Millions making dishwasher mistake that could add £200 to energy bills, experts warn (aff)
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Appliance experts say millions of households are unknowingly driving up energy bills by repeatedly using the wrong dishwasher setting.
Millions of households could be wasting hundreds of pounds on energy bills because of one common dishwasher mistake experts say people make every day without realising.
Appliance specialists at Marks Electrical are warning that using the wrong dishwasher setting could quietly send running costs soaring – especially in busy homes putting on one or two loads a day.
And the biggest culprit? Hammering the quick wash and heavy cycles instead of switching to eco mode.
According to analysis by Marks Electrical, households running two dishwasher cycles a day are now spending an estimated £218.34 a year just to keep plates and pans clean.
Even one cycle a day adds up to around £109 annually.
While electricity prices have eased slightly since the last Ofgem price cap period, experts say many families are still burning through cash unnecessarily because they assume shorter dishwasher programmes are cheaper to run.
Michael White, Head of Buying and Marketing at Marks Electrical, says that is often completely wrong.
“There’s a lot of confusion around dishwasher settings because people naturally think quicker cycles must use less energy,” he said.
“But quick wash and intensive settings are designed for speed and tougher cleaning. Eco mode is designed specifically to clean a full load using lower temperatures and less energy over a longer period of time.”
He compared it to “running 100 metres flat out instead of walking it”, warning that faster cycles can often use significantly more energy.
Manufacturer data reviewed by Marks Electrical found some heavy wash programmes used around 28% more water and up to 85% more energy than equivalent eco settings.
Experts say many households are also making the mistake of running half-empty dishwashers, or repeatedly using intensive cycles for lightly used plates and glasses.
Those habits can quietly pile extra pounds onto annual energy bills without people noticing.
White said: “Heavy settings are useful for baked-on food and tougher loads, but using them all the time can quickly increase running costs unnecessarily.
“Simple habits like waiting for a full load, stacking properly and choosing the right setting can make a noticeable difference over the course of a year.”
For households thinking about replacing older appliances, Marks Electrical dishwasher deals says checking energy ratings carefully could help cut long-term running costs.