Home Appliances vs.
The Gasoline Pump
Similar to the gas pump, if you want to save on your electric bill you need to either consume less or consume the same amount more efficiently.

As the Energy Star Sales Tax Holiday approaches, start thinking about your appliance use like you do your gasoline use. If you want to save on gas costs, you either drive less or buy a more efficient car, right? Well, that same thought process should apply to your home energy use.

The Less Kilowatts You Use the Lower Your Bill
Appliances account for about 17% of your household's energy consumption, with refrigerators, clothes washers, and clothes dryers at the top of the consumption list. The average residential rate in Texas is around 12 cents per kWh (check your bill). A typical U.S. household consumes about 11,000 kWh per year (per DOE), costing an average of $1,320 annually. By paying attention to your usage you can save a significant amount on your bill.

How Much Electricity is Used by Appliances?
The chart* below shows how much energy a typical appliance uses per year and its corresponding cost based on national averages. For example, a refrigerator uses almost five times the electricity the average television uses.Check out our appliance calculator to quantify the cost of your appliance use.


When you do shop for a new appliance, look for the ENERGY STAR label. ENERGY STAR products usually exceed minimum federal standards by a substantial amount. The Department of Energy appliance shopping guide lists some of the major appliances that carry the ENERGY STAR label and provides helpful information on what to look for when shopping for an appliance.

*Information from the Department of Energy.