The Most Googled Home Energy Questions, Answered by Our Experts

Alongside rapidly increasing energy prices, high inflation and interest rates are continuing to spark fears that the cost-of-living crisis may not be going anywhere anytime soon. As we navigate through these unprecedented financial times, it’s only natural that Brits may have a lot of questions about how to reduce their bills in the coming colder months. 

To help, we’ve identified the most Googled home energy questions, as well as surveyed 2,000 UK adults to dig deeper into what the nation already knows. From smart meters to slow cookers, we’ve discovered the most common queries relating to key home energy tracking and usage. 

What we found...

Answering the most commonly Googled home energy questions... 

Other commonly Googled home energy questions include... 

If you’re still unsure…

When it comes to turning to Google to seek advice, we found that there are around 50,000 searches per month for questions relating to energy bills. The question that Brits are most unclear on is ‘what is the energy price cap?’ with an average of 5,400 monthly searches in the UK. And when looking at our survey, nearly half (42%) also admitted they aren’t confident on this subject.  

Our research also revealed that many Brits are pursuing more economically viable ways to track their energy usage too, with an average of 4,400 monthly searches in the UK for ‘how do you read a smart meter?’. However, over a quarter (26%) told us they have no idea how to calculate their electricity bills and a further 31% aren’t sure either.  

So, allow us to lend a hand! 

The energy price cap is essentially the government’s energy price guarantee. It is a cap on a unit of gas and electricity, with standard charges considered. This can be confused as a cap on the public's overall energy bills; however, this is not the case. The price of your bill will still rise or fall in line with the amount of energy a customer is consuming. From 1st October 2023 the energy price cap is estimated to be £1,923 a year for a ‘typical’ household. 

Alongside the 5,400 average monthly searches, over two fifths (42%) of those surveyed said they couldn’t confidently answer this question. Those in Manchester are the most unsure, with 35% admitting they would have to Google the answer to this.

Press 6 on the keypad.

You should then see the letters IMPRO1 appear on the screen.

Wait a moment until you see a figure followed by “kWh”.

The last 7 digits of that figure are your smart meter reading.

A smart meter is a more intuitive way of giving information on the energy usage in your home, tracking both gas and electricity. It sends your energy supplier automatic updates so there’s no need to worry about manually keeping it up to date. 

Those in Bristol seemed most unclear on this topic, with exactly half (50%) of those in this city saying they weren’t sure what a smart meter was.  

Considering the cost of a solar power system, it could take up to 17 years to break even. 

To help tackle rising energy costs, homeowners can invest in solar panels for their property, resulting in potentially long-term lower electricity bills. Based on estimates from the Energy Saving Trust, a typical household can save up to £420 a year on bills at the current energy price cap rates. 

However, considering the cost of a solar power system can be upwards of £7,000, it could take up to 17 years to break even. 

Regulate the temperature of your room, preventing overheating and minimising wasted energy.  

Senses sudden drops in temperature, automatically switching your radiator to a lower, energy-saving mode to prevent wasting heat through open windows or doors. 

Sets a tailored heating schedule to match your routine, so no energy is wasted when heating isn’t needed. 

Alongside 1,900 monthly searches, exactly half (50%) of those surveyed said they weren’t sure if slow cookers are more energy efficient than other cooking methods. Understandably, it can be tricky to work out which of your kitchen’s appliances are energy efficient, based on your cooking needs.

Slow cookers are designed to cook food slowly, at a low temperature and keep it hot the whole day, leading to a common misconception that they aren’t energy efficient. So, although they take longer to cook food, an average-sized slow cooker uses just 1.3 kWh per meal. When broken down to an hourly cost, this comes in at 9p on an average energy tariff. Slow cookers are rated at as little as 200 watts, making them one of the most energy-efficient appliances in your kitchen – a tenth of some electric ovens. 

Our survey shows that those in Norwich were most likely to Google this question, with over two fifths (44%) admitting they weren’t sure on the answer.

Although this may depend on your address, according to UniAcco the cheapest energy suppliers in the UK are:  

• Utility Warehouse 
• Octopus Energy 
• Shell Energy 
• British Gas 
• Scottish Power 
• Electrocity 
• Utilita Energy 
• Outfox the Market 
• EDF Energy 

It’s important to note that this is an ever-changing list and energy supplier prices are expected to fluctuate and fall. This list is subject to interpretation – what one person considers cheap is not necessarily the same as another. It also heavily depends on the area you live in, so please take this into account when choosing your energy supplier. 

With gas central heating, there are too many system losses for it to be considered efficient – either through the combustion process or through heat lost via the pipes. Electric heating doesn’t have this problem. All the heat provided by an electric heater is released into the room, so nothing is wasted at point of use. They also work as standalone appliances, so they heat areas on a room-by-room basis, which means no more wasting energy heating unoccupied rooms.

The cost of electric heaters can differ too depending on size, model and method of installation you chose. Generally, electric radiators can cost anywhere from £200 to over £800 - if you’re looking for something a little more commercial sized.

Many electric heaters are suitable for DIY installation: they simply screw to the wall and plug into a normal 13amp socket. However, if you’re installing more than one radiator, or want to ensure you have a seamless finish, we suggest hiring a professional to do this for you.

With zero maintenance, there are no annual callout costs with electric heating, making them a cheaper heating solution in the long run.  

Alongside 1,000 average monthly searches, over two fifths (41%) of those surveyed said they weren’t sure about the energy efficiency of air fryers. The short answer is, yes, air fryers often use half the energy compared to ovens or the hob; so they’re perfect for people keen to be more efficient.  

Considering the average 2,200W electric oven costs around 85p per hour, a 1,500W air fryer is far more cost effective at an estimated 51p per hour. Air fryers also cook much more quickly in comparison to ovens, with no pre-heat timings an air fryer’s average cooking time is 30 minutes or less, making their cost per use around 17p.

On average, Brits will be expected to use an extra 36% of electricity on a winter’s day in comparison to a summer's day.

From 1st October 2023, the energy price cap is estimated to be £1,923 a year for a typical household using gas and electricity and pay by direct debit. However, the amount you pay is dependent on your usage as well as other factors such as the type of meter you have and where you live. On average, Brits will be expected to use an extra 36% of electricity on a winter’s day in comparison to a summer's day, so, it's worth keeping this in mind when considering how much your bills may rise.  

According to our survey, nearly half of over 65s (48%) say they don’t know how much their energy bill will go up this winter, but it’s important to plan your finances in advance.

Be aware that switching energy suppliers doesn’t always mean you’ll be saving money. If you’re on a standard variable tariff you can switch at any time. However, if you’re on a fixed tariff you can only switch if you have 49 days or less left on your contract – anymore than this and you will likely be charged an exit fee.  

When you have picked out a new supplier you need to contact them to switch – but don’t worry about contacting your current supplier, the new supplier will do this.  

Top Tip:

Make sure to take a meter reading on the day you agree to switch to give to your new supplier. Once you have paid your old supplier’s final bill, you’ll be good to go! 

If you’re looking to find ways to keep warm this winter without turning up the thermostat, we recommend zoned heating. Zoned heating is the process of programming different temperature settings for each individual heater in your home – for example, having your bedroom radiator set to 22˚C and your bathroom towel rail to 18˚C.  

Another option is adding loft insulation to save on your bills – it’s reported that a quarter of heat is lost through the roof in an uninsulated home. If you have an easily accessible loft without damp issues, adding insulation could be as simple as a DIY job.

 Energy Saving Trust estimates a well-insulated loft can save up to £45 a year for a detached house. They also say it can cost between £590-£890 to properly insulate a loft. 

Our simple calculation estimates how much you’re likely to spend in 5 easy steps. 

(Radiator output kW x hours in use) x pence per kW hour = daily cost of radiator (p)

For example, for an 800w radiator used on full power for 4 hours a day, multiply 0.8kW by 4 to give you 3.2 kW/h. So, if you’re electric tariff costs 12p per kilowatt hour, simply multiply 3.2 kW/h by 12p, equalling 38.4p. 

However, this calculation provides more of a general estimate and fails to consider other factors such as:  

In-built features include WiFi app control, precision thermostats, 24/7 programming and motion sensors.

The temperamental British weather means it's difficult to predict the day-to-day temperature – this can influence your overall bills. 

Smaller rooms will heat up quicker, requiring less energy.

How well insulated your home is will have an overall effect on your bills. The better insulated your home, the less energy needed to keep it warm.

To calculate the cost of your electricity bill, you must first find a previous meter reading (and the date you took it) and a current meter reading. Subtract the current reading from the previous one to work out how much energy you used during that time period. This number will be in kWH. 

Multiply this number by the unit rate from the new energy price cap on October 1st (for direct debits, this is 27.35p per kWh).

• The first step is to track how long you have your heating on for each day. Your current provider may even have exact figures you can utilise and will also provide your unit charge for electricity.  
• Then you’ll need to understand exactly what kind of radiators you will need; the key consideration here is wattage.    
• Multiplying the radiator’s output in kilowatts by the hours in use and then your unit charge will leave you with the daily cost of running each radiator. Let’s say your energy provider sells electricity at the 27p cap level and you install a 1000w radiator, suitable for a small room, then run it for six hours a day. 

The sum is 1 x 6 x 0.27, which comes to £1.62 – do this for each radiator in the house and see how the total compares to your current bills.   

In this video, we're comparing the two for efficiency, control, maintenance and running costs to find out once and for all which heating system deserves the top spot.

Some of the worst offenders for using up energy while on standby are TVs and set-up boxes (from Virgin or Sky, for example). Combined, these can add a total of around £47 to your annual energy bill, according to British Gas.

Other devices you should take care to switch off at the wall each day include:   

• Microwave: around £16   
• Electric shower: around £10   
• Washing machine: around £5
• Printer: around £4
• Phone charger: around £1 

According to the Energy Saving Trust, the most energy consuming devices in your home are: 

• Washing machines, dishwashers and tumble dryers, which can account for a whopping 14% of an energy bill 
• Fridges and freezers, which account for around 13% of an energy bill 
• Laptops, TV’s and gaming consoles, which can account for around 6% of an energy bill, based on usage
• Lights, which account for around 5% of your energy bill
• Cooking appliances, such as ovens, kettles and microwaves, which account for around 4% of your energy bill 

• More info on the types of meters and how to read each here: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/your-energy-meter/how-to-read-your-smart-electricity-meter/   
• For more information on how much energy bills will go up this winter visit: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/information-consumers/energy-advice-households/energy-price-cap  
• For budget home heating visit: https://www.electricradiatorsdirect.co.uk/electric-heaters/  
• For more information on renewable energy, visit: https://www.nationalgrid.com/stories/energy-explained/what-are-different-types-renewable-energy