In modern households, kitchen appliances have become indispensable tools for daily life. Whether it's the refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave, or electric kettle, how we use these devices not only affects convenience and efficiency but also directly impacts our energy consumption and carbon emissions.
In many Western countries, more and more households are paying attention to energy efficiency in the kitchen. But being energy-conscious doesn’t necessarily mean replacing all your appliances with the latest models. For most families, getting the most out of existing appliances is a far more practical—and often more sustainable—approach than starting from scratch.
Washing machines and dryers are among the most frequently used appliances in a home, and they offer plenty of room for energy savings. For instance, lowering the wash temperature from the standard 40°C to 30°C can save up to 57% in electricity use. This simple change can reduce your annual carbon footprint by about 20 kilograms and save you approximately £6 on your electricity bill.
While these numbers may seem modest on their own, over the course of a year—and especially over time—they add up. Similarly, if your home has the space for it, drying clothes outdoors on a sunny day instead of using a tumble dryer can save around £30 annually and significantly reduce energy consumption.
Dishwashers are another appliance where small changes in habits can lead to big savings. Many households run the dishwasher daily, sometimes even when it's only half full. By ensuring it’s always fully loaded before running, and by skipping just one wash cycle per week, you could save around £9 in electricity annually—plus a notable amount of water.
The same principle applies to washing machines. Cutting back on one load per week can save approximately £5 on electricity, and if you’re on a water meter, you can expect to save an additional £8 on your water bill each year.
Not all appliances are created equal when it comes to energy efficiency. In cooking, for example, microwaves are significantly more efficient than ovens. Microwaves heat food directly by exciting water molecules, rather than heating the air around the food as ovens do. This direct heating method not only speeds up cooking time but also saves a considerable amount of energy, particularly for reheating leftovers or preparing simple meals.
But saving energy isn’t just about choosing efficient appliances—it’s also about using features wisely. Many modern ovens come equipped with a pyrolytic self-cleaning function, which uses extremely high temperatures to burn off food residues and grease.
While this may offer convenience, it also substantially increases energy use and emissions. Unless strictly necessary, it’s often better to disable this setting and rely on manual cleaning using some good old-fashioned elbow grease.
Refrigerators and freezers, which run continuously throughout the day and night, have an outsized impact on a home's energy consumption. One of the most important things you can do is avoid overloading them. A crowded fridge restricts air circulation and forces the compressor to work harder, consuming more electricity. Also, placing hot or warm food directly into the fridge causes the internal temperature to rise sharply, requiring extra energy to bring it back down to the optimal level.
Checking and maintaining the door seal is another crucial step for refrigerator efficiency. A simple way to test this is by closing the fridge door on a piece of paper or a banknote—if you can easily pull it out, the seal may need adjusting or replacing. A well-sealed fridge keeps the cold air inside and helps the compressor work less frequently, reducing power usage.
Ideally, the interior temperature of your fridge should be set at or slightly below 5°C. You can check this by placing a thermometer in a glass of water in the center of the fridge and leaving it for 24 hours. If the reading is higher than desired, adjust your settings accordingly. Another small maintenance tip: keep the coils or condenser at the back of the fridge clean and dust-free to ensure efficient heat dissipation and avoid unnecessary energy use.
Another everyday habit that can lead to unexpected savings is how you use your electric kettle. Overfilling the kettle and boiling more water than you need is a common energy waste. If you only boil the amount of water you actually intend to use—whether it’s for tea, coffee, or cooking—you could cut around £7 off your annual energy bill. For households where hot drinks are a daily ritual, this small tweak can bring meaningful savings.
Of course, while optimizing usage is effective, there are cases where upgrading appliances is the better option—particularly if your existing equipment is outdated and no longer energy efficient. When it comes time to replace kitchen appliances, always check the energy label.
In the European Union and the UK, the highest efficiency rating is A+++. Choosing an A+++ fridge freezer over an A+ model, for example, could save you around £200 in electricity costs and reduce your carbon emissions by approximately 580 kilograms over the product’s lifetime.
Modern kitchen appliances often come with multiple built-in features that can enhance efficiency when used correctly. Many built-in ovens, for example, now include intelligent preheating and temperature control modes tailored for different types of food, which help minimize energy waste.
High-end dishwashers may have sensors that automatically adjust the water pressure and temperature based on how dirty the dishes are, allowing them to clean effectively using less water and power.
Efficient energy use in the kitchen is not only about better appliances—it’s about better habits and attention to detail. From clearing the dust off your fridge coils to checking that your dishwasher’s filter is clean, from reducing cycle frequency to adjusting water temperatures, each small action contributes to building a more efficient, lower-impact home. For households across Europe and North America, a more sustainable kitchen isn’t just a responsibility—it’s a reflection of smart, thoughtful living.