Who doesn’t love the look of a completely renovated kitchen with new cabinets, countertops, and shiny new appliances? I renovated my kitchen recently and decked it out with all the bells and whistles, so I really do feel a big boost in my mood when I walk in. It’s become the center of our home and the first place we head to after school or to hang out and chat after dinner.
A kitchen renovation may boost your mood, but there’s another area that a renovated kitchen with new appliances can give you a boost, and that’s in your wallet. How exactly? Energy Star compliant appliances use less electricity than your older appliances, and even if your fridge, stove, or washer and dryer are only 10 years old, you’d be amazed at how efficient new appliances are in comparison.
New appliances are guaranteed to save money on your electric bill, and with the 45th anniversary of Earth Day here, you might also be interested in making a commitment to conserving energy and resources on a daily basis. Switching out your appliances from old to new is a great way to do that, and you’ll be able to save energy all year long.
Here’s a look at some Energy Star related appliances and how they can contribute to energy savings in your home.
Refrigerators
What’s not to love about the refrigerator? It holds our food and keeps it cold or frozen, and some models make ice or dispense water when you need it. But when it comes right down to it, refrigerators are the real energy hogs in the house. Even a relatively ‘new’ 10-year-old fridge can account for over 10% of your home’s total electrical bill.
When you trade in that old fridge and freezer combo for a new, Energy Star model, you’ll use up to 50% less energy than you do right now. That’s a huge savings, but energy savings aren’t the only way you benefit when you buy a new fridge.
The latest refrigerators are sleek, compact, and use technology you couldn’t find in a fridge 10 years ago. Take the Samsung RF197 French-door bottom mount refrigerator as an example: it features Samsung’s Twin Cooling system with dual evaporators and one compressor to control both fridge and freezer, and has multi air flow to maintain optimal temperatures for all types of food. This advanced technology gives you fresher food for longer periods of time, and that can save you money on your grocery bill and help the environment because you’re throwing out less food.
Stoves or ranges
There’s something about having a new stove that puts a real smile on my face. Maybe it’s the way it heats up in a flash, bringing water to boil in half the time it used to take me on my older stove. Or, maybe it’s the way my new stove lets me efficiently cook multiple dishes at once, and that feature saves me time in the kitchen.
But one part of having a new stove or range that shouldn’t be overlooked is the energy you’ll save by swapping out your old range for new. A range like Frigidaire Smooth Top Range is Energy Star certified, and has four induction elements to provide instant heat.
The convection oven on the Frigidaire Smooth Top Range can also reduce your energy consumption. According to the Westcoast utility company BC Hydro, if you cooked the same meal in an electric oven vs a convection oven, you’d see the energy savings in black and white. The electric oven would need to be set at 350 degrees to cook as efficiently as the convection oven, and it uses 2.0 kWh when it cooks for one hour. In comparison, a convection oven can cook the same meal in 45 minutes while set at 325 degrees, and it only uses 1.39 kWh of power. Over a month or a year of meals, that difference really starts to add up.
Dishwashers
Put up your hand if you like doing dishes. I can’t see whether or not you’re waving your arm or sitting in silence, but I’ll take a random guess and say that most people aren’t a fan of washing and drying dishes. I’m not either, but what I do like are clean dishes, and after having the same dishwasher for 10 years upgrading to a new Energy Star model was a revelation.
The Bosch Tall Tub Dishwasher will change the way you do dishes, and if you’re anything like me, every single time you load and unload it you’ll wonder why you waited so long to upgrade. Unlike older appliances, the tall tub can have 3 different height adjustments and 9 different rack positions. That means it can fit all sorts of awkward dishes and pans, and save you from filling a sink with hot water to wash them.
The Bosch Tall Tub is also Energy Star certified, so it reduces the amount of energy you use to do dishes every day. It even has a EcoSilence motor, and although you might not be thinking about noise pollution when you’re doing your dishes, you’ll be grateful for how quiet it runs when you’re relaxing in the kitchen.
Washer and Dryer
No, they aren’t kitchen appliances, but Energy Star rated Washers and Dryers deserve a mention for the sheer amount of energy savings they’ll give you during the year.
Heating water to wash your clothes accounts for about 90% of your washing machine’s overall energy consumption, so choosing a model that’s Energy Star rated and washes in cold just as well as it washes warm or hot is important. Front loaders are one of the most efficient washing machines you can buy, and over older models they can reduce your water use by 40% and your electricity use by 65%. If you choose a washer and dryer combo like the LG Front Loading Washer and Dryer, you’ll also have extra options like ColdWater wash and Sensor Dry to adjust drying times and improve your Energy Star savings even more.
How you use your front-loading washer can save you on energy too. A great tip for saving on energy and resources is to always pack your machine to capacity when washing, and you can do that with the LG Front Loader because it has a larger tub designed for bigger loads.
Upgrading your appliances is a sure fire to way to start seeing immediate savings on your electricity bills and make a positive step to reducing your carbon footprint. Take a look at the Energy Star rated appliances on Best Buy right now and choose the best set for your home.
Personally I think “energy star” is a load of crock. They have too many categories for each device so you could have one fridge that is say 600kw and be energy star certified but then a fridge that is 400kw wont be energy certified because its a different appliance category.
When it comes to whether or not I purchase an appliance the “energy star” rating makes no difference in my decision.
That being said though its still a very nice write up you have done
Comments are closed.