Both my dishwasher and my washing machine have timers, what is the best time to use them?

If we all did it at night wouldn't this then mean issues overnight for the grid perhaps?

We have a standard tariff, so cost is constant for us regardless time of the day. We also don't have a smart meter (should we???)

So long as its not a whirlpool appliance, personally I think it would be for the greater good if you ran appliances in the early hours of the morning when theres often a surplus of power. If your concerned about the very remote chance of something going wrong, check your smoke alarms!

We run our washing machine in the early morning so it finishes as we get up and can put the clothes out to dry. If we use the dishwasher we start it last thing at night as we go to bed.

I don't think there's any chance that everybody running appliances overnight would overtax the grid. Neither do I worry about things going wrong. They never have. (and yes, I know some very small percentage of people have problems, but a lot more people have car crashes every day and I still go out of the house.)

I accept all the arguments presented above but I personally would not run any appliances overnight. We don't use our dishwasher much anyway as there's only the two of us and the washing machine we run on sunny days (I've almost forgotten what they look like this winter!) when we are generating PV electricity.

Posted By: VictorianecoWe also don't have a smart meter (should we???)

Maybe. There are several power suppliers offering cheaper deals for smart meter users, though not the cheapest on the market.

Posted By: Jeff BAs far as I know fridges/freezers don't tend to leak or give rise to many concerns!

That'll be why Which is running a campaign to ban plastic-backed fridges then, because of the cases where they have started fires.

We sometimes put washing machine on last thing at night, it is in garage attached to house.

After Grenfell, I did a fair bit of reading about do's and don'ts on appliances. They should not be left unattended when on according to local fire brigade advice.

We turn dishwasher off after it finishes now.

Washer now has a fire extinguisher with temperature bulb (like sprinklers) that would automatically open in case of a fire. It is in garage attached to house. I think it was about £15 or £20.

I check and clean our small freezer for crud around the compressor and electrical connections - twice per year.
It has plastic backing and not well protected. Making sure there is no fuel to aid the thing to set the plastic on fire and making sure no sign of heat on electrical connections/wires. It was mucky at first but now all clear.

The main fridge freezer compressor and switches have metal box around them (lie a heat shield) The Americans will not accept anything else on these type of appliance.