Which efficiency upgrades actually pay for themselves in the UK?
The gap between an old inefficient model and a current efficient one, what that gap saves each year at United Kingdom electricity prices, and how long the purchase takes to pay back. Ranked fastest payback first.
Prices for: the US · the UK · Germany · France · Australia · Canada
| Upgrade | Cut | Saves per year | Typical price | Payback, replace now | Payback, replacing anyway | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LED Light Bulb 9 W LED giving the same light | 85% | £24.74 | £3.00 | 1 month | 1 month | Worth it now |
| Dehumidifier ENERGY STAR dehumidifier, about 400 W | 43% | £142.13 | £250.00 | 1.8 years | 5 months | Worth it now |
| Electric Water Heater ENERGY STAR heat pump water heater | 70% | £806.97 | £2,000 | 2.5 years | 1.5 years | Worth it now |
| Pool Pump Variable-speed pump run at low speed | 65% | £369.53 | £1,000 | 2.7 years | 1.4 years | Worth it now |
| Wi-Fi Router Current combined gateway, about 8 W | 60% | £27.64 | £100.00 | 3.6 years | 3.6 years | Worth it when replacing |
| Electric Sauna Heater Infrared cabin, 1.8 kW, short warm-up | 77% | £446.65 | £2,500 | 5.6 years | 5.6 years | Worth it when replacing |
| Chest Freezer Current A or B-rated chest freezer | 65% | £81.59 | £600.00 | 7.4 years | 1.5 years | Worth it when replacing |
| Hot Tub Insulated hard-shell tub with a thermal cover, about 5 kWh a day | 58% | £672.48 | £5,000 | 7.4 years | 5.9 years | Worth it when replacing |
| Clothes Dryer Heat pump dryer, class A+++, about 1.5 kWh per load | 67% | £118.44 | £900.00 | 7.6 years | 3.0 years | Worth it when replacing |
| Air Conditioner ENERGY STAR window unit, CEER 12 or more | 33% | £65.80 | £500.00 | 7.6 years | 1.8 years | Worth it when replacing |
| Refrigerator Current A-rated or ENERGY STAR fridge-freezer | 66% | £113.18 | £900.00 | 8.0 years | 1.8 years | Worth it when replacing |
| Desktop Computer Laptop for the same work, about 45 W | 70% | £80.80 | £900.00 | 11.1 years | 11.1 years | Not for the electricity |
| Space Heater Mini-split heat pump, seasonal COP around 3 | 67% | £236.88 | £3,000 | 12.7 years | 10.6 years | Not for the electricity |
| Electric Stove Induction cooktop | 20% | £38.43 | £700.00 | 18.2 years | 7.8 years | Not for the electricity |
| Dishwasher Class A dishwasher, about 55 kWh per 100 cycles | 47% | £36.85 | £700.00 | 19.0 years | 5.4 years | Worth it when replacing |
| Washing Machine Class A washer, about 47 kWh per 100 cycles | 48% | £25.00 | £600.00 | 24.0 years | 6.0 years | Worth it when replacing |
| Television 55 inch TV rated A or B, about 30 W | 62% | £19.21 | £600.00 | 31.2 years | 7.8 years | Not for the electricity |
"Replace now" means buying the efficient model while the old one still works, so the whole price counts against the saving. "Replacing anyway" means the old one has failed and only the extra cost of choosing the efficient model counts. Verdicts: worth it now within 3 years; worth it when replacing if that extra cost comes back within 7. Purchase prices are typical figures read in local currency and can be edited on each page.
How to read this
Three things decide whether an upgrade pays: how much the appliance runs, how big the efficiency gap is, and what electricity costs where you live. Appliances that run all day or all night, such as fridges, pool pumps and water heaters, pay back fast even with modest gaps. Appliances used for minutes a day rarely pay back on electricity alone, whatever the label says. And every payback shortens as electricity prices rise: an upgrade that takes six years in Texas takes three in California or Germany.
The efficient and inefficient figures come from energy label thresholds, ENERGY STAR guidance and the US Department of Energy's test assumptions; each page states the usage behind them. Real savings depend on the specific models and on how much you use them.