Which Appliances Use the Most Electricity, and When to Run Them

When your bill lands, it is tempting to blame the lights or the telly. But the truth is that most of your electricity goes to just a handful of appliances, and a few you might not even think about.

Knowing which ones use the most, and when it is cheapest to run them, is one of the simplest ways to cut your bill without going without. Here is where your power really goes, and how to time it better.

Where your electricity actually goes

In a typical Australian home, the bill is dominated by heating, cooling and hot water. Everything else, the fridge, the TV, the devices, adds up, but it is nowhere near the big two.

Pool pumps and EV charging are not in every home, but where they exist they are among the heaviest users of all. Figures are rough averages from Australian energy bodies and vary by home, season and climate.

The big ones, ranked

If you want to cut your bill, start at the top of the list, not with the small stuff:

• Heating and cooling. Around 40% of the average bill. A ducted system run hard can add well over a thousand dollars a year.
• Hot water. Around a quarter of the bill. An electric storage hot water system can cost well over a thousand dollars a year to run.
• Pool pump. If you have one, it can quietly run for hours a day and cost hundreds a year.
• EV charging. Charging at home adds a sizeable new load, especially if you plug in during the evening peak.
• Clothes dryer. A single load can use several times the power of the washing machine that filled it.

Why when you run them matters

On a time of use plan, electricity is dearest during the evening peak, usually around 3pm to 9pm, cheaper in the off peak overnight, and cheapest of all in the middle of the day. If you have wondered what time is off peak electricity, it is generally late evening through to the next morning, though the exact hours depend on your network.

That means the same load can cost quite different amounts depending on the hour. Shift the big, flexible jobs out of the peak and you pay less for exactly the same thing.

When to run each one

• Hot water: if it is on a controlled load, it already heats on a cheaper overnight rate. If not, heating it overnight or in the middle of the day beats heating during the peak.
• Dishwasher, washing machine and dryer: run them overnight in the off peak, or in the middle of the day if you have solar, rather than after dinner in the peak.
• Pool pump: run it during the day, ideally on solar or in the off peak, and cut the hours back to what the pool actually needs.
• EV charging: charge overnight on off peak rates, or midday on solar, not the moment you get home in the peak.
• Heating and cooling: pre-heat or pre-cool before the peak, then ease off and let the house coast through the expensive hours.
• Fridge: you cannot shift it, but check the door seals and do not set it colder than it needs to be.

The ones that climb in summer

Some appliances barely register in winter, then become major costs once the weather warms up. If your bill jumps in summer, these are usually why:

• Air conditioning. The biggest summer driver by far. It works hardest through the afternoon and into the evening peak, so pre-cool before the peak and let the house coast through the expensive hours.
• Pool pump. A quiet budget killer in summer, often running six to eight hours a day. Cut the hours to what the pool actually needs, and run it in the middle of the day on solar or in the off peak rather than the evening.
• Ceiling and pedestal fans. The good news story here. Fans use a tiny fraction of the power an air conditioner does, so running a fan alongside the aircon lets you set the temperature a couple of degrees higher for the same comfort, which cuts the aircon cost. On milder days, a fan alone may be all you need.
• Fridges and freezers. They work harder in the heat, and a second fridge or freezer in a hot garage can cost far more in summer than you would expect. Keep them out of direct heat and make sure the seals are good.
• Dehumidifiers. In humid areas they add a real load through summer. Use them only in the rooms and hours you need, ideally in the off peak.

The pattern is the same as the rest of the year: the appliance you cannot avoid using, you can at least shift to a cheaper time, and the one you can swap, like a fan for the aircon on a mild day, saves the most of all.

Do not forget standby power

Devices left on standby, the TV, game consoles, chargers, and the second fridge in the garage, can quietly add up to a tenth of your bill. Switching off at the wall what you are not using is about as close to free money as it gets.

Match it to the right plan

Timing only pays off if your plan rewards it. A time of use plan is worth it if you can move those big loads into the cheaper windows. If you cannot shift much, a flat rate may suit you better.

The simplest way to know is to look at when you use power and compare. Either way, running the big appliances at the right time is one of the easiest ways to reduce your electricity bill.

Small shifts, real savings You do not need to go without. Just move the heaviest jobs, hot water, laundry, the pool pump and the car, out of the evening peak, switch off standby, and make sure your plan fits how you live. Do that, and the same lifestyle can cost noticeably less.