Best Energy Saving Devices That Actually Reduce Your Bills
If you’re searching for the best energy saving devices for your home, you’re probably not doing it for environmental reasons.
You’re doing it because your energy bill feels higher than it should.
For most households, gas and electricity are now one of the biggest monthly expenses. And once standing charges are added in, you’re paying before you’ve even switched anything on.
In our house, the motivation isn’t perfection. It’s practicality. If a gadget can save us £100–£300 a year without turning the heating off or sitting in the dark, I’m interested.
Below are 16 energy saving devices that actually make a difference — split into electricity saving, heat saving and water saving.
Quick Comparison: Best Energy Saving Devices (2026)
Device | Typical Cost | Potential Annual Saving | Payback Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
£40–£80 | £100–£150 | Year 1 | |
£15–£30 | £70–£120 | < 6 months | |
£120–£220 | 10–12% heating | 2–3 years | |
£20–£60 | £50–£90 | 1 winter | |
£5–£10 | £30–£50 | Fast | |
£60–£150 | £60–£120 (if replacing oven use) | 1–2 years |
Stack just three or four of these and cutting £150–£300 per year is realistic.
Electricity Saving Devices for Homes
Electricity is now the most expensive energy type in the UK. High-wattage appliances are where your money disappears.
LED Bulbs (Best Energy Saving Device for Most Homes)
If you do nothing else, switch your lighting to LED.
Old halogen and incandescent bulbs waste up to 80–90% of their energy as heat. Modern LED bulbs use a fraction of the electricity while producing the same brightness.
With electricity prices still far higher than they were just a few years ago, lighting waste adds up quickly.
🔧 What it does
LED bulbs convert far more energy into light rather than heat, dramatically reducing electricity use compared to traditional bulbs.
💷 Typical cost
£2–£8 per bulb
£40–£80 for a full-house swap
📉 Potential annual saving
£100–£150 per year in a typical 3-bed home (15 bulbs replaced)
⏱️ Payback time
Often within the first year
🏠 Best for
Every household — renters included
My take:
This is the most boring upgrade on the list — and the most effective. We swapped ours over one weekend and never thought about it again. No lifestyle change required. Just lower usage.
Worth it?
Yes. This is the easiest and fastest-return energy saving device for almost every home.
Where to find the best deals? Check out places like Amazon or your local DIY store. LED Hut also offers a large range of bulbs and you can usually find a big discount through a cashback site.
Also worth reading
If you’re unsure whether a smart meter is actually worth having installed, I’ve broken it down in my full guide to smart meters and whether they save money.
Energy-Saving Plugs (Standby Power Killers)
Even in 2026, standby power still costs money, especially with older Sky boxes, desktop PCs and gaming consoles left on all day.
Energy-saving plugs automatically cut power when devices aren’t in use.
🔧 What it does
Cuts power to appliances when they enter standby mode, eliminating “vampire” electricity use.
💷 Typical cost
£5–£10 per plug
📉 Potential annual saving
£20–£60 depending on devices connected
⏱️ Payback time
Often within months
🏠 Best for
TV units, consoles, home offices
My take:
These are low effort and cheap. If you’ve got older tech plugged in constantly, they’re worth adding.
Worth it?
Yes — especially for older electronics.
Where to find the best deals? Warning – make sure you buy from a reputable dealer, as there are a lot of fake items around. If buying a plug from Amazon, check that the store has a good number of reviews. Major retailers such as Argos also sell these plugs.
Smart Plugs (Remote Control Version)
Smart plugs do the same job but allow control via app or voice assistant.
They’re ideal if you regularly forget to switch things off.
🔧 What it does
Allows remote control and scheduling of plugged-in devices.
💷 Typical cost
£10–£25 per plug
📉 Potential annual saving
£20–£60 depending on usage
⏱️ Payback time
1 year typical
🏠 Best for
Home offices, chargers, Christmas lights
My take:
More flexible than standard standby plugs, but slightly more expensive.
Worth it?
Yes, if convenience matters to you.
Where to find the best deals? These can be found at all major retailers such as Currys, Amazon and Screwfix. Most plugs offer the same functionality, so it’s a matter of comparing prices.
Air Fryer (Energy Efficient Cooking for Small Meals)
If you regularly heat a full oven for small meals, an air fryer can use significantly less electricity.
At 27.7p per kWh, oven use adds up quickly.
🔧 What it does
Cooks food using rapid air circulation, heating a smaller space than a full oven.
💷 Typical cost
£60–£150
📉 Potential annual saving
£60–£120 if replacing frequent oven use
⏱️ Payback time
1–2 years
🏠 Best for
1–2 person households or quick meals
My take:
If you cook small portions often, this genuinely makes sense. If you batch cook for five people nightly, less so.
Worth it?
Yes, in the right household.
Where to find the best deals? These can be found at all major retailers such as Currys, Amazon and Argos.
Energy Saving Kettle (Or Just Use Less Water)
Kettles are high-wattage appliances.
Boiling twice the water you need doubles the cost.
🔧 What it does
Boils only the amount of water required.
💷 Typical cost
£30–£60 for one-cup models
Free if you just fill properly
📉 Potential annual saving
£20–£50 depending on usage
⏱️ Payback time
Within a year
🏠 Best for
Heavy tea/coffee drinkers
Also worth reading
If you want broader strategies beyond gadgets, you might also find my guide on how to cut your energy bills useful.
Tumble Dryer Balls
Tumble dryers are one of the most expensive appliances to run.
Dryer balls improve airflow and reduce drying time.
🔧 What it does
Separates clothes to allow faster drying.
💷 Typical cost
£5–£10
📉 Potential annual saving
£30–£50
⏱️ Payback time
Fast
🏠 Best for
Families using dryers regularly
My take:
Cheap and simple. No downside.
Worth it?
Yes.
Where to find the best deals? These can be found at a number of stores and will usually cost from £2 to £10, depending on the number of balls in a pack. Take a look at B&M, Dunelm and Amazon.
Further reading: Find out whether it’s cheaper to use a dehumidifier to dry your clothes compaed to a tumble dryer.
Smart Thermostat
Heating is usually your biggest bill.
Smart thermostats optimise heating schedules and reduce waste.
Systems like Google Nest or Hive allow remote control and automation.
🔧 What it does
Learns heating habits and prevents unnecessary heating.
💷 Typical cost
£120–£220 plus installation
📉 Potential annual saving
10–12% of heating bill
⏱️ Payback time
2–3 years
🏠 Best for
Homeowners with regular heating use
My take:
If heating is your biggest expense, this can pay off long term.
Worth it?
Yes, especially in colder homes. Take a look at my post on Nest vs Hive, which compares two of the best smart thermostats on the market.
Where to find the best deals? Take a look at my post on Nest vs Hive, which compares two of the best smart thermostats on the market and shows latest pricing.
Radiator Thermostatic Valves (TRVs)
TRVs stop individual rooms overheating.
🔧 What it does
Cuts hot water flow when a room reaches temperature.
💷 Typical cost
£10–£15 each
Smart versions £40–£60
📉 Potential annual saving
£50–£150 depending on usage
⏱️ Payback time
1 winter
🏠 Best for
Homes where some rooms aren’t used often
My take:
Heating empty rooms is expensive. This fixes that.
Worth it?
Yes.
Where to find the best deals? B&Q offers a wide range of makes, as does Toolstation and of course, Amazon. Look out for makes like Tado, which offer the best quality.
Radiator Reflector Panels
Radiators on external walls lose heat into brickwork.
🔧 What it does
Reflects heat back into the room.
💷 Typical cost
£10–£20 per roll
📉 Potential annual saving
£20–£60
⏱️ Payback time
Within one winter
🏠 Best for
Older homes
Chimney Balloon or Chimney Sheep
Unused chimneys leak heat.
🔧 What it does
Seals unused flue to prevent draughts.
💷 Typical cost
£20–£60
📉 Potential annual saving
£50–£90
⏱️ Payback time
One winter
🏠 Best for
Homes with unused fireplaces
Low-Flow Shower Head
Heating water costs money.
Reducing hot water flow reduces energy use.
🔧 What it does
Reduces water flow without lowering pressure.
💷 Typical cost
£15–£30
📉 Potential annual saving
£70–£120 (water + heating)
⏱️ Payback time
Under 6 months
🏠 Best for
Families with long showers
My take:
This is one of the fastest payback devices on the list.
Worth it?
Absolutely.
Where to find the best deals? The Ionic shower head is available from Amazon, although a little difficult to find elsewhere.
Shower Timer
Simple but effective for long showers.
🔧 What it does
Encourages shorter showers.
💷 Typical cost
£5–£20
📉 Potential annual saving
£30–£80 depending on habits
⏱️ Payback time
Fast
🏠 Best for
Households with teenagers
Hippo the Water Saver
Hippo the Water Saver reduces water per flush.
🔧 What it does
Reduces cistern water volume.
💷 Typical cost
£5–£10
📉 Potential annual saving
£10–£20
⏱️ Payback time
Under 1 year
🏠 Best for
Homes on water meters
Avoid These “Magic” Energy Saving Devices
You’ll see plug-in electricity saving boxes online claiming to cut bills by 30–50%.
They don’t work.
They cannot override your meter.
They cannot reduce your actual consumption.
The only real way to cut your energy bill is:
• Use less energy
• Improve efficiency
• Insulate properly
Anything else is marketing.
The Fastest Energy Saving Gadgets to Start With
If money is tight, begin here:
- LED bulbs
- Low-flow shower head
- Basic TRVs
- Dryer balls
- Chimney draught solution
These are low-cost upgrades that start saving immediately.
Which Is the Best Energy Saving Device?
If I had to choose just one?
Probably a smart thermostat, because heating is the biggest bill.
But honestly, the biggest savings usually come from boring upgrades:
LED bulbs.
Shorter showers.
Turning things off properly.
Heating fewer rooms.
Stack a few sensible devices together and it’s realistic to cut £150–£300 per year without dramatically changing how you live.
And in 2026, that’s more than enough reason to start.
Happy energy saving!
FAQs About Energy Saving Devices
Do energy saving devices really work?
Yes, but only if they reduce energy consumption or improve efficiency.
Devices like LED bulbs, low-flow shower heads, radiator thermostats and smart heating controls genuinely cut usage. However, so-called “magic electricity saving boxes” that plug into a socket and claim to reduce your bill by 30–50% do not have credible evidence behind them.
If it doesn’t reduce the amount of energy you use, it won’t reduce your bill.
What is the best energy-saving device for most homes?
For most UK households, LED bulbs are the simplest and fastest win.
They’re cheap, easy to install, and can reduce lighting costs by up to 80–90% compared to older bulbs. Heating controls such as thermostatic radiator valves are usually the next best upgrade.
Which gadget saves the most electricity?
Lighting upgrades and cooking efficiency tend to have the biggest impact on electricity use.
Switching to LED bulbs, using an air fryer instead of a full oven for small meals, and reducing tumble dryer time are some of the most effective changes.
Are plug-in electricity saver devices a scam?
Many plug-in “electricity saving” boxes sold online are misleading.
They claim to stabilise voltage or optimise current to reduce bills. In a normal UK home, this does not meaningfully reduce your metered usage. The only reliable way to cut energy bills is to use less energy or improve insulation and efficiency.
Do smart thermostats actually save money?
They can, but it depends on how you use them.
Most studies suggest savings of around 10–12% on heating bills when used properly. The biggest savings come from better scheduling and avoiding heating empty homes.
Are energy saving gadgets worth it if I rent?
Yes, many are renter-friendly.
LED bulbs, smart plugs, low-flow shower heads and radiator reflector panels can all be installed without permanent changes. More expensive upgrades like smart thermostats may require landlord permission.
The energy efficieny of LED bulbs has improved signifcantly, so some new bulbs are much more efficient. Previously almost all LED bulbs woud achieve a A energy rating. The EU standard has been updated so now many that were previously A are now E. The Integral LED Max Efficiency GU10 range achieves Class A energy rating with up to 212 lm/W, enabling savings of up to 60% on energy usage compared to other LED lamps.