Finally....low cost of ownership for energy-efficient appliances
It is perhaps not surprising that energy-efficient appliances typically cost more as manufacturers have projected that saving on your long-term energy use is going to more-than-offset any additional amount of money you are going to fork out. From consumers' viewpoint, it is only prudent to decide on their worthiness based on the cost perspective. The first factor is the selling price of the appliance and the second factor being the operating costs. With this balanced consideration, we would then be able to qualify that if an appliance is really cost effective in the long haul.
Total cost of ownership
When you add the energy-efficient appliance's selling price to the operating costs, the results will define its true cost, which is also a measurement of its lifecycle cost. "Energy Guide" labels commonly found on electrical appliances such as freezers and refrigerators will give you some indications on how the various manufacturers and models measure up against one another in terms of true costs. The equations below will define further the various cost concepts used in this article.
Selling Price + (Average Lifetime x Estimated Yearly Energy Costs) = Total Lifecycle Costs
Total Lifecycle Cost/Average Lifetime = Yearly Expense on Appliance
Energy Guide
"Energy Guide" labels provides the most straightforward means to check and compare operating costs of various models on the market. Federal legislation mandates that all appliances should carry this yellow and black sticker. It tells you the appliance type, maker and model, and projected energy costs per year based on specific utilities rates and usage. Additionally, it shows where that particular appliance stands against the most energy efficient and least efficient models and displays a table listing average costs and different utility rates.
The following is a list of useful features specific to individual appliance types energy efficiency.
Oven
Self-cleaning ovens, with their many insulation layers, are noted for their high energy efficiency.
Convection ovens are generally quite energy efficient, as heated air is trapped inside, surrounding the food item being cooked. The additional upside here is the even distribution of heat and temperature will ultimately result in food getting cooked faster.
An oven with a window allows you to check the oven content to prevent overcooking, thus saving energy.
Dishwasher
Wash cycles like "light/china" or "light washed" are energy saving since less water is used over a relatively short time. For dry options, select "no-heat" so as not to turn the electric heating elements on, instead the dishes will be left to air-dry.
Don't be misguided by Energy Guide ratings when it comes to dishwashers. The rating is decided upon by assuming the dishwasher works through 322 cycles every year, with "normal" on. The frequency you operate your dishwasher, and whether or not it comes pre-installed with additional wash cycle options could result in wild swing in your energy usage.
Keep in mind also that dishwashers can be broadly divided into two categories, standard and compact capacities. In comparison, compact machines use less much energy, but that is because they cannot take in as much dishes.
Clothes Washer
Go for a washing machine that gives you full control on water temperature settings during wash as well as rinse cycles. You will achieve little in terms of energy saving when you reduce the cycle's length as substantially more energy is used for water heating.
Go for a washing machine that lets you reduce the water level while doing smaller load. Some machines come with internal controls that adjust water levels automatically, dependent on load sizes.
Water used for a top-loading washer is approximately 3 times that of a front-load machine. Consumer Reports, including a variety of papers, have consistently proven that front-load machines offers better overall performance. Front-load machines are also free of any agitator so large clothes can fit in easily and they won't get worn out fast. As an added bonus, front-load machines need less water, so you can save your detergent.
Energy guide serves as a useful guideline to compare the yearly operating costs. But remember not to mix up an apple with an orange. Granted, smaller machine will usually do better in terms of energy efficiency, but it also comes with limitation that you will probably need to operate the machine more frequently, which invariably translates to more energy costs.
Freezers and Refrigerators
Since these appliances are largely decided upon based on personal preferences, we will just suggest that try to balance the external form requirement with the potential energy consequences. Side-by-side refrigerators are more energy hungry compared to the standard versions with freezers mounted on top. Less energy is consumed with the bottom freezer versions when compared to the top freezer options.
Manual defrost models are more efficient than those that come with automatic defrost features (on condition that the manual models are defrosted regularly).
Another factor is the size of a refrigerator. The larger the units come, the more energy they will consume. Today, the most popular 16 to 20 ft.³ range models happen to be most efficient as well. Accessories such as water dispensers and ice makers would also contribute to higher utility bills.
