Stop Guessing, Start Saving: 47% Want Appliance How-To Guides

Hands up if you’ve ever stared at your washing machine, squinted at a tiny symbol, and thought: “What on earth does Eco 40–60 actually do?”

Sounds familiar? You’re in good company! New research reveals that 69% of UK homeowners secretly Google basic appliance settings, even though they feel like they should already understand them.

From obscure icons to endless menu settings, modern appliances can feel more like a headache than a helping hand. Instead of mastering the dishwashers and washing machines in our homes, many of us are muddling through with guesswork, trial and error, and endless YouTube searches.

Appliances should make your life easier, not more complicated. This is why we’ve created a range of expert buying guides designed to demystify everything from laundry cycles to smart fridge features, so you can feel confident, save money, and get the best out of your home appliances!

Whether you’re considering a Bosch WAN28258GB Series 4 washing machine or exploring smart features in a Samsung RS70F64KEFEU American fridge freezer, our guides break down what those settings actually do and which features are worth using.

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Why do we avoid appliance settings?

For most of us, there are some pretty relatable reasons why we tend to stick with the default settings

Manuals are confusing (and not always the most exciting)
Symbols aren’t always clear.
We’re worried about breaking something.
Asking for help can sometimes feel embarrassing.

Nearly half of homeowners say a simple, jargon-free guide would make them more confident when buying and using appliances.

It’s a clear that people want simpler, clearer guidance they can trust.

The confusion crisis in modern homes: our findings

Today’s appliances are smarter, faster, and more feature-packed than ever before. But here’s the kicker: we don’t feel smarter using them.

61% of people avoid certain appliance settings because they’re afraid of damaging something.
Nearly half of UK homeowners admit they pretend to understand features when they don’t.
Most of us default to the same familiar button, missing out on smarter, cheaper, and more sustainable options.

It’s left many of us sticking to the same familiar button, even when our appliances can do so much more.

Instead of feeling empowered, we’re self-taught appliance users, relying on Google, YouTube, and a bit of luck to figure things out. Manuals often go unread, buttons remain unexplored, and features designed to save time, money, and energy are left untouched.

Top tip: If you’re unsure what a programme does, start with the appliance’s “Auto” or “Eco” mode. These are designed to balance performance and energy use without you needing to tweak lots of settings.

When confusion costs you (literally)

This confusion isn’t just about minor inconvenience: it can hit your wallet and wardrobe too. Our survey results have found:

32% of homeowners say they’ve damaged clothes by using the wrong washing or drying settings.
18% report higher energy bills because they’re not using appliances efficiently.
Food waste is another hidden cost, with many unsure how to properly use fridge freezer settings.

Time is lost rewashing laundry, redoing dishes, or troubleshooting “faults” that aren’t faults at all.

In many cases, this comes down to not using the right programme. Modern dishwashers, like the Beko BDFN26430X, include eco and auto settings designed to adjust water usage and improve drying results, but if you stick to the same cycle every time, you can miss out on both better performance and lower energy use.

Those tiny symbols and unfamiliar cycles can make a surprisingly big difference to your household budget and sustainability footprint, especially for households trying to keep energy costs under control.

Top tip: Use lower temperatures wherever possible. Washing at 30°C can significantly reduce energy use and protect fabrics, while still delivering great cleaning results.

Washing machines: Public enemy number one

When asked which appliance causes the most uncertainty, washing machines topped the list, with one in five homeowners saying they struggle with them the most.

It’s easy to see why. Modern washing machines come packed with:

Multiple temperatures
Different spin speeds
Fabric-specific programmes
Eco cycles
Smart sensors
Delay timers
Steam functions

It’s a lot.

Some models, like the LG F4Y513GBLN1, take this a step further with steam technology designed to reduce allergens and improve cleaning performance, but without clear guidance, it’s easy to miss how useful these features can be.

Eco cycles are a perfect example of misunderstanding. Many people assume “Eco” means a quick wash but in reality, eco programmes often run longer at lower temperatures to save energy. The result? Lower bills and a smaller carbon footprint, but only if you know what’s happening.

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Other common laundry mistakes

Overloading the drum (hello, creased and unclean clothes)
Using the wrong programme for delicate fabrics
Shrinking clothes in tumble dryers
Washing everything on the same default cycle

These small errors add up to faded fabrics, stretched jumpers, and a reduced appliance lifespan, something families with young children and frequent washing loads often feel the impact of most.

Top tip: Avoid overfilling your washing machine, a drum that’s around three-quarters full allows clothes to move freely, leading to cleaner laundry and fewer creases.

It’s not just the washing machine

Fridge freezers, dishwashers, ovens, and smart appliances also puzzle homeowners.

39% of smart appliance owners feel embarrassed using advanced features.
Smart scheduling, energy-saving modes, and remote controls often go unused, even though they’re designed to make life easier.

From figuring out the right oven setting for even cooking, to understanding dishwasher programmes designed to save water and energy, many of us stick to the same basic options without realising what our appliances can really do.

Ovens are a great example. Models like the Neff B3ACE4AN3B use fan-assisted cooking to distribute heat evenly, helping dishes cook more consistently, but many people still rely on a single setting without realising when to switch functions.

The same applies to refrigeration. For households trying to reduce food waste, understanding how to use fridge and freezer settings properly can help keep food fresher for longer and cut down on unnecessary waste.

Top tip: Set your fridge to around 3–5°C and your freezer to -18°C. These temperatures keep food fresh for longer and reduce energy waste, helping cut both bills and food waste.

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The real cost of appliance confusion

Appliance confusion doesn’t just cause frustration; it can be super expensive. A third of homeowners revealed that they’ve damaged clothes through incorrect washing or drying, while nearly one in five people report higher energy bills due to inefficient settings. Food waste is another hidden cost, with many unsure how to use fridge freezer features correctly.

Time is also lost. Many people admit to redoing laundry, rewashing dishes or troubleshooting issues that could have just been avoided with better knowledge of their appliance settings.

Yet there is a clear appetite for help. Nearly half of homeowners say they’d feel more confident with simple how-to guides for their appliances, highlighting a major opportunity to empower households with practical knowledge and increased confidence.

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What our service teams see every day

At Hughes, our in-store teams and service partners see the real-world consequences of appliance confusion first-hand through our repairs and servicing teams. Common issues we see include the following:

“It’s broken!” (Often, it’s something simple)

One of the most common washing machine “faults” we encounter is actually the child lock feature. Designed to stop accidental button presses by little fingers, it often gets switched on by mistake. Customers then assume the machine is broken, when a quick reset would fix everything.

Fridge freezer mysteries

Blocked drain tubes are a frequent issue. Without basic maintenance knowledge, this can cause leaks, ice build-up or temperature problems for your fridge freezer. Often, these issues are reported as major faults, but they’re actually simple fixes with the right guidance.

Top tip: Clean your fridge freezer drain hole and door seals regularly. A quick clean can prevent costly repairs.

Why knowledge matters

Understanding basic settings and maintenance can:

Prevent unnecessary repairs
Extend your appliance lifespan
Save money on replacements
Reduce stress (and service callouts)

Smart features and the embarrassment barrier

As appliances get smarter, the learning curve gets steeper.

Smart features, like scheduling, remote control, and usage tracking, often go unexplored. For time-poor households juggling work, family and daily routines, these features can be a game-changer, helping appliances run more efficiently in the background without constant input.

Nearly four in ten smart appliance owners admit they feel embarrassed asking for help, even though most say they would use smart features more if someone explained them clearly.

With energy costs still top of mind for many, understanding features like eco cycles, smart scheduling and temperature controls could therefore help families reduce bills and reduce their environmental impact, without buying new appliances.

Top tip: Explore smart features through your appliance app. Running appliances during off-peak energy times can help lower your electricity bills.

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Appliances are powerful, with the right guidance

Although today’s appliances are designed to be efficient, connected, and customisable, without guidance, advanced features remain hidden and unused. Whether you’re choosing the right washing cycle for delicate fabrics, trying to figure out why your fridge is icing up or exploring smart appliance features for the first time, clear information can help you:

Reduce energy and water usage
Protect your clothes and food quality
Extend the lifespan of your appliances
Avoid unnecessary repairs and replacements

In short: knowledge = confidence, savings, and better performance!

Top tip: Regularly clean filters, seals and vents on appliances like tumble dryers, dishwashers and washing machines to keep them running efficiently and extend their lifespan.

Hughes help homeowners feel confident

Understanding your appliances shouldn’t require a degree in engineering, or a late-night Google search.

At Hughes, we offer a range of support designed to make buying and using appliances easier.

Easy-to-understand buying guides: Our expert guides break down common questions in plain English, no jargon, no guesswork.

In-store demonstrations: See features in action and learn how to use them properly before you take an appliance home.

Friendly experts: Our trained colleagues are always happy to explain settings, share maintenance tips, and answer your questions.

Rental and try-before-you-buy: Experience appliances first-hand before committing, so you know exactly what you’re getting!

When using your cooker, match the hob size to your pan to avoid wasting energy and improve cooking performance. On induction cookers like the AEG CIX6500ABM, this can make a noticeable difference to both efficiency and speed.

Ready to stop guessing and start mastering?

You don’t need to be a tech expert to use your appliances like one. With the right guidance, those mysterious buttons become powerful tools that save money, protect your belongings, and make everyday life easier.

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