For large kitchen appliances, efficiency counts

Editor’s note: Following is the fourth installment of five from Okanogan PUD concerning energy usage costs of common household items. Part 1 discussed heating and cooling systems, the greatest of all energy consumers. Part 2 compared LED and incandescent light bulbs. Part 3 focused on home appliances. In this fourth installment Okanogan PUD Public Relations Coordinator Sheila Corson discusses kitchen appliances.

OKANOGAN - It seems there are never enough outlets or counter space for all the cool kitchen gadgets we can buy today. But which ones can affect your power bill? We looked into a few of them.
It is probably no surprise that the bigger appliances – refrigerators, freezers, ovens – use the most energy. What might surprise folks is how big of a difference an efficient appliance makes. For instance, upgrading from a standard refrigerator (that one that just won’t die and is a topic of conversation at dinner parties) to an Energy Star certified fridge can save you around $73/year.

Another surprise might be how little energy many of our kitchen gadgets actually use. You are going to have to use that toaster to death to really make any difference on your bill. Single-serve coffee makers? You will need to make a coffee constantly for at least 30 hours before it will cost you $1.

So, when it comes to making more efficient decisions to lower your bill, it is not going to be in how you use your waffle iron, but how much you leave that fridge door open. If you have an older oven/stovetop, fridge or freezer, look into the upgrade. And if you have an “energy saver” cycle on your dishwasher, that could cut the appliance’s energy usage in half or better.

Want more info? Check out more on our website, okanoganpud.org, under the Energy Services tab.