What are the most energy efficient kitchen and laundry appliances?

Appliances can account for around 25% of home energy use, according to the Australian Government. With the cost of energy predicted to rise by more than 50% between 2022 and 2024, and concern around climate change escalating, reducing our energy consumption has become a priority.

One way to use less energy and reduce carbon emissions is to run more energy efficient appliances. The combined purchase and running costs of a modern heat pump dryer, for example, can be less than that of a cheaper vented dryer over its lifetime, even if it costs twice as much to buy. The same principle applies to other laundry and kitchen appliances too: more energy efficient washers, dishwashers, fridges and freezers will save you hundreds of dollars in running costs over their lifetimes, compared with the cost of running energy-inefficient models.

In this article we look at some of the highest Energy Star and Water Star rated appliances available to make your kitchen and laundry more energy efficient and cheaper to run.

In Australia, most large laundry and kitchen appliances must have an Energy Star Rating displayed on them. Energy stars are a useful way of seeing at a glance how economical an appliance can be - not necessarily how economical it always is, because the energy stars often relate to the most energy efficient eco setting that the machine has.

If you want specific information on the program that was used to achieve an appliance’s energy star rating, you can look in the Consumption Rates section of its Specifications Sheet. This should be available on its page on the appliance retailer’s website. This will also tell you the kWh energy consumption per year and other details of the program, such as temperature and water use, if applicable.

You probably won’t start your search for a new appliance by looking for this level of information on lots of different models, but if you build a shortlist of appliances you’re considering buying, you might want to compare these details. Unless that’s the case, though, energy stars can give a useful indication of an appliance’s energy saving capabilities.

In addition to Energy Star Ratings, washing machines and dishwashers must also have their water efficiency rating displayed. Generally, if the appliance has more energy stars, it will also have a higher Water Star Rating, indicating that it uses less water.

Larger capacity washing machines will use more water, so even if they are water efficient, they will still use more water than smaller machines - so for the clearest comparison, compare models of the same size. In this list of energy efficient appliances, we’ll take into account both energy and water efficiency for washers and dishwashers.

For some home appliances, those with the highest energy ratings also have the highest prices, so in each category more affordable options that have the same or similar energy efficiency are also listed. For example, if an appliance with the highest Energy Star Rating costs three times as much as the next highest energy rated model, both are listed.

The price guides given for each appliance are based on competitive online pricing, not RRP. In each household appliance section, you can click to see all the available appliances with the highest Energy Star/Water Star Ratings.

These washing machines have 5 stars for both water rating and energy rating. Only a few washing machines achieve this, and as such they usually cost more. The lower energy wash cycles and running costs that the higher star ratings can achieve, though, may offset the higher purchase price over time. If you’re looking for high energy efficiency on a smaller budget, the good news is that lots of washing machines do now have 4.5 energy stars.

TOP TIP: Regardless of the washer you use, front loader or top loader, running your laundry on a cold water setting will significantly reduce your energy usage and electricity bill compared to a hot water cycle.

Energy Star Rating: 5.5 Stars

Water Star Rating: 4 Stars (Litres Used Per Wash 69 L)

This Swiss-made model may be the pinnacle of washing machines. With intelligent wash programs to suit different fabrics, including super-gentle spray wash and steam anti-crease functions, you can ensure precise care for every garment. The OptiTime feature lets you set the time you need the load to be dry by, and the machine calculates the most energy-efficient program. 

See price and full details of V-ZUG AdoraWash V6000 8kg Front Load Washing Machine 1102510010

SEE ALL HIGHEST ENERGY STAR AND WATER STAR RATED WASHING MACHINES

The most energy efficient dryer is your Hills Hoist washing line! But when natural air drying isn’t an option, you’ll want a machine that can do the job for you without overloading the energy grid.

These dryers are 10-star rated for energy efficiency. Only a few dryers have this rating, and as such they are higher priced appliances. The lower running costs that the higher star ratings can achieve, though, may offset or even eclipse this higher initial purchase price over time.

If you’re looking for high energy efficiency on a smaller budget, the good news is that all heat pump dryers - which now make up the majority of new dryers - have at least 6 energy stars, and most have between 7 and 9 stars. This means they use a much smaller amount of energy. These cost more than vented dryers which usually have 2-star energy ratings, but you can find lower priced heat pump dryers like this one from Esatto for around $800 from competitively priced online appliance retailers.

When it comes to dishwashers that have the highest energy stars and the highest water efficiency rating, Miele and V-ZUG dominate, with each brand having a large range of models with both 4.5 energy stars and 6 water stars.

With the higher ratings comes a higher price tag, but their lower running costs may offset the higher initial purchase price over time. If you’re looking for better energy efficiency on a smaller budget, the good news is that most new dishwashers now have at least 3.5 energy stars.

TOP TIP: If the load of ‘dirty’ dishes isn’t actually that dirty in terms of food remnants, selecting a lower temperature cycle will save energy.

Energy Star Rating: 6 Stars

Water Star Rating: 5 Stars (Litres Used Per Cycle: 11.2L)

Combining unmatched innovation with high energy efficiency, this premium quality, Swiss-made integrated dishwasher offers a selection of programs that optimise water and energy consumption. It also has ultra-fast cycles for when you need clean dishes fast, and automatically opens the door slightly during the drying phase to save energy and reduce drying time, even for plastic items.

See price and full details of V-ZUG AdoraDish V6000 Fully Integrated Dishwasher with Heat Pump 4112100007

SEE ALL HIGHEST ENERGY STAR AND WATER STAR RATED DISHWASHERS

When it comes to power consumption, the difference between fridges and other appliances like washers, dryers and dishwashers, is that they are always on! 24/7 they’re the quiet workhorse of the kitchen, but this can make them one of the highest energy users in the home. Every additional energy star represents an 18% reduction in running costs, making it all the more important to choose an energy efficient model.

At 2022 electricity rates, a 480L capacity fridge with 6 energy stars will cost approximately $65 a year to run, while the same sized fridge with 2 energy stars would cost around $140 a year to run. As energy prices increase, so will this difference in running costs. Over the lifetime of the fridge, the savings from running a highly energy efficient model will be several hundred dollars.

The number of people in your household may affect the size fridge you choose. The size of these energy efficient models is suited to a lot of Australian homes, but for maximum energy efficiency in your home, don’t buy a fridge that has a lot more space than you need.

A lot of people will make do with the freezer compartment that’s included in their fridge, but if you have a large family or house of hungry teens to feed, you might buy large quantities of meat and other freezable produce. Likewise, if you live remotely and only visit the shops occasionally, you may need the convenience of being able to stock your freezer with weeks’ worth of meals.

Freezers come in all sizes, from under 100L capacity, to over 700L capacity. The high Energy Star rated models here are similarly sized upright freezers from the middle of that range.

Ready to make your kitchen and laundry more eco friendly by upgrading to an energy efficient appliance? We deliver these appliances, and the rest of our products, to 95% of Australia’s population with Appliances Online's legendary FREE delivery - and we can usually get it to you by the next day (Mon-Fri). If you need some tips on choosing the best washing machine or dryer, check out our Laundry Buying Guide and if you want some advice on what to look for in fridges, freezers and dishwashers, you can use the individual guides for each appliance in our Appliances Buying Guide page.