Energy efficient appliances
Appliances can account for over 25 per cent of your home energy use.
You can save money and reduce energy use by choosing the right appliance for your needs and using it efficiently.
When you replace an appliance, think about buying an energy efficient one that meets your needs. A lot of new appliances and electronic equipment have energy rating labels to help you with this.
The position of the appliance, how you operate it and how you maintain it also affect how much energy is used.
When choosing appliances, these websites will help:
- Your home technical manual - Appliances
- Your home renovator's guide - Choosing appliances and lighting
Fridges and freezers
Fridges use more power than any other appliance in most Australian homes. Depending on how you use them and how efficient they are, your fridges and freezers may be responsible for a significant portion of your total electricity use every year.
If you need a new fridge, take the opportunity to upgrade to a more efficient model. Read our tips for selecting more energy efficient fridges and freezers.
Dishwashers
Dishwashers can use a lot of energy and water, depending on the model and how you use it.
A dishwasher with a good range of programs, including economy options, will let you match the dishwasher's performance to your needs and help you save energy and water.
Washing machines
Washing machines, especially older models, can use a lot of water and energy.
The amount of water and energy used will vary depending on the type of machine and model. In general, front loaders use less water (as low as 50 litres per wash), but have longer cycle times than top loaders. However, water efficient top-loaders are becoming available.
Washing with hot water uses up to 5 times more energy than a cold wash.
Clothes dryers
Clothes dryers use a lot of energy. Different types are available, with the most efficient being heat pump or gas fired models. Although these are more expensive to buy and install, they are cheaper to run.
A standard electric clothes dryer can add 150 kilograms of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere for each load of washing. If you can use less energy to dry your clothes, you can save money and reduce greenhouse gases.
See our tips for reducing the impact of your dryer
Home entertainment and computers
Choosing the most efficient electronic equipment will make a big difference to your energy use. For example, an efficient LCD screen is much cheaper to run than a Plasma screen.
Swimming pools and spas
Swimming pools (especially heated ones) and permanent spas can be very expensive to maintain. Some pools and spas have features like filter pumps and salt chlorinators that can use a lot of energy. Investigate ways of retaining heat, and if you don't use them a lot, consider only heating them when necessary.
Standby power and switching off appliances
Home entertainment items and computers often have a standby mode so they can turn on quickly. However, standby mode can use a lot of energy even when the appliance isn't being used.
Some items use energy even when they seem to be off. If you switch them off at the wall when you aren't using them, it guarantees that you will save energy.
Look around your house to see what appliances you could turn off or use more efficiently to save energy and money. Look for phone chargers, microwave ovens, electric towel rails, air-conditioners, spare alarm clocks and cordless kettles.
When you go on holidays, switch off all appliances that don't need to remain on.
More information
See these resources about energy-saving appliances:
- Your home technical manual - Appliances
- Your home renovator's guide - Choosing appliances and lighting
- Your home buyer's guide - Selecting fittings and appliances
Websites to help you choose energy and water efficient appliances include:
- The Energy Rating guide website: compare the energy efficiency ratings of household appliances
- The Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) Scheme: compare the water efficiency of a range of appliances
Rebates & assistance
As a home owner, renter or landlord, you could be eligible for financial assistance and home assessments to help you start saving energy and water sooner.
Find out about government rebates and assistance.
Why do it?
- More efficient appliances use less electricity
- Turning off appliances at the power point wastes less energy
- Using less electricity saves you money
Did you know?
A large screen television turned on for 6 hours a day can generate half a tonne of greenhouse gas a year. That's about the same amount as running a fridge for a whole year.
What can I do?
Take Action
Page last modified: 20 Aug 2009