ECO CRED

Assessing the green credentials of appliances is essential, both for the health of the planet and also for paying utilities bills. Electronic appliances have an energy rating (up to 10 stars for fridges, freezers and televisions, and up to six stars for everything else) while taps and water-using appliances carry a WELS rating for water efficiency (up to six stars; Phoenix’s ‘Vivid Slimline Vessel Mixer’ enjoys full marks here). There are also a few extra things to consider; for example, the larger model of an appliance will use more energy than a smaller version with the same star rating. There’s also no point buying the largest washer if you’ll never fill it – the LG ‘Twin Wash’ (below) is good for this, with a second small-capacity washer underneath for little loads. Remember, also, that not only do larger fridges and freezers cost more to run, the cost of cooling is also affected by their contents, meaning if you’re not filling them to their capacity, the running costs increase even more.