Choosing energy-efficient appliances
Last updated Wednesday 2 July 2008
Do your white goods make the grade?
Most appliances in your local showroom sport a brightly coloured energy label telling you how efficient they are. Graded from A to G, an A-rated machine provides the biggest CO2saving, and can reduce the long-term running costs too. The most efficient models get an Energy Saving Recommended (ESR) badge.
Fridges and freezers go up to an A++ rating. But beware, because fridge and freezer ratings are based on volume, huge American-style refrigerators can get an A++ rating, even though they use nearly 50% more energy than a typical 300-litre model.
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How will it make a difference?
Pub Fact
- Brits are only beaten by the Germans in terms of having the most efficient dishwashing techniques
- Tumble dryers, fridges and washing machines are the biggest users of electricity around the home
- Refrigeration and freezing appliances in UK homes use nearly as much electricity as all offices
- A new combined fridge-freezer can save up to 150kg of CO2 a year
- If everyone upgraded their cold appliances (fridges, freezers) to Energy Saving Recommended products, it would save around 3.7 million tonnes of CO2 and nearly £900 million a year
- If everyone upgraded their wet appliances (washing machines, dishwashers) to Energy Saving Recommended models, it would save around 1.3 million tonnes of CO2 and nearly £250 million a year. That's equivalent to 12 million Brits halving their beef intake
What's stopping me?
"If I spend a fortune on a fridge I'll have no money left to buy anything to put in it"
In general, the cheapest appliances are the least efficient and have the highest long-term running costs but paying over £300 won't get you the most efficient one. You can compare appliances' running costs at Sust-it.
What's the debate?
"Isn't it better to run the old appliance into the ground, given all the energy that goes into making a new one?"
The energy used in the manufacture of a new product - even an energy efficient one - is certainly a factor in these decisions. As appliances produce around 90% of their CO2 after they leave the factory, by its 10th year it's probably worth making the switch.
"We're supposed to cut our use of electrical appliances, but I heard that dishwashers are actually more efficient than washing the dishes by hand"
This comparison depends on your technique. If you use a plug and avoid running the hot tap, you'll almost always beat the dishwasher for energy efficiency. A medium-sized dishwasher can be slightly more energy efficient than hand-washing, but only if it's fully loaded and run on the economy setting.
How do I do it?
Compare appliances with the Energy Saving Trust to see how much they cost, how much CO2 they produce and what their annual running costs are (see the energy label for information). An Energy Saving Recommended fridge or fridge freezer will cost you around £50 to £100 more than an average A rated fridge or fridge freezer.
- Size matters - buying smaller appliances will save the most CO2 and cash, so beware those jumbo-sized options, even if they're A-rated
- For fridge-freezers, make sure it's A++ rated. Chris Goodall advises buyers to "look for a 300-litre model that uses less than 300kWh a year and costs less than £300". Paying more won't necessarily get you a more efficient appliance
- Beware: a 'frost-free' freezer will save you time defrosting it, but adds an extra 15kg to your CO2 tally each year
- Arrange for your local council to collect your old fridge or freezer from you. The coolant inside contains hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) which emit harmful greenhouse gases equivalent to 200kg of CO2. When selecting your next model, look for a hydrocarbon based coolant - these are less polluting
- Washing machines are sized by how many kilos of washing they take: a 6kg capacity machine should use 1kWh of electricity per wash
- Unless space is tight, avoid combined washer-dryers, which are emissions heavy, and look for washing machines with the most efficient spin
- Can't live without a tumble dryer? Make sure it's a gas condensing type, as they use less energy
- Use appliances less frequently to reduce running costs and don't leave them on standby
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I think the debate is not to throw out your old appliance and buy a new one, which would not be environmentally good, but rather when you do change your appliance make sure it's an efficient one, that way you can spread the cost of replacement.
As for the tumble dryers, an electric condensing dryer costs little more than a non condenser and you don't need a CORGI man to fit it so your savings for an electric dryer are quite large.
What about a solar tumble dryer using a simple flat plate solar collector to heat the incoming air?
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