Switching from the F rated appliance to the C one, when making your purchase, WILL be more expensive on the interim, however, over the average lifespan of the device you could save MORE than the difference in price just on your energy bills, but also you could have a better device with more modern features, such as being frost free, ice makers and much more.
Doing a little research before making a purchase can really help you to find the most energy efficient model and also the one most suited to the needs of your family. This in itself can help appliances to last longer and add to your quality of life too.
Look for a discount code:
I’m a big fan of shopping with AO. I love using their website as it is fast, convenient to use, and packed full of fantastic appliances. They also offer very fast delivery on many appliances, and can even take away broken appliances for recycling.
The service is really convenient but I always have a search for an AO voucher code before making any purchases. Last time I made a purchase, my new coffee machine, I was able to save 20% off the price using voucher codes!
Another reason that I often have a look for voucher codes, in general, is that often companies have 10% off or free delivery codes around. This can be a great way to make a saving once you’ve decided on the right appliance for you.
Read the manual of your new appliance:
Once you’ve received your new appliance you’ll want to try and keep it running well for as long as possible.
When I bought my new coffee machine recently it had quite an extensive manual with it. Initially I was a little put off by the size of it BUT if I hadn’t have read the manual then not only would I have missed out on several amazing features I didn’t know about BUT I would have struggled to know the right ways to clean and maintain the machine, which would have lead to a breakdown.
Once appliances are very low maintenance, of course, but it’s really frequently that I hear people say they didn’t know that their washing machine had a filter and are STUNNED when they find that it is full of colour catchers and socks.
Use your appliances smartly:
There are many other ways that you can save money on appliances and here are some of my favourite tips:
- Turn down the temperature of your washing machine. You can wash at a lower temperature and save quite a bit of money in the process. Less energy used to heat the water and there are even laundry products designed specifically for using at lower temperatures.
- Use less laundry products in your washing machine. Many people overuse products in their machine which can lead to product build up long term. Stick to the manufacturers recommendations to help your machine AND save money!
- Load your washing machine correctly. Don’t be tempted to overfill it, but likewise make sure you have a full load when you’re turning it on. I love using the energy saving tips from the Energy Saving Trust too!
- Only fill the kettle with the amount of water you need to boil. This can save a considerable amount of energy (and money!) if you’re a tea lover especially.
- Utilise your microwave more. I love to make things like mug cakes to save on using the oven and still enjoying something delicious! My air fryer recipes help with saving money versus using the oven too.
- Keep your oven clean to help it work efficiently and heat up the fastest. This is something you can just do on a monthly basis but it’ll make a difference to how fast your oven heats up and save you a little money in the process too.
- Maintain your devices according to their schedule. Clean and/or change filters as required.
- Vacuum the back of your fridge freezer periodically. This will keep the coils that run it working efficiently and using as little energy as possible.
I hope that you’ve found these tips useful – if you’ve got some of your own to share I’d love to hear them in the comments section!