The energy price cap has increased again this week, but shoppers have found a nifty smart gadget that’s helping households cut their heating bills
Brits are bracing themselves for a surge in bills this month as the energy price cap increase kicks in. From Wednesday (October 1), the price cap for gas and electricity has soared to £1,755 per year for a ‘typical household’, according to Ofgem.
This represents a 2% hike compared to the £1,720 cap set between July 1 and September 30. The cost of gas has escalated to 6.29p per kWh with a daily standing charge of 34.03p, while electricity is now priced at 26.35p per kWh with a daily standing charge of 53.68p.
In light of these changes, Amazon customers have discovered a method to slash their heating bills using the Meross Smart Thermostat to regulate their electric underfloor heating. This money-saving gadget is currently more than 20% off ahead of Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days sales event, now discounted from £59.99 to £47.49.
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The device empowers Brits to take full control of their heating bills, offering energy monitoring, remote temperature adjustment and multi-room control. It can be programmed to schedule underfloor heating for up to eight periods each day – such as warming up for the morning or returning home from work – and track daily and weekly energy use via the Meross app.
The thermostat is crafted with both air and floor sensors that guarantee accuracy within 0.5 °C and a 5-35 °C range for more precise control, which can prevent the overheating of wooden floors and maintain a stable temperature around the home.
The Meross device can also automatically stop heating when it detects an open window to avoid energy waste, which is said to reduce costs by up to 30%, according to the manufacturer, reports the Express.
The thermostat itself is designed with a glass touch panel and child lock function, and is said to offer a ‘hassle-free’ setup thanks to a step-by-step video guide. It can also be controlled hands-free with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
Buyers should note the thermostat requires 2.4GHz WiFi, embedded installation with a standard 86mm or 67mm box, and a power supply with live and neutral wires. The Meross Smart Thermostat cannot be used to control a heating or hot water system, a function offered by rival models such as the Hive Thermostat for Heating and Hot Water Control (£155).
Other heating options as we head towards the colder months include Dunelm’s 2000W Oil Filled Radiator (£49), which is said to cost 45p per hour to run. If you’d rather shop elsewhere, Argos is offering a plug-in heater that’s ‘significantly cheaper to run than central heating’ and costs just 13p an hour
But hundreds of Amazon shoppers have turned to the Meross Smart Thermostat to manage their energy bills, awarding the device a 4.4-star rating after almost 600 reviews.
One chuffed customer shared: “Super easy to install and set up, working as expected. Built-in schedule is useful to save costs with off-peak heating and not heat up on weekends (home office). You can also automate and control remotely via HomeKit. The app shows costs and heating history. You can choose where to measure the temperature from: air or probe.”
Another enthused: “Great thermostat. I like the menu and functionality; it works great. The colour is stylish and it’s not too bright. The online app is intuitive and easy to use. I bought it again for my en-suite after using it for my main bathroom for six months.”
However, it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, as this buyer found the Meross Smart Thermostat to be ‘temperamental’ when used with Apple Home. They expressed: “Every so often it loses connection with Apple Home so I have to switch the unit off at the mains and back on again.”
While this five-star review stated: “Bought this product to replace my existing Warmup 3ie thermostat that I’ve had for 10 years. It was very simple to install, switching the wires from the old thermostat to the new and screwing into the existing backbox. Took about 10 minutes to get it all working after putting up with all the problems with the old one for too long.”