Appliances
Laundry, refrigerators and always-on electronics, measured in kWh and dollars.
Free
- Wash in cold unless the label says warmer: heating water is the big cost
ENERGY STAR says about 90% of a washer's energy heats water. Wash in cold unless the care label names warm or hot; warm instead of hot can halve a load's energy.
- Unplug the second fridge before you replace the first
A second fridge averaged 494 kWh a year in EIA's RECS 2020, $90.45 at the July 2026 US residential price. Unplug a spare you don't need before replacing the main one.
Small buy
- Meter the always-on devices instead of unplugging everything
Each watt a device draws around the clock is 8.76 kWh a year, $1.60 at EIA's July 2026 US average of 18.31 cents. Meter what stays plugged in; cut the top few.