There are hundreds of green gadgets for sale, all promising to save you a bundle on your energy bills, but are they really worth the money? Here are 7 energy saving gadgets that are worth paying for.

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Just bought eco meno kettle, Morphy Richards ?47.99 from online coop electrical saved quite a bit on purchase.its brilliant quickly boils just the right amount for a cuppa (make a cuppa while adverts on tv) a money and time saver.
If you get cardboard and cover the foil in it putting it on wall behind the radiators use those sticky pads to fir to the wall or use the foil the pros use from builders merchants
Remember you must be able to dust for the foil to remain effective, so sticky pads aren't a good idea ;)
You should check out Radflek radiator reflectors too. They say they are 23% more effective than louvered or saw toothed panels (like Heatkeeper). And they are MUCH easier to fit (they're just like hanging files that hang from the rad wall brackets). Plus they're CHEAPER - ?12.99 for six average-sized rads. I've just put them in my home and we've really noticed a difference in temperature levels. Brilliant product!
Thanks for the tips. I got one of those Standby Busters, but we'd only need it for the TVs (which to be honest) we hardly have on standby, but the Freeview boxes we do. But, my hubby said that it wasn't compatible because it messed about with the tuning of the Freeview box. Does that make sense to you??
The Standby Buster Chinese equivalent can be bought in the Pound Shop for just one pound.
Yes and it will more than likely set your house on fire!
Buy cheap pay twice is a lesson for life.
good one mate
Yes you're so right, people have you forgotten what the Kite mark is all about, to keep you safe from foreign imitations
I wonder if polystyrene squares covered with tin foil would work behind radiators to keep the heat in....
Yes it would if you are skint.
A cheaper alternative is available at b&q for less than a tenner.
Yes it would if you are skint.
A cheaper alternative is available at b&q for less than a tenner.
Doppelganger?
Any reflective material will be fine behind each radiator.Ideally this material should be fixed away from the heat absorbent wall on each corner using a strong glue and nylon or plastic spacers.Baking foil and polyethylene tiles can be used effectively but very time consuming.
because of the uselessness of british gas I have two energy monitors and another on the way
Tin foil doesn't work. I've tried it. The 'shine' fades fairly quickly (when you think about it, kitchen foil is for roasting a turkey for a few hours, not long-term use). You need the 'shine' to reflect the heat. Also, it's important to be able to dust whatever reflective material you use behind the rad - otherwise the dust reduces the effectiveness. That's why I'm so impressed by Radflek. It's laminated to keep the shine, plus you can whip it out give it a quick wipe over and slide it back down. Other reflectors are permanently in position to you can't get at them to dust, and I don't know how easy it'd be trying to retrieve polystyrene squares...... I think, for the money (just over a tenna for 6 rads) Radflek is certainly worth trying. I'm very happy so far.
Essential not to buy cheap chinese stuff when you are considering fire hazards!!!
Always buy good quality like Belkin powerstrips.
Read this
http://www.hss.energy.gov/sesa/corporatesafety/feosh/docs/safe_use_of_power_strips.pdf
Eco kettle is a waste of time its just a gimmick.
Go to B&Q and buy a foil strip insulation for lofts it has a layer of fibreglass in between the foil layers and works really well for 5 metres for less than a tenner behind the radiator it really works well.
where can i buy these please?
They sell off their site - www.radflek.com - but I bought my first pack from Amazon.
I really like the sound of Radflek - our house is freezing and I walk around carrying a hot water bottle rather than paying extortionate amounts for heating - sad I know! But with this, if it does what it says, I can keep my heating on low and feel some benefits rather than, like now, when the heating is on high I just about seem to feel the effects. Thanks for the tips.
Just saw Radflek in today's Mail on Sunday with 15% off. Use discount code MAIL15 at www.radflek.com - I'm buying some more!
Oh no, Lizbg - I ordered them yesterday from Amazon - thanks to you guys actually. But that's fine because they were free with the vouchers I've saved up from doing surveys. Kerching!!!!!
Nice one Sj was it Toluna or Valued Opinions?
lol
Yeah the surveys do come in handy in the days when money is short.
I bought mine last winter from the telly and they are brilliant. I don't think it is a gimmick I can really feel the difference and have turned my thermostat down now, which has to be good!! just goggle them but I also saw they were running an advert in Metro with a 15% discount MET15 last week from their website that lizbg mentioned.
It was only the eco kettle i said was a gimmick....
harrrumpppphhh
Do people not ready properly?
regarding the eco kettle wouldent it be simler to put i cupfull of water into an ordinary kettle to get one cup of tea instead of wasting monney on this gadget? simmplesss
Good point, Gary!!!
Another gimmick!
yes...I already do only fill kettle to required needs...even to measuring 2 cups in + just a little...
This is what I needed, thankyou, Martin! Being a man of action, have ordered radiator panels, used code MAIL15 as suggested by "Iizbg" which was valid.
They arrived Saturday 11/02/12- fantastic service! Next day post!
Have you fitted them yet Greydo? Dead easy! Happy you got the discount - every little helps, eh? And very good timing that we can buy them cheap whilst this weather is so bloomin' horrid. I've put Radflek behind all my rads and I've only run them at 3 on the thermostats over the past couple of weeks which I think must prove they work......
Got mine too and you can really see them making a difference. Througout the house in every room - I think it will really help!
forget the battery wizard, alkaline batteries have to be recharged as soon as possible after use and only partially disharged, or they wont recharge very successfully.
Nowadays you can buy low self disharge rechargable batteries, such as Eneloop (the first and still the best ) that will hold 85% of their charge for more than a year, have higher capacity than alkaline batteries, and are also capable of delivering much more current to gadgets that require it. Buy an intelligent (delta-v) charger to charge them, but avoid ones that only charge cells in pairs, or charge in under an hour.
I only use alkaline batteries in very low power devices like smoke detectors and wall clocks these days where they take years to go flat.
It's been so long since i had to buy a bulb as all mine are the energy saving type, went in for one last week, the price was shocking, so now i'm looking around for bulbs lees than the £3 tesco are asking, someone is always having a sale
I can recommend these ones - the other cool Led types dont last long but these are surprisingly good!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/220796379627?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
As energy prices creep up and winter takes hold it's likely you're looking to save every watt of energy possible.
But once you've tackled tasks like changing to a cheaper energy tariff, blocking draughts and insulating your home, you may be left wondering what else you can do to save money.
There are many energy saving gadgets on the market promising further savings but not all give you value for money.
Here are 7 energy saving gadgets that really can help you save - they promise to earn their money back and more!
1. Standby Buster
Recommended by the Energy Saving Trust, the Standby Buster plug lets you switch off any electrical appliance left on standby using a remote control.
You can control up to 4 plugs with each remote control, so it's possible to set them up in different rooms throughout the house. This can be especially handy for families with several TVs and game consoles as it makes it easy for you to check that nothing is drawing power unnecessarily before turning in for the night.
The Standby Buster starter pack comprising one remote control and one plug is available for approx. £7 - £10 and additional plugs are available for approx. £7.
According to Which? a Standby Buster plug could save you up to £40 a year on electricity so it would only take 2-3 months for your to make the money back and start seeing the saving.
2. Water Tank Jackets
If you have a water tank, wrapping it in a jacket will cut the amount of energy it takes to keep your hot water hot. It's estimated that this alone can cut heat loss by anything up to 75% so the potential for savings is considerable.
You can buy a water tank jacket for approx. £10 and it could save you up to £20 a year, so you'll earn your money back within 6 months.
3. Heatkeeper radiator insulation panels
Heatkeeper radiator insulation panels are designed as a quick way to boost the efficiency of your radiators.
Easy to install, the panels slot behind radiators and reflect the heat back into the room, so you can run them on a lower temperature setting without feeling cold.
A pack of 5 panels (enough for 2 - 3 standard sized radiators) will set you back approx. £20. If you fit them throughout your home they promise savings of up to 30% on your heating costs.
You can use the Heatkeeper Savings Calculator to find out exactly how much you could expect to save.
4. ECO kettle
One of the better known gadgets on our list, the Eco Kettle uses 31% less electricity to boil water compared to a standard kettle.
It works by boiling exactly the amount of water you need and no more thus saving you money. It does this by holding cold water in an upper chamber before allowing you to release exactly how much water you need to boil into the lower chamber.
The Eco Kettle is supported by the Energy Saving Trust and you can get your hands on one for approx. £20, although you may pay up to £50 for the latest version.
Exactly how much you could save will vary hugely on how often you use your kettle - so if you enjoy several cups of tea or coffee a day you'll soon make your money back.
5. Battery Wizard recharger
The Battery Wizard makes our list for the potential it has to save you money around the house.
It can be used to recharge standard batteries up to 10 times each.
The manufacturer estimates it costs as little as 1p to recharge a set of batteries. So considering you can pick up a Battery Wizard for approx. £10 you'll soon make your money back.
6. Eco Button
Winner of the Environment and Energy Award for the 2009 Energy Product of the year, the Eco Button is a power saving device for your computer.
At the push of a button it will switch your computer to 'energy saving' mode - great when you need to pop away from the computer to make a coffee or take a telephone call.
To switch your PC back on, you simply move your mouse or push any button on your keyboard.
The Eco Button costs approx. £5 - £10 and could save you up to £40 a year. So, depending on how much you use your computer, it could pay for itself within 2 - 3 months.
As an added bonus the Eco Button will tell you exactly how much energy and money you have save each time you use it. It also gives you a running total so you know when you saved enough to pay for the button itself.
7. BioBulb
The BioBulb promises not only to save you money, but also to bring the sunshine indoors.
They use 75% less energy than a standard bulb so will help you to save on your energy bill - however it makes our list is because of its added value.
BioBulbs emit three times as many lumens (a way of measuring natural light) as a standard energy saving bulb and give off the closest replication of sunlight possible. This means they help to brighten your mood in the long winter months as well as your rooms.
A Bio Bulb costs around £10, last for up to 10,000 hours and are available in a range of strengths.
Energy saving freebies:
Here's a bonus freebies worth getting to help you save energy.
Energy monitors - free from most energy companies
Energy monitors may not save you any money or energy directly; however they will make you more aware of how much you use on a day to day basis and have been found to help people cut down the amount of energy they use.
Many energy suppliers give energy monitors to their customers free of charge so it's worth checking and claiming one if you can.
If you can't get hold of a free energy saving monitor you can purchase one for approx. £20.