Some appliances are energy hogs that eat more than their share of your electric bill, while others are heroes that can help you cut your electric use
While some appliances have slimmed down, others still overindulge. Here’s the truth about the current coursing through your home’s devices
By Sharon Jayson
Chris and Michelle Birnbaum live about 6 miles outside Giddings in Lee County with two adult children in the 2,000-square-foot “barndominium” home they built in 2015. The metal barn-style buildings are known for open floor plans, affordable construction costs and energy efficiency.
When it comes to appliance purchases for their four bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom home, Chris looks closely at how much electricity each appliance will use. “I look at Energy Star labels on everything we buy,” he said, referring to the blue-and-white stickers on appliances that meet energy efficiency guidelines set by the federal government.
Most buyers look at an appliance’s price, size, brand and performance before they factor in energy efficiency and features, according to Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative-area retailers and national consumer research groups.
Every appliance uses electricity. But some are energy hogs that eat more than their share of your electric bill. Others are electricity heroes that use less power or can help you cut your electric use.
Because our summers are hotter, Texas homes use at least 25% more electricity than the national average, according to a U.S. Energy Information Administration report. The biggest power hog in your house is the air-conditioning and heating, or HVAC, system. It’s a pain in your wallet in the summer and a strain on the electric grid on winter’s coldest days.
A typical 2,000-square-foot home uses an average of about 1,200 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per month. That amount of electricity costs about $115 a month, or $1,381 a year. That amount does not include additional charges that appear on the bill. Of that, an all-electric HVAC system can eat up an estimated 40% to 50% — from $456 to $690 — of that annual cost for electricity, according to consumer sites, state and federal sources, and other Texas utilities.
The energy efficiency of your system and house are big factors, especially during summer’s triple-digit heat. Window AC units may be worse: An older, inefficient unit could use 1,300 kWh in just three hot Texas months. A newer energy-efficient window unit could use 30% to 50% less electricity.
Next on the list of power hogs are older swimming pool pumps, your home electric water heater, refrigerator/freezer, clothes dryer, range and oven, then the dishwasher. The clothes washer is ranked last, but its power use varies depending on the type of washer and its age. How often you use most of these appliances is another variable — except for the refrigerator/freezer, which is always running.
Replacing appliances such as old water heaters, refrigerators or single-speed pool pumps with newer, more energy-efficient versions can have a significant impact on your electricity costs.
Dryers, long considered high on the energy hog list, have improved in the last decade with sensors that control heat and cycle time, as well as some that have their own heat-pump technology. How often you use a dryer and the size of the loads you toss into it also impact the electric bill.
Then there are energy heroes. Some are familiar appliances like the microwave oven, which uses less than a third of the electricity of a standard oven for small meals, or a newer dishwasher, which can use less water and electricity than washing dishes by hand. The energy-saving mini-split style air conditioner/heater can replace a window AC unit. It costs less to operate and can circulate air efficiently even when it’s not cooling or heating. The trusty ceiling fan, operated at a medium speed for about six hours a day, uses 150 to 200 kWh a year (about $17). It cools you, not your room, and can help you save 10% of the electricity your HVAC would use.
Old energy hogs have slimmed down in recent years. A newer laptop uses less power than a desktop computer, and today’s gaming consoles cost pennies when in standby mode, compared with their older “always-on” counterparts.
On the smaller side, the electric kettle is faster and more efficient than heating water on the stovetop, and a multicooker (the Instant Pot is a popular one) uses much less energy than the oven or stove, cooking slowly with less electricity.
Then there are energy-saving devices: A smart thermostat can reduce HVAC consumption by as much as 15%, switching to all-LED lighting can take a big bite out of your electric bill, and smart plugs and strips let you schedule or remotely turn off electronics or groups of plugged-in devices.
Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration (eia.gov); EIA Residential Energy Consumption Survey; energystar.gov; U.S. Department of Energy (energy.gov); federalregister.gov; bluebonnet.coop, consumerreports.org; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory standby load studies; ecoflow.com; howstuffworks.com; energysage.com; airconditionerlab.com; consumer, manufacturer, retailer and utility websites
APPLIANCE INSIGHTS & TIPS
Appliances made in 2001 or earlier can use 40%–50% more electricity than new, more efficient models. Appliances that are more than 10 years old may use 28%–36% more electricity.
Seals, motors and insulation degrade over time, increasing electricity use.
Always-on devices continue to draw power: Refrigerators, pool pumps, desktop computers, gaming consoles, routers and digital displays.
Appliances with the greatest leaps in efficiency: HVAC systems, refrigerators, water heaters, pool pumps and dryers.
Worst in class: Old refrigerators and outdated HVAC systems (leaky ducts can cost hundreds annually). The Department of Energy has a refrigerator-rating tool on
energy.gov for year-by-year comparisons.
More tips: Texas PUC’s Power to Save website, www.puc.texas.gov/waystosave. Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration; U.S. Department of Energy; Energy Star; EPA; Lawrence Berkeley National Lab; EnergySage; NRDC; appliance manufacturers; consumer product testing; Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative residential rates
SALES TAX HOLIDAY
In Texas, an energy-saving incentive is the three-day Energy Star sales tax holiday — scheduled for May 23-25 in 2026 — that lets shoppers buy many types of large appliances tax-free. Learn more at here.