It’s hard to imagine modern life without our various electronic gadgets and appliances. The thought of having to go through life without access to things like heating and lighting, computers, and gaming consoles is almost intolerable, but unfortunately, none of such things are available for free. The monthly electric bill is a constant reminder of how much energy you expend keeping warm and entertained. However, are you aware of which home items consume the most energy?
In this post, we’ll examine what those appliances use the most energy and offer some suggestions for lowering your electricity bill.
A List of Which Household Appliances Use the Most Energy?
In 2019, the average American family paid $115 per month to keep their lights on and their electronics running. It’s reasonable to suppose that most American households might reduce their annual electricity bill by somewhere. And, with the exact figure depends on factors like the cost of electricity in their area and their individual energy consumption.
According to a recent study, vampire equipment (those that consume electricity even while “off”) is responsible for wasting an additional 35 percent of homes’ monthly electricity bills. There was a time when people could function without the aid of modern conveniences like appliances and electronics, but those days are long gone. It’s hard to imagine surviving without things like central heating, electricity, indoor plumbing, and electronic entertainment, yet they all cost money.
In such a case, what factors into your extremely high electric bill? Which home appliances consume the most power? What are the ways in which you might reduce these expenses? Every one of these worries has a description down below.
Most things that heat or cool can be expected to use a lot of electricity, but an HVAC system stands out as the biggest culprit. Besides being extremely power-hungry, it is also frequently left on for long periods of time (sometimes the entire day). How much this actually costs is heavily influenced by the local weather. You will use far less energy for heating and cooling if you reside in a temperate region, as opposed to a region that suffers from extremes in temperature.
💡 Heating and Cooling
Your home’s heating and cooling system is probably the biggest electricity user in your home by a wide margin. Maintaining a comfortable temperature in your house with a central air conditioner or heater is a major energy consumer.
Whether you use your heater or air conditioner more accounts for a large portion of your yearly electricity bill (25–40%), but the difference can be huge between the winter and summer. Also, another issue might arise if your air conditioning unit has water leaks.
So, if you’re asking which household items consume the most electricity? Look no further as your AC unit might be a prime suspect!
💡 Water Heater
If you use electricity to heat water, your water heater takes the second spot for largely consuming electricity. Your water heater is put to use in a variety of ways, including in the shower, the dishwasher, the sink, and the washing machine.
As a result of all of these processes, water heaters are major energy consumers every month. There’s a chance that you don’t pay enough attention to how much electricity this device consumes. About 4500 watts is the average power consumption of a water heater.
💡 Lighting
The energy efficiency of light bulbs has significantly enhanced with time. The current market leader in lighting technology, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), consumes less energy over the course of their lifespan than their predecessors (compact fluorescent lights and incandescent bulbs). They also last substantially longer. Plus, they have lower operating costs. Because of how often you use them, lights still consume a sizable chunk of your monthly electricity budget.
💡 Refrigerator
Kitchens can’t function without a reliable refrigerator. Food is kept cold and fresh because of them. However, they can be rather power-hungry. They are always on, which is a contributing factor.
Constantly using the standard of 180 watts, that’s 525.6 kWh at $63.07 for a year of constant use (24 hours a day, 365 days a year). There aren’t many options for increasing refrigerators’ energy efficiency.
It’s true that your refrigerator doesn’t consume a ton of power every hour, but since it’s always on, it ends up costing you a lot of money in electricity. This means that an appliance that gives you refreshments is one of those household items that take up the most energy.
💡 Washer and Dryer
Inevitably, the frequency with which you do laundry each month will affect the amount of electricity consumed by your laundry appliances. When in operation, however, washers and dryers are those items that consume a large amount of electricity, especially when working with hot water. About 5% of a typical household’s annual electricity bill goes toward powering the laundry machine.
Using a washer for 3 hours per week, or 60 days per year, will use about 90 kWh of energy and cost about $10.80. When compared, the annual cost of operating a dryer is around 540 kWh, or $64.80, if it is used for three hours per day, sixty days during the year.
💡 Electric Oven
Using an electric stove and oven can significantly increase your monthly energy bill. About 3 percent of the average household’s monthly electricity bill goes toward powering electric ovens. Roasting and broiling are two dishes that benefit greatly from being prepared in an electric oven.
Thanks to technological progress, modern consumers have access to a variety of cooking options that are both time-saving and practical for their hectic schedules. Given that the typical electric oven uses roughly 2400 watts, that’s about 878.4 kWh, or $105.41. Power levels in ovens can go as high as 5,000 watts so this appliance is one of those appliances that use the most electricity in your home.
💡 Dishwasher
The amount of electricity used to run your dishwasher is small. As a rule of thumb, it consumes about 2% of your overall monthly consumption. Now that dishwashers are widely available, washing dishes is a much less stressful task. However, these gadgets typically require a bit of electricity to operate, so they aren’t always necessary.
On average, a dishwasher uses 1800 watts. This would cost 748.8 kWh, or $89.86 if used just twice a week for a total of 104 hours a year (two hours per use). With that, a dishwasher is one of those household items that take up the most power.
💡 TV and Cable Box
The energy efficiency of modern televisions and cable boxes is remarkable. The issue is that many of them keep running even when you aren’t actively using them. Because of the time spent in standby mode, televisions and cable boxes account for about 2% of monthly electricity usage.
The television is the most prized possession in any modern home. What they are doing can be seen by anyone at any time. Most modern models have energy-saving modes, but even those with the most efficient features can pack as much as 400 watts of power. That works out to $876.74 in this example or $105.12 in currency.
It would be better to know that your source of entertainment could also be included in those home appliances that use the most electricity.
How to Estimate How Much Electricity Your Electronics Use
The first step in lowering your monthly electricity bill is becoming familiar with the energy consumption profiles of all of your household’s electronic devices. This can help you gain some understanding of possible places to cut costs or save money. Running electronic devices such as your computer, refrigerator, air conditioner, and TV all add up to a significant portion of your monthly electricity bill. Because different appliances require varying quantities of electricity to run, their operating costs will also vary considerably.
How to Save on Your Electric Costs
Your monthly power bill can be reduced in a number of ways, and this is good news. One option is to use fewer of the appliances that use the most energy in your home, such as the air conditioner and even the heater.
Alternatively, you may invest in new, more cost-effective appliances that take up less energy. While some prefer to get their hands dirty, others would rather just leave things as they are. Some of the best methods are listed here.
1-Install Smart Appliances
When you’re not using an appliance, a smart appliance will detect that you haven’t been using it and turn it off to save power. The amount of electric power you utilize will be drastically reduced with their assistance. If you want to save money on your electricity bill but don’t have the time to manually monitor your usage, savvy outlets, and appliances (such as thermostats) may be worth looking into.
2-Go for Appliances with an ENERGY STAR Rating
The Environmental Protection Agency of the United States set up the ENERGY STAR program in 1992 to teach people how to save energy. People all throughout the world have come to trust that ENERGY STAR-approved appliances are the most energy-efficient options available.
Energy Star products may have a greater out-of-pocket expense than comparable non-ENERGY STAR items, but they typically help you save money in the long run by reducing your electricity consumption. Put ENERGY STAR to work for you if you’re looking for a new home appliance.
⭐ What are ENERGY STAR Appliances?
Appliances that have earned the ENERGY STAR label in the kitchen have been manufactured to meet stringent regulatory standards for energy efficiency. Your carbon footprint and utility costs will both decrease as a result of this.
Being in the market for some new “smart” appliances for your house you don’t want to sacrifice performance for energy efficiency. Check out the ENERGY STAR Program. Looking at the ENERGY STAR reviews on the yellow label can let you know which appliances use the most energy.
3-Use Timers and Built-In Energy-Saving Capabilities
Timers and other energy-saving features are standard on modern electronics, including desktops, televisions, air conditioners, and space heaters. In order to get the most out of your money, you should use it to its fullest capacity. You can save money by turning on appliances like the air conditioner and heater just when you need them.
A timer can be set to have the TV shut off after a certain amount of time has passed if you tend to doze off in front of it or forget to turn it off. When you’re not watching TV or using your computer late at night, you can save power by switching to the energy-saving mode.
4-Adjust the Times You Use Your Most Used Appliances to Take Advantage of Low Demand
One more thing you can do to cut down on your electricity bill is to do your laundry and run your dishwasher during off-peak hours. Electricity costs fluctuate on a daily basis.
In most cases, the cost of power rises in the middle of the evening, when most people are at home and using it for things like lighting, cooking, watching TV, etc. One way to save money is to plan to do things like wash dishes or clothes during the day instead of at night when rates are lower.
5-Identify Places where Energy Efficiency can be Improved
It’s important to make sure your cooling and heating systems aren’t wasting energy, and proper insulation can help a great deal in this regard. Numerous states provide no-cost energy audits when a trained specialist visits your home to evaluate its current energy usage and make recommendations.
They will help you save money by pointing out places you can make improvements. Insulate your home if your city offers such a program; doing so can significantly cut down on utility costs. The good news is that there are numerous ways to increase your home’s efficiency that you may discover with our helpful checklist and perform an energy audit on your own.
6-Take Advantage of Clean Energy Alternatives
The availability of and accessibility to low-cost, environmentally friendly power sources is expanding rapidly. If your roof is big enough, for instance, solar panels may be an option for you. As a result, not only will you be able to eliminate your monthly electricity bill altogether, but you may even be able to profit from any electrical surplus by selling it back to the utility company.
And if you can’t put solar panels on your roof or can’t afford to right now, you still have choices! Check to see whether a community solar initiative is available in your area. In exchange for your participation in a community solar project, you receive a cost saving on your monthly electricity bill. Subscribing to a nearby solar farm is the simplest way to immediately begin saving money. Everyone benefits from this agreement.
7-Compare Electricity Rates to Find the Best Deal
The deregulation of energy markets in several U.S. states has made it possible to compare prices and services offered by different electricity providers. Now that the market has opened up to competition from alternative energy suppliers, consumers can find significantly lower prices and secure substantial savings if they shop around often. We ask for your patience as this process could take some time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Where do these exorbitant electrical bills come from?
The luxury of wearing a t-shirt, jeans, and socks year-round without leaving the house comes at a price. Keeping the house at a constant 68 degrees Fahrenheit or higher seems like a smart idea no matter the weather outside. But, you should be prepared for an increase in your monthly electricity bill. The cost of your monthly electricity bill can be drastically reduced by lowering the thermostat a few degrees in the winter and raising it a few degrees in the summer.
Q: Do unplugging appliances save electricity?
The quick answer is yes. Even when turned off, a lot of our electrical equipment and gadgets still consume energy. However, many modern conveniences have a little circuit always on, waiting to be triggered by a pushbutton or remote control. So, make sure to check even if you think they’re safe because of their mechanical on/off switch.
But, how about gadgets that automatically update their software or save your preferred settings? Yes, the amount of power involved is negligible, but it is used constantly. According to data compiled by the US Department of Energy, for every 100 home appliances, you regularly use, you can expect to save between $100 and $200 a year. This is by simply switching them off when not in use.
Q: Is gas or electricity more cost-effective for heating?
As part of knowing which home appliances use the most electricity comes the comparison of what is most economical to use. Natural gas is generally more cost-effective than electricity across the United States. Thus, a gas-powered furnace saves money in the long term. But, costs more to set up initially than an electric one. This, however, is beginning to change.
In contrast to the continued growth of renewable energy sources, natural gas is a limited resource. These are items in which reserves are rapidly depleting. Price increases are likely as increased difficulty in gas extraction drives up costs. However, as more renewable power plants are built, the price of green electricity will fall.
Q: Do coffee makers cost anything to operate?
A typical coffee machine, for example, requires 500 – 1,000 watts of power. The way that each individual family uses their coffee maker to brew their coffee, however, varies widely. Energy use per year is roughly estimated to range between 13 kWh – 42 kWh. However, this may depend greatly on the individual consuming the coffee.
Q: How much money could you save by going solar?
The price of solar power has dropped dramatically during the past decade. Generally speaking, the price of solar panels has decreased significantly. It is now less than half of what it was ten years ago. Our analysis in January 2021 found that the average cost of a solar panel was between $0.60 and $0.70 per watt.
Depending on factors including size, quality, and country of manufacture, the price of high-end panels can easily exceed $1 per watt. When estimating the price of your solar energy system, our calculator makes use of standard-sized panels.
Final Thoughts
We all hate the idea of being powerless, but it’s important to know which gadgets are the biggest energy hogs so we can limit our usage. Knowing which home appliances use the most electricity in our home is of big help in reducing our electric bills. All too often, we activate a device and then completely disregard it. Power from the electrical grid is a limited resource that should be used sparingly to avoid negative financial and environmental consequences.
