Turning off the lights as you leave a room is something that’s been drummed into most of us from childhood. But how much electricity does a light bulb use? And how much does it cost?

Whether it’s dark winter evenings or early mornings, our light bulbs tend to be on a lot of the time, so it’s a good idea to know how much it costs to keep the lights on. Different types of light bulb use different amounts of power, as do varying wattages.

We’ve worked out how much you can expect to spend per hour on electricity for the light bulbs in your home. We’ll also explain how to save energy at home by making the right lighting choices.

How much electricity does a light bulb use?

Many of us associate wattage with the amount of light a light bulb gives out – a dimmer 25W bulb compared with a brighter 60W bulb for example – but the wattage of a light bulb actually equates to the amount of electricity it uses. Brightness is measured in lumens.

This is why it’s common to see lower wattage bulbs described as ‘equivalent to 60W’ – it’s not the energy they require that’s equivalent, but the brightness.

The best way to work out how much energy your light bulb uses is by converting the wattage to kilowatts. So, a 100W light bulb would require 0.1kW an hour.

• Higher energy light bulbs, such as incandescent (up to 100W) and halogen (up to 120W), are being phased out. However, you may still have some of them working in your home, and you can buy decorative exposed carbon filament light bulbs that are typically 40-60W.
• CFL (or compact fluorescent lamp) light bulbs are the most common energy-saving bulb. They’re as it sounds – small fluorescent lights that typically use 60-80% less energy than an incandescent bulb yet can be up to four times more efficient. Their wattages tend to range between 6-22W.
• LED light bulbs are the most energy efficient, with typical wattages ranging from 4-18W. ‘Replacing standard bulbs with LED alternatives means you will only be using a fraction of the energy of a normal bulb,’ says Matt Manning, Group Carbon and Environment Manager at Currys. ‘Lights can be left on as needed, without the worry of a high electricity bill.’

Image credit: Future Plc/Dominic Blackmore

And how much does it cost?

According to the Energy Saving Trust the national average price (as of November 2021) per pence/kWh of electricity is 20.06p. We have rounded it to 20p for illustration purposes.

• Taking the example above, that a 100W light bulb uses 0.1kW an hour, this means that ten 100W light bulbs on at the same time would require 1kW, which would cost 20p every hour.
• Swap that for ten 18W LED light bulbs and the cost is significantly less: 18W is 0.018kW x 10 = 0.18kW, so the cost every hour is just under 4p.

‘Lighting accounts for 15% of a typical household’s electricity bill,’ reveals Steve Buckley, head of data science at energy-saving app Loop. ‘Quality LED lights cost more than other types of lighting, but it’s a price worth paying. If you replace all of the bulbs in your home with LEDs, then for an initial outlay of £100 you’ll save about £35 a year on your energy bill.’

Image credit: Future PLC/Dominic Blackmore

What energy saving features should I look for when buying a light bulb?

These handy light bulb functions and features will help you save over time.

1. Smart connectivity

Smart light bulbs that are controlled by an app, such as Hive or Hue, open up a whole world of energy saving options. These include being able to set lights to switch off at sunrise, so they’re not on longer than they need to be, to turn off all your light bulbs at once, or flick off lights in another room that have been accidentally left on.

2. Energy efficiency rating

New light bulbs are rated from A to G, with A being the most efficient, so you can see the energy efficiency at a glance. The label should also show energy consumption for 1,000 hours of use so you can easily work out how much it’ll cost to power each one. 

3. Low wattage

The lower the wattage, the less electricity a light bulb will use. Look for energy saving bulbs that provide the brightness you need (shown in lumens) with the lowest wattage possible.

Image credit: David Giles

How can I cut the cost of running a light bulb?

1. Switch to LED bulbs

‘LED lights can help reduce the average person’s carbon dioxide emissions by up to 40kg a year – the equivalent to driving a car 40 miles,’ says Matt Manning. ‘By switching from a 100W incandescent bulb to an LED light bulb, the Energy Saving Trust estimate that you can save up to £9 per bulb per year, based on a 1,100-lumen bulb running for 562 hours.’

2. Reach for the dimmer switch

While older dimmer switches didn’t save energy – adding resistance to the circuit, which was turned into heat rather than saving energy – modern dimmer switches work differently. They reduce the flow, which can also prolong the lifespan of your bulb.

However, it’s worth noting that the saving is rarely linear – for example, dimmed halogen bulbs are less efficient. Check your light bulbs are compatible before installing a dimmer switch, too – not all LEDs and CFL bulbs will be.

3. Opt for a lower wattage bulb

If you’re always reaching for the dimmer switch, consider using a lower-wattage light bulb instead. They’ll use less energy at full power than a dimmer high-wattage light bulb.

The post How much electricity does a light bulb use? And how much does it cost? appeared first on Ideal Home.

Mini choppers are essentially small versions of the best food processors, without all the extra attachments. They’re more effective at chopping and mixing small quantities, plus they’re much easier to store, not to mention less hassle to set up than a regular food processor.

Although they come in a variety of shapes and sizes, they generally offer just one chopping speed and require you to keep your finger on the button to operate the blades. But don’t be fooled by the size, these small choppers can be fiendishly fast at finely chopping. They’re also the perfect size to create homemade dips, salsas, sauces, and dressings.

We like the models that come with storage lids, so you don’t have to tip your creation into a different container to store it, anything that reduces the washing up is a win in our book. If you’re looking to master homemade mayo, look for a model with a hole in the lid so you can pour your oil in slowly for a silky-smooth emulsified result.

What’s the best mini chopper?

We loved the Ninja Professional Stackable Mini Chopper because it’s a speedy chopper that includes two bowls with lids and is very reasonably priced. But we also rate the Russell Hobbs Desire Mini Chopper for its robust glass bowl and good capacity.

1. Ninja Professional Stackable Chopper

Best mini chopper with two bowls

Capacity: 2 x 500ml
Power: 200W
Features: Two chopping bowls with storage lids
Reasons to buy:
· Four blade configuration
· Two lidded chopping bowls
· Dishwasher safe accessories
· Stackable for easy storage

Reasons to avoid:
· Lots to store

The Ninja Professional Stackable Chopper is the most versatile in this list. Not only is it super easy to use but having two bowls gives you the flexibility to make a guacamole in one and chop vegetables in the other. The cleverly designed lids can be sealed into position during use so that it can blend liquids without leaking, then use them to seal the bowls and store your delicious creations in the fridge.

We only cut our onion into quarters before chopping and the four metal blades quickly turned it into finely chopped pieces with just a few pulses. It’s fast and powerful, perfect for speedy chopping as well as purees, sauces and dips. Although mayo fans might be disappointed that you can’t add liquids during blending, which means home-made mayo’s off the menu.

There’s a lot to store but it all stacks neatly to take up the minimum possible space in your cupboard. It’s a great chopper that offers good value for money.

Ideal Home rated 5 out of 5 stars

2. Russell Hobbs Desire Mini Chopper

Best mini chopper with a glass bowl

Capacity: 500ml
Power: 200W
Features: Glass bowl with storage lid

Reasons to buy:
· Dishwasher safe accessories
· Sturdy bowl
· Good capacity
· Lid for storage

Reasons to avoid:
· Foods must be hand-cut into maximum 18mm cubes before chopping

The standout feature of the Russell Hobbs Desire Mini Chopper is its thick sturdy glass bowl that’s designed to last. It comes with a lid for storage, but we’d have preferred a lid that seals the bowl rather than just sits on top. It’s simple to use with just one large button on top and it feels well built.

Onions were finely chopped in just a few short pulses, although we noticed some bigger chunks amongst the pieces. It’s frustrating that the manual instructs you to cut foods into 18mm pieces before adding them to the chopper. This meant cutting our onion into 12 pieces before chopping, having said that though, the chopper still speeds up fiddly food prep and takes the effort out of finely chopping. Plus, the large bowl means it can process liquids at maximum capacity with minimal leakage.

It’ll come in handy for creating everything from salsas to sauces as well as chopping vegetables, but there’s not a hole in the lid, so you can’t add in liquids during blending, meaning it’s no good for mayo.

Ideal Home rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

3. Kenwood Mini Chopper

Best small capacity mini chopper

Capacity: 350ml
Power: 300W
Features: Two speeds, feed hole in lid

Reasons to buy:
· Compact
· Ideal for small quantities
· Feed hole in lid for adding liquids during processing
· Dishwasher safe accessories

Reasons to avoid:
· Food has to be pre-cut into small pieces
· Loud

Despite its small size, the Kenwood Mini Chopper has the most powerful motor of all the choppers on our list, it’s also the only one that offers two chopping speeds. We cut our onion into about 12 pieces and although the capacity isn’t big enough to fit a whole onion, it very quickly cut it into fine even pieces.

There’s one button which you press halfway for the slower speed and pressing more firmly activates the higher speed. It made a loud piercing sound when chopping onion, but considering it’s only used in short bursts, this isn’t too annoying. We only managed to blend 100ml of liquid, any more and it starts leaking out of the lid, but leaking will be less of an issue with thicker sauces. If you only need a chopper for small quantities or you’re short on storage space, this one is a great choice.

Ideal Home rated 4 out of 5 stars

4. Magimix Le Micro

Best high-end mini chopper

Capacity: 800ml
Power: 290W
Features: Two blades, two feed holes in lid, spatula

Reasons to buy:
· Sturdy base
· Chopping blade and separate mixing blade
· Dishwasher safe accessories
· Separate holes in lid for adding solids and liquids

Reasons to avoid:
· Expensive
· Most foods have to be cut into 2cm pieces

With two blades and a sturdy base, the Magimix Le Micro certainly feels like a mini version of a Magimix food processor. The plastic blade is designed for emulsifying and sauce making and if you’re a fan of making mayonnaise you’ll appreciate the hole for adding liquids through the lid, plus there’s a larger slot for adding solids like herbs too.

The sharp metal blade is for chopping and produced some of the most evenly chopped onion of all the choppers on this list. Unlike most other foods, onion only needs to be pre-cut into 4cm pieces, making it a quick and convenient process.

It’s a pricey chopper though and despite the advertised 800ml capacity, the bowl should only be filled 2/3 full, which gives it a working capacity closer to 500ml. Plus, when we added water, anything above 200ml leaked out of the lid, it’ll be fine for thicker sauces and dips though.

Ideal Home rated 4 out of 5 stars

5. Salter Electric Mini Kitchen Chopper

Best budget mini chopper

Capacity: 350ml
Power: 150W
Features: Feed hole in lid

Reasons to buy:
· Compact

Reasons to avoid:
· Low power output
· Accessories not dishwasher safe

The Salter Electric Mini Kitchen Chopper is a small budget friendly chopper that’s designed for basic chopping and mixing tasks. Chopping onion took longer than all the other choppers on the list, and the end result was still quite chunky.

The bowl isn’t big enough for a whole onion, but we were surprised that it could mix up to 200ml of liquid without leaking and the feed hole in the lid is perfect for pouring in oils and liquids while whipping up sauces, dips or mayo.

The start button is a bit stiff and the accessories have to be hand washed but given the budget price and compact size, we can forgive these downsides.

Ideal Home rated 3 out of 5 stars

How we tested the best mini choppers

We used the mini choppers to chop onion, although a seemingly basic task, this allowed us to compare them in terms of speed and evenness of chopping. We also tested them with water to assess how much liquid they could process without leaking.

The post Best mini chopper 2022: for effortless chopping, mixing and pureeing appeared first on Ideal Home.

Poundland is now selling these super cute glass coffee mugs, and we need one urgently. Remarkably similar to some très chic designer mugs loved by celebs like Kourtney Kardashian, these will only set you back £2.50.

That’s less than your morning take-out flat white. So if you’re looking for something purse-friendly that’ll look great next to your best coffee machine, look no further.

Image credit: Poundland

Poundland glass coffee mugs

When Poundland posted about these double-walled glass coffee mugs on Instagram this week, they got a lot of attention. The post has had a thousand likes and reams of comments.

‘Can’t wait until these mugs arrive in my local store, I’ve wanted them for so long,’ one shopper wrote. ‘If Poundland keeps bringing out cool new mugs I’m going to need another cabinet for them,’ said another.

With two layers of glass, drinks will stay hot, or cold, for longer in these mugs. Not to mention they’re great for taking a photo of a frothy coffee for the ‘gram.

Kourtney Kardashian is a fan of a glass mug from luxury brand Williams Sonoma, while TV hosts Rochelle Humes and Ruth Langsford love Amazon’s versions. We think there’s always something special about a glass mug, bringing an Italian cafe vibe to your kitchen breakfast bar.

You can also get them without a handle, which may be easier to store if you’re short on kitchen storage. Personally, we’re big fans of the Amazon versions below, which are £12.39 for a set of two.

We think £6 is reasonable for a sleek mug for sipping your morning latte from your best bean-to-cup coffee machine.

Set of 2 double-walled glass coffee mugs with handle | £12.39 at Amazon
Add to your mug collection with this stylish, handmade glass coffee cup. It’s heat-resistant, dishwasher safe and will hold 275ml, just right for a morning coffee.

View Deal

Lots of people on Instagram reported having several unsuccessful trips to their local Poundland stores in search of these bargain mugs. But the good news is there are loads of alternatives online, from places like John Lewis, Morrisons and Ocado.

Happy shopping!

The post Poundland is selling this super chic celebrity favourite coffee mug appeared first on Ideal Home.