Bruce Pitchers

Bruce Pitchers began his career writing about pop culture, before spending a decade in sports journalism. More recently, he’s applied his writing and editing skills to the world of finance. Prior to Canstar, he freelanced for The Australian Financial Review and the NZ Financial Markets Authority.


Best Dryers in NZ: Full Buying Guide 

Best Dryers in NZ: Ultimate Buying Guide 

Posted by June 25th 2025

KEY POINT According to 452 New Zealand tumble dryer buyers who took part in Canstar's 2025 Dryer Award survey, LG is the best dryer brand in New Zealand for delivering consumer satisfaction. If you’re in the …


Which provider has the best mobile coverage?

Which Provider Has the Best Mobile Coverage?

Posted by June 10th 2025

KEY POINTS There are three mobile network providers in New Zealand: 2degrees, One NZ and Spark. In major population centres, each provides good 4G coverage. However, nationally, Spark offers the widest coverage in places you'd …


What is the Average Power Bill in New Zealand?

Posted by May 29th 2025

KEY POINTS Last year, the average Kiwi household used 7084kWh of electricity at 34.25c per kWh, for a total cost of $2426. This works out to roughly $202 per month. However, retail electricity prices vary …


Electricity Prices New Zealand

Average Electricity Costs per kWh in NZ

Posted by June 25th 2025

KEY POINTS Power prices vary around the country. The national average is 35.67c per kWh, but prices ranging from around 32c to over 45c per kWh. Between a third and half of power price costs are …



Power Price Increases: How to Save Money on Your Electricity Bill

Posted by April 3rd 2025

KEY POINTS Power consumers are facing five years of rising electricity bills Increases are due mainly to higher transmission costs By shopping around and comparing power companies, households can secure better power deals During winter many …


people on phones cheapest shared data plans

Cheapest Group Endless Data Plans in NZ

Posted by March 20th 2025

If each person in your household has a separate endless data mobile plan, you could all be overpaying. By bundling the plans together on a group endless data plan under one provider, you could make …


The End of the Low-User Electricity Tariff

Posted by April 2nd 2025

We're now more than halfway through the low-user electricity tariff removal process. Canstar Blue explores what its removal could mean for you. What is the low-user electricity tariff When a customer signs up for a power plan, …


The Best Power Plans for Electric Vehicles

Best EV Power Plans

Posted by June 25th 2025

Before the introduction of road user charges (RUCs) for electric vehicles (EVs), they had very low running costs – just the cost of the electricity to power them. However, now EV drivers have to pay the …


Best Music Apps for Android Phones

Posted by February 28th 2025

There are numerous apps for Android phones that cater to all musical and audio tastes. However, given there are so many options, it can be difficult to know which apps are worth downloading. In this article, …