Your Guide to Appliance Savings

Household appliances make life easier, but the cost of operating them account for more than 15% of your electricity bill. Some appliances run constantly and making small changes can help you save big.

Spend less on energy used for laundry, cooking, dishwashing and more with the tips below.

In addition to the tips below, visit the Energy Hub for additional tips and tricks and explore energy saving resources for your home.

Visit Energy Hub
Appliance savings tips & tricks
Father and daughter cooking together.

Easy ways to manage appliance energy use

Start with these easy changes and, when it’s time for an appliance replacement, see the shopping guide below to take your savings to the next level.

1

Choose ‘sensor dry’ on your dryer

Instead of timed cycles, use the sensor dry setting. This helps avoid over-drying clothes and saves energy.

2

Don’t overcrowd your fridge & freezer

An overcrowded fridge works harder, while freezers work best two-thirds full.

3

Skip the preheating when cooking

Unless you are baking pies or cookies, it’s not necessary to preheat the oven.

4

Only run the dishwasher when full

A half-empty dishwasher load uses the same amount of energy as a fully-loaded one. Use the air dry function to save even more!

Time for new appliances?

Are your appliances older than the average lifespan? Consider replacing them with more efficient models: the more energy efficient the appliance, the more you will save on your bill over the life of the unit.

Average Appliance Lifespan

Freezer
12 Years
Stove & Dryer
12 Years
Washing Machine
11 Years
Refrigerator
13 Years
Dishwasher
11 Years

More energy-saving tricks for each major appliance

Simple changes to your routine can add up to big savings

Fridge & Freezer

  • Place your fridge and freezer in a cool spot, away from direct sunlight, the stove and the dishwasher.
  • Leave 5-7cm between the wall and fridge for air to circulate.
  • Clean condenser coils regularly.
  • Keep the fridge temperature at 3°C and the freezer at -18°C.
  • Is your fridge airtight? Check by closing a $5 bill in the door seal. If it falls out, the door should be adjusted or the seal replaced.
Shop Refrigerators

Washer & Dryer

  • Choose the cold water setting for up to 90% energy savings.
  • Avoid partial loads or overloading.
  • Consider a front-loading washer. They use less water and due to high-speed spinning, reduce drying time.
  • Use a drying rack or clothesline, when possible.
  • Choose the “high-speed” or “extended spin” option to get more water out of clothes and reduce drying time.
  • Always vent your dryer outdoors. Indoor venting can be dangerous due to moisture, fibres and chemicals in the dryer exhaust.
  • Clean the filter between every load. A clogged filter reduces efficiency, and can damage the unit or become a fire hazard.
Shop Washers Shop Dryers

Dishwasher

  • Use the shortest or “eco” cycle to minimize energy and water consumption. Avoid partial loads.
  • Let the load air-dry. This can cut total energy use by up to 15%.
  • Clean the filter thoroughly with hot, soapy water every month.
Shop Dishwashers

Stove & Oven

  • For smaller meals, use a microwave, toaster oven or slow cooker. Microwaves use up to 50% less energy than cooking in an oven.
  • Use pots that properly match the size of the stovetop’s elements.
  • Place lids on pots while cooking. This can reduce energy use by up to 14%.
  • Self-cleaning ovens generally have upgraded insulation. Because of this, they tend to be more energy efficient.
Shop Ovens

Air Conditioner

  • Set your air conditioner a few degrees higher than normal orpurchase a smart thermostat to help you save automatically.
  • Run a ceiling fan counter-clockwise to circulate cool air.
  • Avoid running your air conditioner between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays, when electricity prices are highest in summer.
Shop Air Conditioners
Child helping his mother do laundry.

Use the EnerGuide label to make your shopping decisions

Energuide

All new major appliances carry an EnerGuide label to show the appliance’s energy consumption with a CSA label to indicate that it meets safety standards. EnerGuide labels tell you how many kilowatt hours (kWh) of energy you can expect the model to use each year.

1

This number is the expected annual energy consumption of the appliance in kWh. The lower the number, the higher the savings.

2

The energy consumption indicator shows you how this model compares to others in its class. The bar below the indicator gives the energy-efficiency range for the class. The further the indicator is to the left end of the scale, the better.

3

This bar shows the energy consumption of the most and least efficient appliances in this class. In this case, the most efficient comparable model uses 285 kWh per year, while the least efficient uses 484 kWh per year.

The 10-second EnerGuide comparison

Look for the ENERGY STAR for the highest efficiency

The ENERGY STAR program identifies the most energy-efficient appliances on the market. ENERGY STAR certified:

  • Clothes washers use 33% less water and 25% less energy.
  • Dishwashers use 30% less water and 12% less energy.
  • Fridges and freezers exceed minimum federal energy-efficiency standards by at least 20%

Hot Water Tips

It pays to use hot water more efficiently: water heating the second largest energy user in your home, after space heating.

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Where to save next?

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Insulation

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