Kitchen Guides
Secret Revealed: How to Run Your Home Appliances More Efficiently
Learn how to run your appliances more efficiently and take the sting out of your next power bill with these expert tips
Being mindful about how you run the major appliances in your home isn’t just good for your back pocket, it’s good for the environment. Here are five tips for keeping your appliance usage in check. The sixth step is to sit back and watch the savings (and your eco cred) add up.
- Fill ’em up: Washing machines and dryers run more efficiently when they are filled up correctly. Many new washing machines have load sensors that ‘read’ the size of the load and use the perfect amount of water to get it clean. Some new washers and dryers have load indicators that tell you when the machine has reached capacity.
- Touch test: You can check whether you’ve filled an older machine to capacity by putting your hand on top of the washing – it should come a quarter of the way down from the top of the drum (consider this a full load).
- Clean your dryer’s lint filter: Clean your filter after every use so air can pass through it and the machine doesn’t have to work harder than it needs to. When the filter is filled with lint particles, your dryer has to work much harder to push heated air through it to dry your clothes – which costs you money. Some heat-pump dryers have a self-cleaning condenser, which means the machine does the clearing automatically.
2. Fridges
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- Upgrade to a model with a higher star rating: New fridges are far more energy-efficient and cheaper to run than their predecessors. So if yours is more than 10 years old, consider an upgrade.
- Only choose as big as you actually need: The larger the fridge, the more energy it consumes. So only buy as big as you actually need.
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- Keep it full: Fridges and freezers work by cooling the air inside them, therefore it pays to keep your fridge as full as possible. This means less air inside the fridge needs to be cooled.
- Make sure the seals work properly: If not, cool air will simply escape from your fridge. To check, try the paper test. Place a piece of paper between the door and the fridge, close the door and pull. If the paper slips out easily then it’s time to replace your fridge seals.
- Keep it shut: Every time you open the door you let the cold air escape. Avoid fridge gazing and only open the door when you actually need to.
3. Dishwashers
- Upgrade to a heat-pump dishwasher: These dishwashers use steam technology to clean plates, cups and pans, and they have impressive water and energy ratings.
- Fill it up: Make sure the machine is fully loaded before you hit the button. At the same time, avoid over-filling – this can lead to dishes coming out dirty, which only means more cleaning (and more time, water and energy wastage).
- Get to know the features: Some models come with options such as ‘eco-load’ or ‘half-load’ that make for more efficient cleaning. Also consider using the rinse or pre-wash cycle of your dishwasher, rather than running dishes under the tap, to save water.
- Use quality dishwasher detergent: This can help you get better results and reduce the need to re-wash.
4. Ovens and Cooktops
- Go induction: Consider upgrading your gas or ceramic cooktop to an energy-efficient induction model.
- Buy smart: When choosing a new oven, look for a style that has a well-insulated door, as this will keep the heat in.
Also, use the smart cooking tips below:
Read more:
How to Integrate Appliances Seamlessly Into Your Kitchen
50 Smart Kitchens That Save Space With Built-In Appliances
Tell us:
How do you keep your appliance running costs down?
- Thaw frozen foods fully before cooking to save time and energy.
- Use the minimum amount of water in your pot and bring the liquid to the boil quickly on a high setting before turning the heat down.
- Steam your vegetables rather than boiling them – this saves energy.
- Choose the correct saucepan size for your cooktop and cook with the lid on so heat doesn’t escape.
- Use your kettle or instant boiling water tap to boil water, rather than the stove.
Read more:
How to Integrate Appliances Seamlessly Into Your Kitchen
50 Smart Kitchens That Save Space With Built-In Appliances
Tell us:
How do you keep your appliance running costs down?
- Wash at a lower temperature: Cleaning your clothes in cold water uses less energy than hot water, plus it’s gentler on their fibres. But cold water does not always remove stubborn dirt and stains. If this is a concern, set the washing-machine temperature to 30°C – this is warm enough to lift stains, but uses less energy than a hot wash.
- Consider a heat-pump dryer: Heat-pump machines come with an average six- to eight-star energy rating (some reach as high as a whopping 10 stars), compared with around 1.5 to two stars for a traditional vented dryer, making them the most economical and energy-efficient style of dryer on the market.
They are more expensive to buy than a vented or condenser dryer, but recoup the costs down the track in energy savings. How quickly depends on how often you run the machine.