Choosing Environmentally Friendly Kitchen Appliances

If you have appliances in your kitchen that are several years old, it might be time to think about replacing them with more energy efficient models. By reducing your energy consumption you reduce your carbon footprint which in turn helps the environment.

Most appliances today come with an Energy Star rating which lets you know if it is less or more efficient than other models. Appliances are rated on a scale of 1 to 100. If your appliance has a rating of 75 or higher, this means better performance and thus lower energy usage. A rating of 50 is average and anything below that means poor efficiency and higher energy consumption.

Your refrigerator is the most energy-consuming appliance in your kitchen. While older models use more electricity, it’s important to avoid buying a new one with extra features that will also use more energy than a model without all the bells and whistles. Avoid buying a refrigerator with an external ice maker or water dispenser. These extras will require more energy to operate.

Kitchen appliances such as gas stoves use less energy than electric ones, such as your stove. If you decide to purchase a gas stove, be sure it’s properly ventilated with a range hood to avoid the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. When warming up leftovers or cooking a small amount of food, use the microwave instead of the oven whenever possible as it requires more energy to heat up the oven than it does to warm or cook food in the microwave.

Energy Star-rated dishwashers are far more efficient than the federal minimum standard and use less water than their counterparts. These dishwashers also do not depend on water to be very hot to efficiently clean your dishes.

Photo Credit: Some rights reserved by Jez Page via Flickr.

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