By Miranda Boutelle
Buying a new appliance can feel daunting. Before you hand over your hard-earned money, here’s how to choose an appliance that will help you save money over time.
When shopping, keep in mind not all new appliances are highly efficient, and not all old appliances are inefficient. The less efficient your current appliance is, the more you will save with an upgrade.
The yellow EnergyGuide on new appliances shows the yearly energy cost, kilowatt-hour electricity use and Energy Star logo, if certified.
Let’s look at some appliance examples to see how the costs and savings stack up.
Refrigerators have seen major efficiency improvements over the years. New refrigerators use up to 73% less energy than a 1970s model and one-third less than 20-year-old models.
While visiting my mom, she proudly showed off her 1980s refrigerator she bought when her 1970s harvest gold model died. If her 1980s fridge uses 2,000 kWh per year, at 14 cents per kWh, it costs $280 per year to operate. New Energy Star-certified refrigerator prices start at $500, with yearly energy costs ranging from $38 to $122. If mom buys a new Energy Star-certified refrigerator for $1,000 with $100 in yearly energy costs—saving her $180 per year—it will pay for itself in 5½ years.
If you intend to keep your old appliance, be sure to weigh the additional energy costs. Maximize efficiency and keep your food safe by setting your refrigerator to 37 degrees and your freezer at zero degrees.
New Energy Star-certified clothes washers and dryers are also more efficient than older models. Use the Energy Star Product Finder at energystar.gov to compare products. Integrated Modified Energy Factor measures the washer’s energy efficiency. A higher number is better. Integrated Water Factor measures water efficiency. A lower number is better.
I recently bought a new washing machine when my old front-load machine died, and I was considering a top-load machine. When I compared Energy Star-certified top loaders to front loaders, I changed my mind. Energy Star-certified front loaders use about 50% less energy and water than top-load agitator washers, and they use about 25% less energy and water than top-load impeller washers that don’t have an agitator.
My new washer was $698. Based on six loads of laundry a week and an electricity cost of 14 cents per kWh, the yearly energy cost is $15, according to the appliance’s EnergyGuide. Similar non-Energy Star-certified models were $48 per year. Mine didn’t cost much more than non-Energy Star models and will help me save over time.
Then I had to decide whether to buy the matching dryer. My old dryer is functional, but it has features I don’t like and racks up energy costs of $131.04 per year, based on running roughly six loads a week for an hour each at 14 cents per kWh.
The new matching Energy Star-certified dryer cost $698, and its annual energy use was listed at 607 kWh, which is $84.98 per year at 14 cents per kWh. With an estimated savings of $46 per year, the dryer would take 15 years for the savings to cover the price. That’s a long time and not worth the cost.
To improve your washer and dryer efficiency, wash in cold water, don’t overdry clothes and clean your lint trap between every load.
Just like the light bulbs in your home, LED televisions offer increased efficiency. Energy Star-certified televisions are 34% more efficient than conventional models. If you have a working LED television, swapping to an Energy Star model is more efficient but may not make up for the cost of a new TV. Instead, check the efficiency settings on your TV or buy a smart power strip that turns off other connected devices when not in use.
Whatever appliance you are upgrading or replacing, make an informed decision by comparing the cost of operation and shopping Energy Star models to help lower your electric bill.
Buying a new Energy Star-certified refrigerator and putting the old one out in the garage won’t save energy. However, sometimes the secondary fridge or freezer allows you to save on groceries by stocking up on sales, preserving your own food and saving gas with fewer trips to the store. It’s all a balance.
To improve the efficiency of your washer, set it to wash in cold water.
This content was originally created by Efficiency Services Group LLC under contract with NRECA. NRECA retains ownership of this content. NRECA does not endorse Efficiency Services Group, its views herein expressed, nor any products or services it offers.
Miranda Boutelle has more than 20 years of experience helping people save energy. She has worked on energy-efficiency projects from the Midwest to the West Coast. Today, Miranda is chief operating officer at Efficiency Services Group in Oregon, a cooperatively owned energy-efficiency company.