Which? issues ‘cheap’ appliances warning

Post by Jeff Stevens on 16th February 2012 in

Consumer group Which? has advised consumers to take care when buying electrical appliances, after a study suggested cheap devices may prove to be a false economy in the long run. 

According to the Daily Mirror, a Which? probe found that while buying cut-price washing machines, dishwashers or tumble dryers may seem tempting at first, these models often have a tendency to use more energy - which could have a significant impact on householders’ utility bills. 

The campaigning charity compared an Indesit fridge-freezer, costing £53 a year to run, with a Hotpoint model.  Although the Hotpoint device cost £53 more to buy, the investigation revealed that it used just £18 worth of electricity annually, making it £200 cheaper than the Indesit over its lifetime. 

The probe also looked at a Zanussi dishwasher which used up £68 in electricity per year and found that a Bosch device, costing £80 more to buy, needed just £35 worth of power. 

Earlier this week, Which? warned consumers that signing up for energy deals promoted by roving salespeople at shopping centres and supermarkets may not offer the kind of savings advertised.

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