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Home Appliances Too Costly To Use

As South Africa faces higher electricity costs, many home appliances will need to be unplugged as they become too costly to use or replaced with more energy-efficient models.

03/09/2024

 

 

 

Continuously rising electricity costs mean that many people are facing the fact that there are many household appliances they can no longer afford to use. This could be the beginning of the end for a way of life that we have come to enjoy with many relied-upon home appliances having the plug pulled out due to the high cost of keeping them running. Now it's not just a matter of turning off lights when leaving a room or putting the geyser on a timer but wondering how much it will cost to run a dishwasher, tumble dryer and even a kettle. We take a closer look at a few appliances that you may need to live without in the future.

 

The following appliances are divided into groups according to their use in the home, allowing you to make an informed choice for the type of appliance you should be using in your home. Note that the kWh shown below are based on entry-level models and, as in the case of appliances with heating and cooling, this rate is variable due to compressors/heating elements.

 

 


 COOKING APPLIANCES
kWh

Stove, freestanding with hotplates

Oven, built-in

Hob, 4 hotplates - per plate

Air Fryer

Microwave

Kettle


From an energy-saving point of view, a microwave and air fryer use less kWh than an oven and/or hob or hotplate configuration.

REFRIGERATION
kWh

Refrigerator with freezer, single door

Chest Freezer


Note that the capacity of the refrigerator or freezer will drastically alter the energy consumption. If saving energy is the goal, compare the maximum watts of different brands and models.

CLEANING
kWh

Dishwasher

Washing Machine

Tumble Dryer

Vacuum Cleaner
 


Reduce energy consumption by only using the above appliances with a full load or when absolutely necessary. In South Africa, we are lucky to have an abundance of sunshine for laundry days.

 

 

Saving Electricity

  • Heating and cooling appliances consume the most energy in a household and if you want to continue using these for your comfort, ensure to set the best temperature for the time of year.
  • Turning down a hot water geyser in summer when the days are hot will substantially reduce electricity consumption, as will closing doors and windows when using heaters or air conditioners.
  • While there is ongoing controversy as to whether or not to switch off a geyser, setting the geyser on a timer during the summer months for early mornings and evenings will reduce energy consumption. A family will soon become accustomed to only using hot water during the 2-hour timer window.
  • Reduce the need to boil water repeatedly by investing in a thermos flask.
  • Only load a dishwasher and washing machine with full loads and run on a lower water temperature setting when applicable.

Saving on monthly electricity bills may mean that you have to do without some home appliances. Shopping around for the most cost-effective in terms of watt usage and deciding on the most energy-efficient method will let you continue to enjoy convenience but at a lesser cost electricity-wise.

 

 

 

 

 

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