How can I find out which appliance uses the most electricity at home?

Which appliance uses the most electricity: how to find out

Knowing which appliance uses the most electricity is the first step to a lower bill. Without data you can only guess; with a monitor, you see on your phone how much each circuit uses at any moment.

Three ways to measure it

1. An energy monitor in the fuse board. It is fitted in the fuse box (consumer unit), with clamps on the main line or on each circuit, and sends the data to an app. It is the most complete option: you see total use, each circuit’s use and how it changes over time.
2. Smart plugs with metering. Good for appliances that plug in, such as the fridge, the TV or the computer. No use for the oven, hob or water heater if they are wired in directly.
3. Data from your smart meter. The distributor records your consumption hour by hour and you can check it. It tells you when you use electricity, but not which appliance is using it.

The usual big users

• Heating and cooling: air conditioning in summer and electric heating in winter.
• Electric water heater (termo), especially if badly programmed or with a limescale-coated element.
• Oven, hob and tumble dryer.
• Old fridges and freezers.
• Standby consumption from devices that are never fully switched off.
• The electric car, if you charge it at home.

What to do with the data

• Programme the water heater and dishwasher for off-peak hours.
• Spot a fridge or freezer that is using too much.
• Match your contracted power (potencia contratada) to your real use.
• Work out with real figures whether solar panels would pay off.

What it costs

When to call an electrician

Call if your bill has gone up for no clear reason or you want to keep track of your home’s consumption. In Seville, Spain, we install energy monitoring and help you adjust your contract with a contracted power and tariff review.