Spend & Save Eco appliances
When you invest in energy-efficient whitegoods for your home, everyone’s a winner, writes Samantha Brennan.
Measuring and comparing the eco-efficiency of appliances is a straightforward process in Australia. For decades now, we’ve had the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) and Energy Rating schemes, which both use a simple star system to make the process just about foolproof for consumers.
But in the years since these initiatives were put in place, much has changed in the whitegoods realm. Technology has advanced at lightning speed, with eco performance giving manufacturers an edge in what can be a crowded market.
“Across the board, appliances in every category are better,” says Rob Sinclair, joint managing director of E&S Trading. “Significant developments in homeappliance technologies have improved energy efficiency by 50–60 per cent, compared to 10 years ago.”
Gary Brown, senior brand manager (home appliances) at Harvey Norman, agrees. “Better environmental outcomes have been driven by advancements in the materials manufacturers are putting into appliances and their operational parts,” he says. “Technology has been an absolute game-changer.”
Beyond improvements to the construction and performance of household machines, there are the intelligent extras that bring energy efficiency to a new level. Take, for example, dishwashers. “The water and power draw is so light in the best models on the market today,” says Brown. “There’s no way you could handwash the same load and use less water. Plus, some of the latest models automatically open the door at the end of a cycle, so less power is required to dry the load.”
Fridges, too, are performing far more efficiently than ever before. Differentiated cool zones, LED lighting, double-insulated crispers and alerts for doors left ajar are just the start. Inverter technology can regulate the temperature inside the fridge and respond to changes in climate, which means it works harder in summer when it needs to, and eases off in the winter months, as well as overnight, reducing the amount of energy required. If you’re in the market for laundry
appliances, you’re spoilt for environmentally friendly choices. “Performance plays a huge role in how eco-friendly a washing machine is, beyond its water and energy ratings,” says Brown. “Auto-dosing and sensors in premium models mean you only use as much detergent and water as the load needs. You can now buy machines that wash up to 16kg in a single load – if you have a larger drum capacity, use it. Fill it to that weight and do your week’s washing in three loads. People fear over-filling their machines because they think they’ll throw out the balance, but that won’t happen with newer models.”
Today’s heat-pump dryers are also much more advanced than the tumble dryers of the past. “On average, a heat-pump dryer uses less than half the energy per load than a condenser dryer,” says Wayne Jennings, group general manager (merchandise) for The Good Guys. “A heat-pump dryer is more expensive to buy, but the upfront cost will be more than recouped on electricity bills over the dryer’s life.”
And that’s the icing on the cake: choosing more environmentally friendly products equals saving dollars on water and electricity bills. “Buyers are driven by cost,” says Brown, “especially in light of increasing energy prices. When eco inclusions keep the costs down, everyone wins.”