3 appliance features worth shelling out for

June 20th, 2012

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The myriad of features on modern appliances can make the mind boggle and one ask, which do I really need?

Too much choice can cause agonisingly long decision making, something many of us would rather avoid. Occasionally we even ditch making a purchase altogether for fear of making a bad choice. Especially today with a host of smart appliances making their way into the home.

There are some features though, that we believe are well worth the money. We’ve selected a handful we reckon are no-brainers.

Which appliance features do you consider worth paying for?

Energy Star Ratings: It’s a matter of spending a little now to save a lot down the track; more stars, more savings. Appliances account for about half of the energy used in a household. This includes 9 per cent on fridges and freezers and 15 per cent on electrical appliances such as kettles, irons, and vacuum cleaners. Over 50 per cent of Australian households use dryers, and these are the biggest culprit in the energy guzzling category. Investing in energy efficient appliances will pay off in the future, especially with the power price hikes hitting our back pockets every quarter.

Automatic load sensing and moisture sensors: In the laundry, these two features will again save energy, save clothes and save water – a usually precious resource in Australia. Auto-load sensing in the washing machines will self-adjust the amount of water required based on how much material is inside of the machine. Moisture sensors in dryers can turn off the dryer when the clothes inside are no longer wet – it is a great energy saver and will prevent clothes from unnecessary heat, which may cause them damage.

Heat sensors: In the kitchen it’s a matter of safety that stove tops should indicate recently used elements – usually with a little red light. It helps us avoid burning fingers or tea towels or paper towels from catching fire. Taking this a step further, we at Appliances Online have become rather partial to induction cooktops. By using electromagnetic energy heat is transferred from the coils below the glass plate directly to the pan. It means that if you place a metal pot on the cooktop, it will become hot but hands or anything non-metal won’t. Induction cooking is also super fast to heat for quick boiling, searing and stir-frying.