Choosing the right appliance
Choosing an efficient appliance can be as simple as looking at the label.
By choosing carefully, you can save energy and water. Key things to consider are: whether you really need the appliance; the right sized model for your household; and the amount of energy and water it will use.
Energy efficiency
Energy Rating Labels
Energy Rating Labels are aimed at helping people to choose energy efficient appliances.
The scheme applies to fridges, freezers, clothes washers, clothes dryers, dishwashers and air conditioners.
When any of these appliances is being sold new, by law it has to display a sticker showing:
- a ‘star’ rating of the appliance’s energy efficiency - six stars means the appliance is highly efficient, one star means it is not
- how much energy the appliance uses in a year.
An appliance that uses 500kWh a year will cost you about $90 a year to run (based on energy costs of 18c per kilowatt hour).
A model which is initially more expensive may be more efficient and save you hundreds of dollars over its lifetime.
Bear in mind that a larger model will use more energy than a smaller one with the same number of stars - so check the actual energy use as well as the star rating.
You can compare energy ratings for different appliances at Australian sites www.energyrating.gov.au or at www.energyallstars.gov.au.
Energy Star
Energy Star is a global mark of energy efficiency. It's awarded to the most energy efficient appliances and electronic products. If you see the Energy Star mark on one of these products, you can be sure it is one of the most energy efficient available on the market at this time.
The label was launched in New Zealand, with Government backing, in mid-2005. As at mid-2007, you could find the Energy Star mark on heat pumps, dishwashers, televisions, DVD players and recorders, VCRs, audio equipment, computers and monitors, printers, fax machines, copiers and scanners. Upcoming products include dishwashers, clothes washers and refrigerators. New computer and office equipment specifications will also be introduced in 2007.
For more information, see the Energy Star website.
Do you really need a new appliance?
Some appliances are just expensive ways of doing jobs that can be done quite easily in other ways. For example:
- dehumidifiers cost 40c or more for every litre of water they remove from your home, when the job shouldn’t be necessary with proper ventilation, insulation and heating
- waste disposal units use water and electrical energy, and add to the load on the local sewage treatment plant - a smarter option is to keep food scraps separate and compost them.
Before you buy an appliance, it’s worth considering whether you will use it. If you choose not to buy it, you’re saving on purchase and running costs - and the energy, materials and waste that go into the manufacturing process.
Balanced against this, it may be worth considering whether a newer model will be more energy and water efficient. Refrigerators sold since the beginning of 2005, for example, have to comply with revised energy performance standards which make them more efficient than older models.
Choosing a fridge or freezer
Fridges and freezers use about 10% of an average household’s electricity bill.
You can cut down on operating costs by choosing the right fridge for your needs. As well as energy efficiency (see energy ratings above), it’s also worth considering:
- Size - choose a fridge or freezer that is the right size for your household - it’s more efficient to run one large fridge than two small ones, but it’s inefficient to run a fridge that’s far bigger than you need.
- Defrost controls - manual defrost models are generally more efficient than auto-defrost models if they’re well maintained
- Shape - chest freezers are more efficient than upright models. With an upright freezer, cold air escapes every time you open the door. Upright freezers with enclosed drawers (not baskets) are a good compromise. Upright fridge-freezers with one door above the other are generally more efficient than units with side-by-side doors.
- Water and ice dispensers - through-the-door features such as cold water dispensers and ice-makers use more energy and cost more.
Refrigerants
When you buy a fridge or freezer, find out what refrigerant it uses. Some refrigerants deplete the ozone layer and also contribute to global warming if they leak.
Some fridges sold in New Zealand use propane (R290) which is highly flammable. Others still use R22 which is being phased out all over the world. R410A is a preferred refrigerant because it is ozone-friendly, and is slightly more efficient.
Choosing a clothes dryer
Clothes dryers are inefficient users of energy. Many receive only 1-2 stars on the Australia-New Zealand energy rating scheme. It may be worth considering whether you need a clothes dryer at all. If you use the line to dry your clothes, you’ll save on purchase costs and ongoing energy costs.
If you do buy a dryer, look for an energy efficient model (see energy ratings above), and look for a model with an auto-sensing feature or a timer. Auto-sensing prevents overdrying. This saves energy and is also better for your clothes.
Choosing a washing machine
If you’re choosing a washing machine, look for a model that:
- is the right size for your needs ‑ if you choose a machine that’s too big, you’ll be tempted to run it when it’s not full (most families use a 6.5kg machine)
- is energy efficient (see energy ratings above)
- is water efficient ‑ an inefficient machine might use almost 100 litres more water per load than an efficient one with the same capacity; you can search for water-efficient machines at www.energyrating.gov.au or at www.wsaa.asn.au (click on `Save Water’ and on `5As Rated Products Search’)
- has a cold wash cycle - a lot of energy is used for water heating
- has auto load sensing or load size selection - so you’re not using more water and energy than you need
- has a high spin speed - a fast spin speed will mean the clothes spend less time in the dryer
- has an economy cycle.
Front-loading washing machines are generally more water- and energy-efficient than top-loaders. They are also gentler on clothes and use less detergent, and they save space as they can be installed under a bench.
They usually have a higher spin speed so clothes come out drier. Some only have a cold water connection.
Some overseas washing machines have a ‘suds saver’ feature. This saves water from the first load to do the second. Models available in New Zealand don’t generally offer this feature.
Choosing cooking appliances
Cooking uses about 6% of an average household’s energy bill, and a lot of that is wasted.
Cooktops
The ‘exposed coil’ elements you find on most cooktops aren’t particularly efficient. They heat the pot and the air around it, as well as the food. Solid disk elements, which are found on some cooktops, are even less efficient.
Induction elements are the most efficient type of cooktop element on the market. They heat the pan using a strong magnetic field, while the element itself stays fairly cool. They use about half of the energy of an exposed coil element.
Ceramic glass cooktops and halogen elements are also more efficient than exposed coil elements. They’re also easier to clean as the element is under glass. Halogen lamps provide instant heat, as does gas.
Ovens
Though modern ovens are well insulated, only about 10% of the energy they use actually goes on cooking.
Convection or fan ovens use about 35% less energy than conventional ovens, and more items can be cooked at the same time because heat is more uniformly distributed. Gas is also more efficient than a conventional electric oven.
Microwave ovens
Microwave ovens are much more efficient than other types of electric oven. They only heat the food, not the surrounding air. But they still only use about 50% of the energy for cooking.
Choosing a dishwasher
Dishwashers use water, energy and detergent, all of which cost money and have effects on the environment. If you’re choosing a dishwasher, look for a model that:
- is the right size for your needs ‑ if you choose a machine that’s too big, you’ll be tempted to run it when it’s not full
- is energy efficient (see energy ratings above)
- has an eco cycle
- heats its own water
- is water efficient ‑ an inefficient dishwasher will use about 25 litres of water per load, whereas efficient models can use about 12-15 litres, or less on eco settings; you can search for water-efficient machines at www.energyrating.gov.au or at www.wsaa.asn.au (click on `Save Water’ and on `5As Rated Products Search’).
Televisions and computers
If you’re buying a TV, computer, or home theatre system:
- choose an LCD screen for your TV and computer - they’re more energy-efficient than plasma screens or old-style cathode ray tube screens
- find out how much standby power they use - some home theatre systems are energy guzzlers even when you’re not using them.
Installing electrical and gas appliances
Most electrical cooking appliances plug into standard wall sockets. Larger ovens use heavy-duty wiring, installed by an electrician.
Gas appliances have to be installed by a gasfitter, unless they are portable.
More information
From Smarter Homes
From consumer.org.nz
Note: you may need to be a subscriber to access some of this content.
From other sites
For more information, see www.energystar.govt.nz, the Energywise website’s page on home appliances, and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority website’s pages about energy rating labels, endorsement labels, and home appliances.
You can compare energy ratings for different appliances at Australian sites www.energyrating.gov.au or at www.energyallstars.gov.au.
You can compare water efficiency for different appliances at www.energyrating.gov.au or at www.wsaa.asn.au (click on ‘Save Water’ and on ‘5As Rated Products Search’).
