Bills and environmental impact: what are the 7 appliances that consume more?

Inside your home, in every room or almost every room there is always at least one household appliance.
Small and large appliances represent a priceless daily convenience when carrying out many tasks: cooking, storing, washing, drying, preparing and getting ready!

What can we find in each room?

• Kitchen (the normally "richest" room): oven, hob, hood, dishwasher, refrigerator, microwave, kettle, toaster, coffee machine, other small appliances
• Living room: television, video game console, stereo system
• Study: computers
• Bathroom: hairdryer, water heater
• Other rooms: air conditioner, electric stove, fan heater, fan, lighting.

How much does an air conditioner consume? And a fan? And a dehumidifier?

The air conditioner is a home appliance that helps maintain a comfortable temperature in your home or office. Thanks to air conditioning technology, it is possible to cool the room in summer and heat it in winter.

However, using your air conditioner can lead to high energy consumption, which can affect your electricity bills.
To reduce consumption and save energy, you can follow some guidelines.

First of all, it is important to choose an air conditioner with high energy efficiency, which can guarantee savings of up to 30% compared to less efficient models. Furthermore, it is advisable to use the air conditioner only when necessary, avoiding leaving it on for prolonged periods.

To reduce consumption, it is also possible to adjust the temperature to maintain a difference of approximately 7-8°C compared to the outside temperature. In this way, adequate thermal comfort can be achieved without increasing consumption.

Furthermore, it is important to carry out correct maintenance of the air conditioner, cleaning the filters periodically and checking the correct functioning of the appliance. By doing so, optimal operation and greater durability can be guaranteed.

In summary, the air conditioner can be very useful for enjoying a temperature that is always perfect for us, but it is important to use it responsibly and following the instructions to reduce consumption and save energy.

And what about the fan?

A fan generally consumes between 20 and 90 watts, depending on its power and the settings used.
On average, an average ceiling fan can be estimated to consume around 30 watts per hour. If you keep it on all night, so for about 8 hours, the total consumption would be around 240 watts.

In terms of cost, it depends on the price of electricity in your area. In Italy, the average price of electricity is around €0.22 per kilowatt hour. So, if your fan consumes 240 watts in one night, the total cost would be around €0.05.

In general, a fan is a less expensive option than using air conditioning, so if you use it to cool your room at night, it may be cost-effective. However, if you want to save even more on electricity, you might consider using an energy-efficient fan or adjusting the air conditioning temperature to a higher temperature at night.

But what if we considered a dehumidifier?

The consumption of a dehumidifier depends on its power and use.
Typically, a home dehumidifier has a power of between 200 and 700 watts, with an average consumption of around 350 watts.

If you use the dehumidifier for several hours a day, consumption can be around 2-3 kWh per day, depending on the humidity level of the environment in which it is used.

However, many modern dehumidifiers are equipped with energy saving features that reduce electricity consumption. To further save on energy, you can choose a dehumidifier with a high energy efficiency class and place it strategically, away from heat sources such as radiators or stoves.

How much does a refrigerator consume?

It is advisable to evaluate these aspects carefully as spending less does not always correspond in the long term to having chosen effective savings.

Statistically, the refrigerator represents 15% of the electricity bill, therefore, it is very important to choose an efficient model and follow some useful precautions:

• Place the refrigerator in a cool, well-ventilated place
• Make sure the door seals are well sealed to avoid loss of cold air
• Do not place too hot foods inside the refrigerator, as the temperature difference involves greater energy expenditure to maintain a constant internal temperature
• Defrost the freezer periodically

Third position for the search "washing machine consumption" (without forgetting the dryer)

After the refrigerator, washing machines are probably the most used appliances in the home. The washing process, however, involves the use of many liters of water and significant energy consumption. Here are some tips for saving energy:

• Use only when full
• Use low temperature wash cycles
• SChoose natural drying instead of tumble drying
• Perform periodic maintenance recommended by the manufacturer

As for tumble dryers, energy consumption depends on the model, energy efficiency, type of drying and the amount of laundry dried. Typically, dryers use more energy than washing machines.
It is estimated that a class A tumble dryer consumes on average between 1.5 and 2.5 kWh per drying cycle of 6 kg of laundry. For a washing machine of the same class, we are talking about around 0.6 kWh per washing cycle for 6 kg of laundry.

How much does an electric oven consume?

The oven is one of the appliances that consumes the most energy in the kitchen, and is often used several times a week, especially by enthusiasts. The most expensive category of built-in ovens from an energy point of view is that of traditional ovens with a self-cleaning function (also called pyrolytic). In fact, this functionality consumes a lot of electricity and must be used only when necessary or at a lower speed than the maximum foreseen, in particular if the oven does not have too high a level of dirt and encrustations.

To reduce the energy consumption of built-in ovens, it is possible to take some precautions such as:

• Do not preheat the oven more than necessary
• Choose a temperature slightly lower than that indicated in the recipe and adjust manually from time to time
• Use glass or ceramic dishes that conduct heat better and allow you to lower the temperature
• Use the auto-off function once cooking is completed

Why use the air fryer? How much does it consume?

Furthermore, the air fryer consumes less energy than the traditional fryer and this translates into savings on your electricity bill. On average, the consumption of an air fryer is around 1,400 watts, but this also depends on the model and its specifications.

In summary, the air fryer is a smart choice for those who want to enjoy fried foods in an alternative, optimal and sustainable way. Thanks to its advanced technology, it allows you to cook quickly and tasty, without giving up the goodness of traditional fried foods.

How much does a dishwasher consume?

Many people consider using a dishwasher a real luxury. Yet, this appliance can account for up to 80% of a home's water consumption and energy consumption during the washing phase.
Additionally, most dishwashers require a significant amount of energy for drying.
In terms of energy consumption, the average consumption is approximately 1-2 kWh per wash cycle.

To save energy when using the dishwasher, there are some useful tips to follow.

• Avoid washing dishes under running water (a dishwasher usually uses less water than hand washing)
• Use the appliance only when fully loaded (in most cases it is possible to choose half load washing)
• Rinsing dishes before putting them in the dishwasher helps reduce water consumption and prevents scale formation
• It is always advisable to clean your dishwasher filters regularly to ensure efficient operation

What is the consumption of an induction hob?

An induction hob is a great choice for those looking to reduce energy consumption in the kitchen.
On average, an induction hob consumes around 30% less than a traditional hob.
Furthermore, thanks to its rapid heating technology, the time needed to bring water to the boil or cook food is reduced.

To further save energy, here are some useful tips:

• Use pots and pans with a flat bottom and a diameter similar to the cooking area, to avoid dispersing heat
• Cover pans during cooking to retain heat and speed up the cooking process
• Turn off the hob a few minutes before the end of cooking, as the pan will continue to cook thanks to the residual heat
• Make the most of the temperature regulation functions, avoiding using too high temperatures when not necessary.

By following these tips, you will be able to use your induction hob efficiently and save energy.

Other household appliances sought after, desired and chosen for your home

In addition to the air fryer as an "optional" appliance, consumers love having a modern electric fireplace in their home and, for over 50 years now, at least one television.

Finally, look for additional features that can help reduce energy consumption, such as a timer function or standby mode.

As for the consumption of a television, it depends on the size and type of television.
In general, LCD TVs use less energy than plasma TVs. A 32-inch LED television, for example, can consume approximately 50-80 watts, while a plasma television of the same size can consume over 100 watts. Always check the manufacturer's specifications to find out the actual consumption of your television. Additionally, choose a model that is ENERGY STAR certified to ensure maximum energy efficiency.

How to keep the energy consumption of your household appliances under control?

An electrical consumption meter is an instrument that allows you to measure the electrical energy consumed by a specific appliance or by an entire home. This tool can be very useful for keeping energy consumption under control, checking for any waste and reducing electricity bill costs.

To use an electricity meter, you generally just need to plug it into an electrical outlet and then plug your appliance or entire home into the other side of the meter. In this way, the meter detects the energy consumed and displays it on the display.

The usefulness of an electricity consumption meter depends on the user's needs.
If you want to monitor your energy consumption to reduce your electricity bill, this tool can be very useful.
Furthermore, a consumption meter can help identify any abnormal consumption problems, such as an appliance that consumes too much electricity or a faulty circuit. In general, owning an electricity consumption meter can help improve energy efficiency and reduce energy waste, helping to preserve the environment.

Below we present a table with the average annual consumption of the main appliances in the home:

Home appliance	Average annual consumption (kWh)
Refrigerator	300
Washing machine	250
Dryer	500
Dishwasher	300
Electric oven	200
Electric plate	150
Kettle	120
Vacuum	100
Television	150
Desktop computers	200

Ultimately, the 7 appliances that consume the most can represent a large source of energy waste and have a negative impact on the bill. The use of these appliances is inevitable, but by adopting some precautions during the purchase phase and during daily use, it is possible to reduce energy consumption and contribute to improving the environment.

Our advice in particular is always to choose, where possible, recent technology appliances: the initial cost may seem high on average, but in the long term the efficiency of a careful choice can pay off both in terms of limited energy consumption and savings general economic. And the family budget thanks you!