Fridges and freezers account for 8% of an average home’s energy use. Cooking appliances use about 5%.
Fridges and freezers
Buying the right appliances for your needs, maintaining them and using them wisely will help you save in the kitchen.
Location
Fridges placed in warm areas use more energy to stay cool. Make sure you:
- locate them in a well-ventilated space
- check there is plenty of space around the top, sides and back of the unit
- keep them away from heat sources, such as ovens or direct sunlight from windows.
Read the manufacturer’s instructions for the recommended ventilation space.
Correct temperatures
Use a thermometer to check the temperature inside your fridge and freezer. Temperatures should be:
- fridge - between 3oC and 5oC
- freezer - between -15oC and -18oC.
Maintenance
A fridge or freezer in good working order can save energy:
- make sure the door seals are clean and undamaged
- check that door seals grip properly - shut a piece of paper in the door to check the seals grip it
- brush any coils on the back of the fridge to keep them clean
- read the manufacturer's instructions about defrost requirements. Frost that's thicker than 5 mm usually means it's not automatically defrosting.
Energy saving behaviours
- Keep enough space around the items in the fridge or freezer so cold air can circulate.
- Turn off fridges or freezers you don't use. For example, a drinks fridge used for a party can be turned off at the end of the night.
- Empty the fridge and turn it off if you are going away for a longer time – leave the door open to prevent mould.
Kitchen appliances
Small kitchen appliances are cheaper to run than ovens and cooktops. For example, a toaster oven will grill a toasted sandwich faster than the oven grill and use less energy.
Always consider the smaller alternative. Do you need to:
- pre-heat the oven and cook or could you use the air fryer?
- boil water on the stove top or will the kettle be quicker?
- reheat food in the oven or will the microwave do the same job?
Microwave
Microwaves cook quickly so the time saved will also save on energy. They use about 75% less energy than ovens and cooktops and don’t heat up your kitchen like an oven can.
Energy saving behaviours
Oven
Maintaining your oven can help you save energy. Make sure:
- door seals are clean and undamaged
- inside the oven is cleaned regularly.
Energy saving behaviours
Cooktop
Many people use their cooktop everyday. Make sure:
- the size of the saucepan matches the size of the hotplate or burner
- the lid fits the pan to keep the heat in
- gas cooktop - the pan should cover the burner so the flames don't run up the sides.
Running costs
The tables below can help you work out the cost of running appliances currently in your home.
Fridges and freezers
The energy consumed and the cost over a year are more useful than an hourly running cost because fridges and freezers are generally switched on 24 hours a day.
| Fridge size | Typical annual energy consumption (kWh) | Cost per year |
|---|---|---|
100-199 litres | 358 | $125.30 |
200-299 litres | 410 | $143.50 |
300-399 litres | 490 | $171.50 |
400-499 litres | 495 | $173.25 |
500-599 litres | 738 | $258.30 |
600-699 litres | 1356 | $474.60 |
Electrical cooking appliances
| Appliance | Typical watts | Hourly running cost |
|---|---|---|
Oven | 1800-3800 | $0.63-$1.33 |
Cooktop (per element) | 1200-2400 | $0.42-$0.84 |
Range hood | 80-140 | $0.03-$0.05 |
Kettle | 1800-2400 | $0.63-$0.84 |
Microwave | 800-1500 | $0.28-$0.53 |
Toaster | 600-1000 | $0.21-$0.35 |
Gas cooking appliances
| Appliance | Typical megajoules | Hourly running cost |
|---|---|---|
Oven | 12 | $0.48 |
Cooktop (per burner) | 12 | $0.48 |
Griller | 6-12 | $0.24 - $0.48 |
Cost per cycle for dishwashers
Energy use and cost per cycle are more useful measures than hourly running costs for dishwashers because different cycles use different amounts of energy.
The cost per year is based on a dishwasher that is run 4 times a week.
| Installation type | Capacity | kWh per cycle | Cost per cycle | Cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Built-in | less than 10 place settings | 0.35-1.02 | $0.12-$0.36 | $24.96-$74.88 |
10-15 place settings | 0.54-1.56 | $0.19-$0.55 | $39.52-$114.40 | |
Free-standing | less than 10 place settings | 0.52-1.10 | $0.18-$0.39 | $37.44-$81.12 |
10-15 place settings | 0.57-1.61 | $0.20-$0.56 | $41.60-$116.48 | |
Benchtop | less than 10 place settings | 0.52-0.84 | $0.18-$0.29 | $37.44-$60.32 |
10-15 place settings | 0.73 | $0.26 | $54.08 | |
Mobile | 12 place settings | 1.05 | $0.37 | $76.96 |
Estimated running costs are based on the AGL electricity and Origin Energy standing retail contracts.
Before you buy
Check the energy rating label before you buy a new appliance. More stars mean better energy efficiency. You can also compare the estimated running costs of new models on the Energy Rating website.
