With the current state of the economic climate in the UK on the decline and another rise on the energy cap being announced for the start of October, saving money is at the forefront of everyone’s minds and in particular reducing energy costs wherever possible. This has led many people to question what appliances they use in their everyday routine that are costing them the most on their energy bills. The main appliance that jumps out at people straight away is of course the television. Whether you are watching the latest fix of Match of the Day or catching up with the latest Eastenders episode, TVs play a large part of our lives but how much do they actually cost us in the long term?

Sure the initial price of actually having to buy the latest model of TV on the market may be a little steep for some people, however with the initial cost put aside, how much energy does the average person use watching TV and how much is it costing the average person to watch each day? As most people don’t have the TV running 24 hours straight, 7 days a week we are basing our calculations on the average person who watches TV for 4 hours a day. 

 

Type (LCD, QLED, OLED)


Many people are unaware that the type of TV you own can play a role in the amount of energy it consumes and therefore cost you. QLED TVs are the cheapest option with a 55-inch screen only costing £24.83 to run per year. Compare this with a LCD TV which consumes the most energy. A 55-inch screen will cost you £28.59 per year for the average person. An OLED TV holds the middle ground with a 55-inch screen costing you £27.07 per year to run on average. Although these are all fine margins, if you are solely focused on cost and are not fussed about what type of TV you own, it is always best to go with the cheapest option in the long run.

 

Size


As expected size plays a big role in the amount of energy that a TV uses and therefore costs you on your energy bills. As obvious as it may seem, the smaller the TV the less energy it is going to use and thus save you money on your energy bills. As general guidance, a 40-inch TV will cost you £21.46 per year; a 50-inch TV will cost you £23.61 per year; a 55-inch TV will cost you £27.03 and 65 inch TV £32.38 per year. These figures are just general guidance as the type and brand of TV will also need to be taken into account to give you a more accurate representation of how much energy the TV will consume and how much that is going to cost you on your energy bills per year.

 

Brand


Although the brand of TV is not a major factor, it can have some impact on how much energy your TV consumes. If we use the top 5 industry-leading brands of Sony, Panasonic, LG, Phillips and Samsung and compare a 55-inch TV screen, there is a minor difference in cost between each brand. For example, a Sony 55-inch TV will cost you £28.28 per year; a Panasonic 55-inch TV will cost you £25.16 per year; an LG 55-inch TV will cost you £28.11 per year; a Phillips 55-inch TV will cost you £25.05 per year and a Samsung 55-inch TV will cost you £27.21 per year. As each brand has different unique features it is always worth considering everything the brand has to offer as well as incorporating the energy usage of each brand when looking for a new TV.

 

Energy Saving Features to Look Out For


In addition to analysing the type, size and brand of the TV you have or are looking to buy, it is also always worth keeping an eye out for any energy-saving features that may come with the TV as this will help reduce your energy bill costs significantly. Features such as sleep control which will turn off your TV after a few hours of inactivity, say you have fallen to sleep or forgot to turn the TV off. An automatic brightness control will detect the brightness of the room and adjust the TV accordingly so you are not wasting energy using a bright screen when it is not necessary. Finally, power and energy-saving mode will help reduce energy costs when turned on as it will reduce any unneeded features such as a super bright TV in the daytime. 

 

Conclusion


Overall, the main factors to consider when trying to find the most energy-efficient TV for your home are to gauge what size screen TV you are looking for, what type of TV you want (OLED, QLED, LCD) and finally what brand of TV you want to buy. It is also useful to consider looking for energy-saving features that will help you reduce the cost of your television in the long term.

If you are looking for an energy-efficient TV in the Peterborough area, browse our selection of TVs online today! Alternatively, you can visit us in our showroom in Whittlesey where one of our team members will be more than happy to assist you.