The most expensive appliance to run at home is revealed - and it isn't a tumble dryer

Families across the country at looking for ways to cut down on costs as energy bills continue to soar and cutting back on the usage of the more inefficient energy-absorbing appliances at your home could help.

The most expensive appliances to run at home has been revealed and it isn't a tumble dryer, the Irish Mirror has reported. 

Many think the tumbler dryer is the biggest culprit when it comes to slurping up electricity but new data from Irish energy supplier Energia reveal it is only third on the list, the website reports.

The firm has listed the 20 appliances that are costing the most on electricity bills, and their experts have worked out how much each of the appliances on the list would use electricity-wise and subsequently what that would look like cost-wise per hour of usage.

The findings of Energia’s research revealed that a power shower was the least energy-efficient household item.

The power shower costs €3.33 (£2.86) to run for an hour almost double the price per hour to run your immersion (€1.67 or £1.43).

On the other end of the scale, you need not feel guilty about watching some television as the cost to watch a 42-inch LCD TV is just €0.04 (£0.03).

An average washing machine costs €0.43 (£0.37) an hour; the dishwasher is a little more expensive at €0.65 (£0.56) an hour while mowing the grass for an hour with a plug-in mower will set you back €0.56 (£0.48).

The air fryer is officially the cheapest way to cook at just €0.56 (£0.48) an hour while a conventional oven is €0.58 (£0.58). A microwave is €0.65 (£0.56) and a toaster €0.68 (£0.58).

A slow cooker in use for six hours can cost you just 55c (47p).

Using a microwave uses a lot less energy than a conventional oven.

Microwaves only heat the food, not the air around it. What might take 20 minutes to reheat in the oven for 0.21c (0.18p) could take you 10 minutes in the microwave at a cost of 0.10c (0.08p) with your microwave.

Meanwhile, using an air fryer for an hour costs 55c whereas using an oven for an hour is 57c (49p). However, using an air fryer for 15 minutes uses over 40% less energy than 1 hour of oven use.

This is because air fryers' smaller sizes tend to maximise airflow and heat your food even quicker than an oven.

Efficient settings on your washing machine can help you reduce energy consumption. Along with only using your washing machine when it's full, setting your washing machine to wash at 30 degrees or on the Eco setting if it's available can use around 57% less electricity than washing at higher temperatures.

If you have multiple loads of wet clothes, put similar items to dry together. Different materials require different settings. In general, high heat is used for jeans, towels, and other heavy items.

Medium heat can be used for synthetic materials like polyester; and low heat for delicate items.

The tumble dryer is still a big energy guzzler and an hour of drying will cost you €1.30 (£1.12). Dry similar types of clothes together to make it more efficient time-wise.

This could allow you to do one 60-minute load and one 120-minute load.

This would cost 25% less than two 120-minute loads. By managing your load correctly, your energy usage will be reduced but also your clothes should last longer.

Heating your immersion can cost you €1.67 (£1.43) an hour.

By getting a timer, you can eliminate any energy wastage. Getting a timer can ensure you have hot water when you need it.

You can also conserve that hot water by using insulation or a lagging jacket during the immersion.