With the cost of living rising, it's more important than ever to keep energy costs low in our homes. If your bills are getting unmanageable, you've likely considered everything from solar power to eco bulbs. But how do you know which energy saving devices will work best for your home?
To aid you in your search, we've detailed all the key information on saving energy in your home, whether that's cutting the cost of heating, lighting or electronic appliances. We've even compiled a list of the top 10 best energy saving devices currently available from UK retailers such as Amazon, Argos and John Lewis.
For those after a quick look, here is our Top 5:
For a more in-depth look at the comprehensive top 10 selection, make sure to read on to learn more about the different types of energy saving devices available and understand how our ranking was determined.
This article's chosen EC site price listings are reflective of its publishing date.
Image | 1 ![]() Eco-Worthy | 2 ![]() Emporia | 3 ![]() | 4 ![]() ECO | 5 ![]() TP-Link | 6 ![]() kilponen | 7 ![]() GIGALUMI | 8 ![]() Defender | 9 ![]() tado° | 10 ![]() MECHEER |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Solar Power System | Smart Home Energy Monitor | Nest Learning Thermostat 3rd Generation | Energy Saving LED Light Bulbs | Tapo Smart Plug | Solar Power Bank | Solar Lights Outdoor | 24 Hour Segment Timer Switch | Smart Radiator Thermostat | Electricity Usage Monitor |
Features | Power Major Devices at Home or on the Road With This Complete Solar Panel Kit | Monitor Energy Usage From Your Smartphone With Helpful Tips for Cutting Costs | Control the Heating of Your Home With Scheduling and In-App Controls | Drastically Reduce the Costs of Lighting Your Home | Monitor Mains-Powered Devices Via Your Smartphone or Home Assistant | Charge Handheld Electronics With a Solar-Powered Battery Pack | Illuminate Outdoor Spaces With the Cosy Glow of Solar-Powered Lighting | Schedule Power Supply to Your Appliances With This Low-Maintenance Timer | Control the Heating in Small Spaces Using Alexa, Google Assistant or the Tado App | Smart Socket Energy Monitor That Identifies Which Appliances Are Draining the Most Power |
Price | £4,499.99 | £149.99 | £168.49 | £11.99 | £8.91 | £22.05 | £19.99 | £7.47 | £63.99 | £19.99 |
Device Type | Solar panels | Energy monitor | Smart thermostat | Lightbulb | Smart socket | Solar power bank | Solar garden lights | Smart socket | Smart radiator thermostat | Smart socket |
Energy Saving | Electric | Electric | Heating | Electric | Electric | Electric | Electric | Electric | Heating | Electric |
Best For | Long-term savings | Long-term savings | Remote monitoring and control | Cost-efficient | Mains-powered devices | Phones and tablets | Eliminates all outdoor lighting costs | Timing mains-powered devices | Isolated heating control | Usage monitoring |
Smart Capabilities | No | Smartphone app | Smartphone app | No | Smartphone app, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant | No | No | No | Smartphone app, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant | No |
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Heating can be the biggest drain on our energy supply, so this is probably going to be your main consideration when shopping for energy saving devices. If you want full control over the heating of your home, a smart thermostat will allow you to time your heating to switch on and off according to your schedule straight from your smartphone.
If you live in a small apartment or only need to heat one room, a smart radiator thermostat could be what you're looking for. They tend to be cheaper than thermostats designed to control your entire home, and they're easier to install too. These include all the same functions and can be linked up if you buy multiples of the same device.
Cut down on heating costs with an Energy-Efficient Heater!
A simple switch to LED bulbs can make all the difference to the cost of lighting your home. Although they're slightly more expensive than traditional bulbs, they use approximately 75% less energy and last up to 25 times longer before requiring a replacement, so the investment is more than worth it!
For lighting your garden, solar power is an infinite resource that you can use to your advantage. While you're out enjoying those warm summer evenings, there's no cosier way to brighten up an area than by filling it with solar-powered lights. They come as ground spikes, strings, or even in novelty shapes and colours, so you can be sure to find a design that suits your garden decor.
Find the perfect set from our ranking of the 10 Best Solar Garden Lights!
Electronic devices are a drain on our power supply that we don't often consider, but they all certainly add up! For charging smaller devices such as phones and tablets, you can purchase solar power banks that recharge in the sun. Not only are they ideal for when you're out of the house, but they also help to cut back on mains power usage at home.
When you do need to use mains power, you can purchase smart wall sockets which can be plugged in between your devices and the wall. These offer various energy-saving functions such as monitoring energy usage, timing devices to turn on and off, or even controlling your devices from your phone or tablet via connected apps.
Installing an energy monitor can help to track and manage energy usage across multiple devices in the home. The initial cost can be a little more expensive than the other devices we've suggested, but the potential savings are much larger overall. Once it's hooked up to your circuit panel, the readings can be viewed on your smartphone or computer, including tips on how to lower your overall bills.
If you like the sound of the solar devices we've suggested so far, a solar panel setup for your home could be another great investment. Luckily, the cost of solar panels has dropped significantly since they first started hitting the market, but the initial cost is still fairly high. You may also need to pay extra for installation if you're not qualified to install them yourself.
Keep your devices running on the go with our Best Portable Solar Panels!
This ranking has been compiled by the writing team at mybest UK via careful evaluation of the points made in the buying guide and thorough research of each product and comparing multiple verified customer reviews across the EC sites used.
£4,499.99
Device Type | Solar panels |
---|---|
Energy Saving | Electric |
Best For | Long-term savings |
Smart Capabilities | No |
£149.99
Device Type | Energy monitor |
---|---|
Energy Saving | Electric |
Best For | Long-term savings |
Smart Capabilities | Smartphone app |
£168.49
Device Type | Smart thermostat |
---|---|
Energy Saving | Heating |
Best For | Remote monitoring and control |
Smart Capabilities | Smartphone app |
£11.99
Device Type | Lightbulb |
---|---|
Energy Saving | Electric |
Best For | Cost-efficient |
Smart Capabilities | No |
£8.91
Device Type | Smart socket |
---|---|
Energy Saving | Electric |
Best For | Mains-powered devices |
Smart Capabilities | Smartphone app, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant |
£22.05
Device Type | Solar power bank |
---|---|
Energy Saving | Electric |
Best For | Phones and tablets |
Smart Capabilities | No |
£19.99
Device Type | Solar garden lights |
---|---|
Energy Saving | Electric |
Best For | Eliminates all outdoor lighting costs |
Smart Capabilities | No |
£7.47
Device Type | Smart socket |
---|---|
Energy Saving | Electric |
Best For | Timing mains-powered devices |
Smart Capabilities | No |
£63.99
Device Type | Smart radiator thermostat |
---|---|
Energy Saving | Heating |
Best For | Isolated heating control |
Smart Capabilities | Smartphone app, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant |
£19.99
Device Type | Smart socket |
---|---|
Energy Saving | Electric |
Best For | Usage monitoring |
Smart Capabilities | No |
Written and researched by Alicia Byrne
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