IN-A-SPIN
The £2.49 Wilko buy that will slash energy bills and dry clothes quicker
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SHOPPERS are rushing to snap up the £2.49 gadget at Wilko that could help dry clothes quicker.
It comes as the average UK family is forking out £1,834 a year on gas and electricity.
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And many of us are turning to heated airers to get clothes dry whilst it's cold and wet outside.
The average Brit will do roughly four loads of laundry per week or 208 washes per year, a study by Ariel found.
For those who haven’t done the maths, it adds up to a shocking 13,000 loads of laundry across an entire lifetime.
But luckily Wilko has a £2.49 gadget that can help ease the costs of this unbearable load.
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The Wool Dryer Balls, sold in a pack of two, offer an eco-friendly and reusable solution that claims to save up to £100 annually on dryer costs.
Made from 100% wool, these dryer balls help reduce drying time by increasing the airflow in your tumble dryer.
They work by separating clothes inside the drum, allowing heat to circulate more effectively.
This means your laundry dries faster, with less static, and comes out softer—all without the need for chemical fabric softeners.
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According to Wilko, the balls not only help clothes dry quicker but also help soften fabrics and reduce wrinkles, making ironing easier.
Martin Lewis explains how to slash your energy bills
The Wool Dryer Balls can be found in-store or purchased online, with free click-and-collect options or home delivery starting at £4.99.
Other dryer balls have been praised by buyers on Amazon.
A happy customer elsewhere told how similar products helped cut down drying time by 45 minutes.
Using dryer balls could be a way to reduce the amount of time and money spent on drying clothes, especially in the colder months when tumble dryers are in high demand.
A mum-of-three previously shared her huge savings after trying out tumble dryer balls.
She said: "Not only could I save £106.08 a year by using dryer balls, but my clothes came out feeling softer than usual and with less creases so they were easier to iron."
This small, inexpensive purchase can help to bring down energy usage without requiring any drastic lifestyle changes or compromises in laundry routines.
How to save on energy bills
If you don't have a smart meter and haven't sent your supplier recent meter readings - it's worth submitting one now.
An updated meter reading will mean your supplier has a more accurate idea of your usage to bill you accurately.
There are several cheap and easy ways to heat your home and cut down your electricity costs.
Every degree you increase the temperature of your thermostat is estimated to hike your heating bill by about 10% - so get the balance right.
The Energy Saving Trust recommends that your thermostat should be set to the lowest comfortable temperature, which for most is between 18°C and 21°C.
You can also turn your boiler's flow temperature down as well as any thermostatic radiator valves in some rooms - you could save around £180 annually on your energy bills.
Ventilation is good for health and air quality but it's the first place where heat will escape.
If there's a draught, grab a draught excluder and plug the gap.
Prices for draught excludes start from a fiver in most stores but a thick blanket rolled up next to a problematic door will work just as well.
Seal up any draughty windows with easy-to-use draught excluders, prices for them start at £1.99 and they could save up to £70 on your energy bills.
Loft insulation is also very important as it can stop heat escaping, therefore slashing your heating bill.
You can buy insulation from all local builder merchants or retailers such as B&Q and Wickes.
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Experts like Martyn James point out that tumble dryers, along with other “wet appliances” like washing machines and dishwashers, are some of the biggest energy users in the home.
He said: "The big offenders are 'wet appliances' including washing machines, tumble dryers and dishwashers," he says.
"Try to only use them for full loads, learn more about what that 'eco mode' does as that could save you energy and drop the heat as low as you can go.
"These machines have to quickly generate heat, so can result in them adding a quarter of the cost of your energy bill.
"'You should also regularly clean out the lint drawer, which can help your machine run more efficiently.
Other cost-saving tips include lowering the temperature when washing clothes, as consumer experts at Which? found that washing at 20°C instead of 40°C could reduce running costs by up to 62%.
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Reducing the number of loads you do can cut your usage and bill, and making sure your doing a full load each time is one way to do this.
Another way is to get a bargain dehumidifier from B&M to dry clothes which can shave up to £74 off a crucial household bill.
Save money on your laundry and reduce bills
Here are some more ways to save money on your laundry and reduce bills
If you're shopping for a new machine, consumer group Which? says choosing a more efficient washing machine could save up to £55 a year.
It might cost more upfront but you will spend less over the lifetime of the product.
An extra washing machine spin before you tumble dry your load could shorten the time you have the dryer on.
Tumble dryers use far more energy, so reducing this cost can add up, and of course in better weather avoid it altogether if you can hang it out to air dry.
Reducing the number of loads you do can cut your usage and bill, and making sure your doing a full load each time is one way to do this.
The Good Housekeeping Institute reckons you should wash jeans, jumpers and towels after every three uses. But if they look and smell OK, hold off for the sake of the planet — and your wallet.
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