When you’re buying a new appliance for your home, its energy rating will tell you how much energy that appliance uses. This can help you choose an appliance that uses less energy while performing its task.
Energy ratings for home appliances are there to help you understand the energy efficiency, running costs and CO2 emissions of products.
Energy ratings in the UK come in a few different forms, letting you choose between different types of products based on your needs and budget.
Certain home appliances are given an energy rating label. These ratings help your easily compare different products of the same type so you can choose an energy-efficient model.
It’s easy to confuse the two. Energy ratings (which we’re discussing here) show the energy efficiency of appliances and products.
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The energy rating scale runs from A to G, with A being the most energy efficient, and G the least energy efficient.
Here are examples of what energy rating labels look like and the information you’ll find on them. All labels include the product’s energy efficiency rating alongside product-specific data. They also include a QR code to scan for more information.
The energy rating label for fridges and freezers shows the capacity for chilled and frozen compartments. It also shows the noise emitted by the product.
The wine storage refrigerator energy rating label shows the number of bottles it can contain, plus the noise it emits.
The energy rating label for washing machines shows its energy consumption per 100 washes, alongside information on capacity and duration of ‘Eco 40-60’ programmes. It also shows water consumption and noise emission data.
A washer-dryer energy rating label shows energy consumption per 100 washes alongside its rated capacity. It also shows water consumption, the duration of a cycle, and how much noise it emits. The label splits the information by a wash-and-dry cycle and a wash-only cycle.
Dishwashers have an energy rating label that shows the energy consumption for an ‘eco’ setting per 100 cycles. It also shows the ‘eco’ settings’ water consumption and its duration. It shows the capacity of the dishwasher, plus how much noise it emits.
The energy rating label for TVs and other electronic displays shows its energy consumption per 1,000 hours of use. This is shown for both standard dynamic range (SDR) and high dynamic range (HDR) settings. It also includes the screen size and resolution in pixels.
Energy label ratings have been around since 1995. As appliances became more energy efficient, the original A to G scale had to be adapted. This led to new ratings like A+, A++, A+++ and so on. This made the older energy label less effective.
In 2021, a new version of the energy rating label was introduced to make things simpler. This new version reset the scale back to A to G, making it a more accurate reflection of a product’s performance at home.
This makes it tricky to directly compare the old and the new energy ratings. A product previously rated A under the old rating system could now be rated F in the new one.
Some product categories (such as ovens) don’t have a new energy rating just yet. While the new energy rating system was introduced, a product may have had two labels: the older label and the new one.
However, as of 1 December 2021, all applicable products should have the new label.
As well as the energy label, you should also consider the size of the appliance you need. Larger items will use more energy and end up costing you more.
Think about a person living on their own and buying a family-sized dishwasher. If they never manage to fill it and so only use it when it’s half-full, then they may be wasting energy and money. This is because a smaller dishwasher could do the same job without using as much energy.
One of the most common energy saving mistakes is buying appliances that are too large because they have a better energy rating.
Here are a list of home appliances and products which have energy ratings, plus some helpful tips for choosing a new appliance.
Some appliances don’t have specific energy rating labels. Here are some tips to help you save energy while using these products.
You should dispose of electrical items carefully due to the nature of their materials.
If you have an appliance with an image of a wheelie bin with a cross on it, don’t put it in your general household rubbish. These items include large white goods and energy saving lightbulbs.
By keeping waste electrical equipment separate from other waste, the hazardous substances can be removed and other parts can be recycled. This helps them avoid being sent to landfill.
If you’re buying new electrical appliances, the law obligates retailers to either:
Many retailers offer collection of old appliances from your home, although they’re not obliged to do this.
Alternatively, take your old equipment to your nearest recycling point or ask your local authority to collect your bulky items. Some may charge for this service.
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Last updated: 4 September 2024