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lightbulb and cables - appliances that consume the most energy

Appliances that use the most electricity

Reduce your ecological footprint with more efficient appliances

Putting on a load of laundry, playing a videogame, or asking your smart speaker what the weather will be like tomorrow can all have a direct effect on your power bill, but do you know which of these devices uses the most energy? Knowing won't only help you cut costs, but it can also reduce your ecological footprint. 

Energy efficiency means getting the best results in any activity by using the lowest amount of energy. Within your home, there are many resources available to make your living space more efficient, and household appliances are some of the most interesting ones as they can make up 55.2% of our domestic electricity consumption. Identifying which use the most energy is essential in order to minimize power consumption, on top of changing habits and having proper home insulation.

Saving money is one of the obvious benefits of opting for more efficient household appliances, although the possible advantages of choosing lower-consumption appliances encompass other matters such as their ability to reduce our ecological footprint.

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Appliances that consume the most energy

How we use household appliances is a determining factor for identifying which use more energy, although choosing a higher energy rating is a good start to reducing consumption.

Keeping food fresh requires a different amount of energy than when blow drying your hair, and also when cooking, as it's certainly not the same as when you watch a series at the end of the day. It helps to keep track of costs, and that's where new technologies come into play.

Apps like Vivit — for Repsol electricity and natural gas customers — keep track of all the information related to home electricity in one single place. The app not only monitors contracts and bills, but it also allows your to see your consumption, learn about the energy use of your appliances, and even offset emissions derived from your consumption.

In any event, those appliances that consume the most energy include:

TVs and videogame consoles

Washers and dryers

Ovens

hand pressing buttons on a remote control

TVs and videogame consoles

The idea of spending hours in front of the TV may sound tempting some days. However, its consumption (263 kWh a year, according to the Spanish Organization of Consumers and Users [OCU]) can make up 12% of the total for household appliances, according to data from the Institute for the Diversification and Saving of Energy (IDAE). If you add a couple sessions of videogames, you'd have the set of appliances that use the most energy. Energy use of the latter can vary depending on the model, although the latest features only multiply consumption compared to older models. Let's take for example a weekly session of five hours with the most modern consoles: We'd be increasing our energy use by 57.2 kWh per year, launching this device beyond all others in the house.

close up of two people folding laundry in a basket

Washers and dryers

It's no secret that the way we use appliances is key for getting the most out of them, on top of knowing which use the most electricity. In this ranking, washers and dryers take top positions with an annual consumption of up to an average of 255 kWh. In fact, washing machines alone can make up more than 11% of electricity consumed by all appliances, in such a way that using shorter cycles, not completely filling it, and opting for cold water washes can help you to minimize its impact on your power bill.

oven door open with potatoes cooking inside

Ovens

The kitchen is without a doubt the main consumption hotspot in your home, and ovens are some of the appliances that use the most energy, making up more than 8% of the total. According to experts, the energy consumption of this appliance in an average home could reach 231 kWh per year. Its efficient use could help you to improve performance, for example, opening the door when it's heating up can lead an accumulated heat loss of up to 20%.

Appliances that consume less energy

Fridges

Computers

Voice assistants

An individual opening a fridge

Fridges

If we take into account the amount of time it’s on and its operation (it’s only unplugged for cleaning and maintenance or when we’re away from home for extended periods of time), it’s considerably more efficient than other appliances. Its yearly consumption reaches 662 kWh on average according to the OCU, and IDAE data shows that the electricity used by this appliance represents around 30% of the total used by all household appliances.

Laptop on a desk

Computers

Computers have become another must-haves in the home – a trend driven, among other factors, by the progress of digitalization and the consolidation of teleworking. The increase in their use has become noticeable in power bills, although it’s far from being among the appliances that consume the most, it’s one of the most low-profile energy devices. However, data from the Spanish Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving of Energy (IDAE) shows that it can account for 8% of the total energy consumption of your appliances.

A finger touching a voice assistant device

Smart speakers

Playing music, finding out what the weather will be like tomorrow, turning on the lights... Smart speakers with voice assistants have become commonplace in the home, but they’re far from being one of the most energy-consuming devices. Besides their features, energy efficiency is one of their main characteristics. In general, in standby mode (meaning plugged in, switched on, and connected to Wi-Fi), they use an average of 2-4 watts of power, a range that increases to 6-10 W when in use, depending on the model. In other words, their yearly consumption would barely reach 2 kWh which, in any case, would be part of the 4% of electricity usage represented by less frequently used devices.

A person screwing in an LED light bulb

LED lights

They’re not a household appliance, but the truth is that lighting is another key point when it comes to energy efficiency in the home. In terms of consumption, if you haven't already done so, it wouldn't hurt to get rid of the traditional incandescent light bulbs. LED lights can cut energy consumption by up to 85%, a rather interesting figure if we take into account that lighting can represent up to 15% of the total bill.

Tips for reducing your energy consumption

Being more sustainable is a collective responsibility, but it requires an individual commitment that involves making small actions at home to reduce our impact on the environment. Replacing the appliance that uses the most electricity with a more efficient one, for example, is just one of the many ways that Repsol has identified as one of the keys for saving energy at home. But, there's a lot more.

Pictograma Reciclaje

Make the most of natural resources

Opting for natural light or ventilation instead of switching on lamps or turning on the air conditioning is synonymous with energy savings, in addition to lowering your power bill.

Pictograma Reciclaje

Appliance maintenance

An oven, boiler, or fridge in bad condition can lead to a malfunction, which pretty equates to an increase in consumption. Therefore, it’s important to always keep them in good working condition by carrying out regular inspections to ensure their efficiency.

Efficiently using energy and changing habits

Always running a full load of laundry, switching the lights off when leaving the room, or completely unplugging appliances to avoid standby mode are just some examples of actions that can help cut down energy use in your home.

Commitment to new technologies

Identifying which appliances use the most electricity and replacing them with more efficient ones is just as important as applying the latest technological advances to save energy. Home automation systems, remote controls, or apps that monitor your energy consumption are great allies.