Does your washer depart you in a spin? Almost of half of Brits do not know use house home equipment and keep on with similar settings, ballot reveals
Baffled by your washing machine? In a tangle over the tumble dryer settings? Left cold by the oven timer? Then you’re not alone.
The struggles of millions of technologically challenged Britons have with our home appliances have been laid bare in a poll.
It found that four in ten of us always stick to the same washing settings because we are scared of using the wrong one.
Of the 2,000 adults surveyed, 28 per cent consider the washing machine the most confusing piece of household tech, with 47 per cent using the same programme every time.
The ‘quick wash’ was the most popular setting for 59 per cent, while 26 per cent favour the ‘rinse and spin’ cycle. But 77 per cent hardly ever put their wash on ‘eco mode’ (economy mode) because 56 per cent find the length of time it runs for off-putting.
On top of that 21 per cent do not know if their machine even has this setting.
When it comes to ovens, 21 per cent find timer settings the most confusing, followed by the self-cleaning function (13 per cent), and eco mode (12 per cent).
The descaling programme on a coffee machine is seen as the most complex to understand on the gadget, while the filter cleaning setting on a vacuum cleaner was found trickiest to comprehend. Air fryers, tumble dryers and dishwashers also confuse users – with many, again, sticking to the same setting as they are scared of using the wrong one.
The ‘quick wash’ was the most popular setting for 59 per cent, while 26 per cent favour the ‘rinse and spin’ cycle (stock image)
The struggles of millions of technologically challenged Britons have with our home appliances have been laid bare in a poll (stock image)
Around 77 per cent hardly ever put their wash on ‘eco mode’ (economy mode) because 56 per cent find the length of time it runs for off-putting (stock image)
A spokesman for Utilita Energy, which commissioned the poll said: ‘Kitchen appliances are designed to make life easier, but for many, the endless buttons, settings and features can feel overwhelming. It’s no surprise that so many end up using the same setting time and time again.
‘We’re aware that the ‘eco’ mode has been confused for an ‘ecology’ mode, which people assume is high cost for the pocket, but low cost for the environment.’
Eco mode settings use less power but often take longer, so if your wash is not needed urgently and you want to save money on energy bills, switching to eco mode can be hugely beneficial.
The Utilita Energy spokesman added: ‘Using the right settings can reduce energy consumption, cut waste, and improve efficiency… Small changes in how we use our appliances can lead to big savings over time.’
The top ten most confusing appliances were: washing machine; air fryer; oven; dishwasher; tumble dryer; coffee machine; mixer/food processor; vacuum cleaner; fridge; blender.
