Small Kitchen Appliances

Microwave Ovens

These appliances usually conquer up the 'professional couple' who, if they're not eating out, want a quick meal at home with the least amount of effort or the Student who wants the same enabling a quick exit to the Pub !!

For all that apart, microwave ovens are a good cost saver all round. The main considerations are size and power with the power being the potential savings key.
Most Microwave recipes are calculated on the higher power obviously making cooking times faster.

But for all the scorn these ovens get, it is known that they use one third of the electricity in a conventional ove. So add to that the reduced time of coking and you're cutting your bills.

But, like TV's etc., don't leave your microwave on stanby, this on average could cost you an extra £1 per month on your bill.

Toasters
An Electricity suppliers dream ! These use a lot of power to get your toast brown.
Why not use the conventional grill in an oven? If you aren't many in the household , only buy 2-slice toasters and not 4. You're using twice the electricity for half a meal!
Kettles

Normal or speed kettles cost the same to run, the difference being the high speed needs more electricity, but for a shorter period of time.

One good tip is - only fill the kettle to the amount you need. Filling it up too much just makes that electric meter spin round a little too quick

Look for money saving by buying on the Internet

Prices are invariably cheaper

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Life Expectancy on Small Appliances

In the research I did on this, I (obviously) couldn't find any Manufacturer websites which gave this information.

Upon looking at many reviews on the above items and a few studies carried out by various organisations, it would appear the expectancy would be 2 - 3 years - and this didn't necessarily change on the price paid.

It comes accross that, if you spend £12 or £50 on an electric kettle, you're going to get the same life out of it.
The variation would be on the Filter System.

With kettles 'Rapid Boil' uses 3kw or over and the old traditional kettle (ave 2.2kw) use about the same power proportionately
The saving is on not overfilling with the amount of water you need to boil.

It would seem the answer to all this is more the fact that appliances are 'fashionable' and we change them around more for decoration value, for the sake of it, or to get a 'new kick' so to speak

Cost effectiveness, saving money, reducing expenditure in the home and at play

“Home is a place you grow up wanting to leave, and grow old wanting to get back to” John Pearce