Martin Lewis, the money-saving guru, has issued a warning about a 'demon appliance' that represents the biggest energy drain in the household and ought to be shunned wherever possible. Speaking on his BBC Radio 5 programme, Mr Lewis provided guidance as energy costs soar with the arrival of chillier conditions.

This week, figures emerged showing that families are heading into winter carrying an enormous debt burden of £780 million owed to their energy providers - the highest figure recorded in eight years, based on research by Uswitch. The comparison website found that households owing money to their supplier has jumped by 46% from 2.4 million last year to 3.5 million this year.

Mr Lewis identified the tumble dryer as a device that should be used with extreme caution given its hefty op

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