The evenings are drawing in, and with colder weather comes the familiar worry about rising energy bills.
The good news is that you don't need to heat your whole home to stay warm and comfortable. A few small, targeted appliances can warm a person, dry a room or cook a meal for a fraction of the cost of running your central heating or oven.
Quick answer: The cheapest ways to cut your energy bills this winter are to use a heated throw or electric blanket (under 3p an hour), heat only the room you're in with a portable oil-filled radiator, cook with an air fryer instead of an electric oven, and dry laundry with a dehumidifier (under 10p an hour).
What Is the Energy Price Cap From 1 October?
Ofgem's latest price cap comes into effect on 1 October. Here's what it means for your household:
- Price cap increase: up 4%
- Typical annual dual-fuel bill: £1,723 (an extra £60 a year)
- Electricity unit rate: 26.32p per kWh
- Gas unit rate: 7.97p per kWh
Prices are well below the peaks of the energy crisis a few winters ago, but energy still isn't cheap. That makes it worth knowing which household devices genuinely lower your costs, and which only feel like they should.
Running Costs at a Glance
1. Heated Throws: The Cheapest Way to Keep Warm on the Sofa
Turning up the thermostat heats every room in the house, including the ones nobody is using. A heated throw warms only you.
This is the thinking behind Martin Lewis and the Money Saving Expert team's popular advice to "heat the human, not the home."
Why a heated throw saves money:
- A typical 100W heated throw costs around 2.5p to 3p an hour to run
- It's far cheaper than heating a whole room, let alone a whole house, for one person
- It gives you direct, personal warmth exactly where you're sitting
What to look for: Choose a throw with several heat settings. A wider range means you'll feel a real difference on colder evenings, rather than just taking the edge off the chill.
2. Portable Heaters: Heat Only the Room You're In
Portable heaters apply the same principle on a bigger scale. Instead of heating the whole house, you heat just the room you're using.
Why oil-filled radiators stand out:
- The oil inside holds on to heat
- The radiator keeps giving off warmth after the element switches off
- Fan heaters, by contrast, cool down almost instantly
As an example, Pro Breeze's oil-filled radiator heaters are built around that principle.
How much does an oil-filled radiator cost to run?
- A 2500W model costs around 66p an hour at full power (at 26.32p per kWh)
- Once the room reaches temperature, the thermostat starts cycling on and off
- This means real-world running costs are usually lower than the maximum figure
Either way, it's noticeably cheaper than heating rooms you aren't using.
3. Dehumidifiers: Tackle Damp, Mould and Drying Laundry
Cold weather brings a second problem alongside higher heating bills. Condensation and poor ventilation create the perfect conditions for damp and mould. Drying clothes indoors without a tumble dryer or the central heating becomes a challenge too.
A dehumidifier helps with both:
- Pulls excess moisture out of the air to help prevent condensation, damp and mould
- Dries laundry indoors without the cost of a tumble dryer
- Can help you avoid a far more expensive mould problem later on
Pro Breeze's 20L dehumidifier, for example, is built with a dedicated laundry mode alongside its main job of pulling moisture out of the air, and runs at under 10p an hour, cheap enough to leave running through a laundry cycle or overnight without worrying about the cost.
For such a low running cost, it's one of the best-value additions to your home at this time of year.
4. Air Fryers vs Ovens: Which Is Cheaper to Run?
Air fryers are still one of the most popular kitchen appliances of recent years. They cook food faster than a conventional oven and use less energy doing it.
Air fryer vs electric oven running costs:
- Compact air fryer: roughly 21p to 52p an hour
- Larger air fryer: roughly 47p to 73p an hour
- Electric oven: 52p to as much as £1.31 an hour
An air fryer usually beats an electric oven comfortably.
What about gas ovens? Gas is now much cheaper relative to electricity than it was a few winters ago. As a result, a gas oven is typically cheaper to run than an air fryer.
The takeaway
Whether an appliance saves you money depends on what you're comparing it with, not simply on switching to the latest trend.
5. Electric Blankets: Low-Cost Warmth Overnight
Running your central heating all night just to keep one bedroom warm has never been efficient, and it makes even less sense now.
Why an electric blanket is better value:
- Typically costs under 3p an hour to run
- A full night's use costs pennies rather than pounds
- Warms your bed directly instead of heating the air in the whole room
Features worth looking for:
- Multiple heat settings for comfort throughout the night
- Overheat protection for safety and peace of mind, especially if you tend to fall asleep with it switched on
Staying Spend-Savvy This Winter
None of these devices replace a well-insulated, properly heated home. But each one solves a specific part of the same problem:
- Warming a person instead of the whole house
- Heating one room instead of every room
- Cooking and drying laundry more efficiently than your default appliances
Used together, they're a practical way to lower your energy bills without spending the whole winter feeling cold.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest way to keep warm at home this winter?
Heating yourself rather than your home is usually cheapest. A 100W heated throw costs around 2.5p to 3p an hour, and an electric blanket typically costs under 3p an hour.
How much will the energy price cap be from 1 October?
Ofgem's price cap rises by 4%, taking the typical dual-fuel bill to £1,723 a year. Electricity is capped at 26.32p per kWh and gas at 7.97p per kWh.
Is an air fryer cheaper than an oven?
An air fryer is usually cheaper to run than an electric oven. However, because gas is now much cheaper than electricity, a gas oven is typically cheaper to run than an air fryer.
How much does an oil-filled radiator cost per hour?
A 2500W oil-filled radiator costs around 66p an hour at full power. Real-world costs are often lower, as the thermostat cycles the heater on and off once the room is warm.
Can a dehumidifier help dry clothes?
Yes. A dehumidifier removes moisture from the air, helping laundry dry indoors while also reducing condensation, damp and mould.
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