UK hot tub custom adds £10 million PER WEEK to bills – how much do garden gadgets cost you?
- Although only 5% of homes have a hot tub, it costs £1 to run for 90 minutes
- We look at how much other commonly used garden gadgets will contribute to the energy bill
Households that own a hot tub will add an eye-watering £10 million a week to UK households’ collective bills this summer, according to new figures.
Although only 5 percent of households, about 1.4 million, own one, they are one of the most energy-draining summer gadgets – at least when the weather permits.
While the energy we use in the summer will always be cheaper than turning on the heating in the winter, there are some common warm weather appliances that can add up to bills.
Hot take: Hot tubs are one of the most energy-consuming garden gadgets, according to Uswitch
Data collected by the comparison site Uswitch estimates garden appliances add an extra £14 million a week to bills during the summer period – and hot tubs are one of the biggest culprits.
From lawnmowers to lighting, we take a look at how much summer gardening gadgets cost to run.
How much does a hot tub cost to use?
Uswitch says even the most energy-efficient models cost £1 for an hour and a half of use.
However, it takes between four and six hours to heat up the typical hot tub. So even if you have an energy-efficient hot tub and use it for an hour and a half a week, that could still add €7.50 a week extra to your energy bill.
Older and less efficient models can cost around £6 per hour, not including heating time, according to Uswitch.
And that’s before you factor in the cost of the water to fill it up, which can result in a spike in bills for those with a water meter.
What about other garden gadgets?
Lawnmowers are the most popular summer gardening tool, owned by 29 per cent of UK households. Over the summer, Uswitch says they will cost UK homeowners a combined £2 million a week.
The average lawnmower is used for 40 minutes a week and that costs about 29 pence in energy.
Electric BBQs are a greener way to throw a summer party outdoors compared to the traditional charcoal alternative — and according to Uswitch, they’re a little cheaper, too.
It says 90 minutes of grilling will typically add 99p to your energy bill, while a bag of charcoal briquettes will cost you £1.11 on average.
Patio heaters will also work against you as a 2.4 kW unit costs about 72 pence per hour.
A water feature in the garden is one of the cheapest gadgets to run, according to Uswitch, costing 3p for two and a half hours turned on – but again, those with a water meter may see extra charges on their bill.
Grill bill: An electric grill typically costs 99 pence for an hour of use, says Uswitch
How can you save energy in the summer?
While some of our favorite garden gadgets are energy guzzlers, households can also take advantage of the warm weather to lower energy bills in other areas.
Uswitch says households can save the 90p cost of a typical clothes dryer cycle by simply hanging laundry in the yard instead.
And replacing electric yard lights with solar-powered ones can also help cut bills.
The 13 per cent of households using electric garden lights in the summer can expect to pay 9p for two and a half hours of use – but if you have the lights on every night, those costs can quickly add up.
Ben Gallizzi, energy expert at Uswitch, urged consumers to be wary of the cost of outdoor equipment.
“Running outdoor appliances in the summer is always cheaper than running the heating in the winter, but there are many ways people can use their gadgets more efficiently.
“When buying a new gadget or device for the garden, remember not only to weigh the purchase price, but also how much they will cost to run.”