How to Reduce Your Appliance Running Costs: 10 Practical Tips

Your household appliances account for a significant portion of your electricity bill — in Australia, the average home spends around 30–40% of its energy budget on appliances. Here are 10 practical tips to reduce what you spend running them, without sacrificing comfort or convenience.

1. Set Your Fridge to the Right Temperature

Most fridges are set too cold. The ideal fridge temperature is 3–4°C and the freezer should be at −18°C. Every degree colder than necessary increases energy use by approximately 5%. Check the temperature with an inexpensive fridge thermometer and adjust accordingly.

2. Keep Fridge Coils Clean

Dust and debris on the condenser coils at the back or base of your fridge force the compressor to work harder. Vacuum or brush the coils every 6–12 months to maintain efficiency.

3. Run the Dishwasher on Eco Mode

Dishwasher eco programs use lower temperatures and longer cycle times to achieve the same cleaning results with significantly less energy and water. If your machine has an eco program, use it for everyday loads. Reserve the intensive or hygiene program for heavily soiled loads only.

4. Wash Clothes in Cold Water

Heating water is the largest energy cost in a wash cycle. Modern detergents are formulated to perform effectively in cold water. Switching from 40°C to cold water washing reduces the energy used per cycle by approximately 70–80%.

5. Wait for Full Loads Before Running the Dishwasher or Washing Machine

Running a dishwasher or washing machine at half capacity uses nearly as much energy and water as a full load. Wait until the appliance is fully loaded to maximise efficiency per item washed.

6. Clean Your Dryer's Lint Filter After Every Cycle

A clogged lint filter restricts airflow, forcing the dryer to run longer and use more energy to achieve the same result. Cleaning the filter after every cycle takes 10 seconds and can reduce dryer running costs by 10–25%.

7. Use the Correct Spin Speed on Your Washing Machine

A higher spin speed extracts more water from clothes before they go in the dryer, reducing drying time significantly. If you use a dryer, running your washing machine at the highest spin speed the fabric allows can cut dryer cycle time by 20–30%.

8. Turn the Air Conditioner Off When You Leave the Room — or Use Zoning

Air conditioning is typically the highest single energy cost in an Australian home. Getting into the habit of turning it off when rooms are unoccupied, or using a zoned ducted system to only cool rooms in use, can reduce air conditioning costs significantly.

9. Set Your Air Conditioner to 24–26°C for Cooling

Every degree below 24°C increases air conditioning energy consumption by approximately 10%. Setting the thermostat to 24–26°C instead of 20–22°C is comfortable for most people and can reduce cooling costs by 30–50%.

10. Buy Energy-Efficient Appliances When Replacing

When an appliance reaches the end of its life, replacing it with the most energy-efficient model in your budget pays dividends over the following 10–15 years. Use Australia's Energy Rating star system as a guide — each additional half-star represents a meaningful improvement in annual running costs.

How Oceania Appliances Helps You Save

When you buy an appliance from Oceania Appliances, our team can advise on the energy efficiency of different models and calculate your likely annual running costs. We stock energy-efficient models across all major brands. Visit our showroom in Wetherill Park or call 0400 983 352.