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The real cost of running your home’s appliances

Looking at the bigger picture when buying a new appliances can help save you more on your home's gas and electricity bills in the long term. We investigate why.
6 min read
Published on 11 Jun, 2025

When on the hunt for a new appliance like a fridge, washing machine or TV, the price tag is normally the first thing we look at – and rightfully so. But do you stop and think about how much your home's appliances will cost to run?

Whether you’re hunting around for a new appliance in-store or online, here are three questions you might ask:

  1. Based on the energy star rating of the models you’re looking at, how much will each one cost to run per year? Look at the kWh per year in the middle of the sticker and then multiply it by your current kWh rate on your bill. 
  2. How many years does the manufacturer expect the appliance to last for? 
  3. Once you add the purchase price and the costs you can expect to pay to keep it running over its lifetime, which one rates as the most affordable?

Let’s look at the four most common appliances in Aussie households.

Fridge

One of those rare appliances that runs around the clock, the fridge is often your home’s greatest necessity. So to help cut costs, you might consider trying to find one that’s more energy-efficient – especially since this wonderful white-good can account for around 13% of your total energy usage.

Running costs: A two door 500 litre fridge with a 2-star rating can set you back around $163 each year to run. But pick up one with a 4-star rating and that cost can come down to $96.

Hot tip: Try to buy as many energy rating stars as your budget allows. Every extra star on your energy rating label sticker can bring your fridge’s running costs down by 20%, depending on the appliance and usage.

Smiling couple doing laundry together

Washing machine

As with any appliance you need to choose one that suits your lifestyle. Take a family with young kids for example. Chances are they’ll take their washing machine for a spin more often than a couple would, so having a larger yet more energy efficient appliance should help each load of laundry cost less.

Running costs: A 1.5-star rated 8.5kg top-loader washing machine roughly costs $147 to run per year. Swapping it for a 5-star front-loader of the same size could see you spend as little as $30 a year. Check star ratings – the more stars, the more energy efficient your washing machine will be and the lower the running costs will likely be.

Hot tip: Using cold water to wash your clothes not only helps reduce costs (hot water can be more expensive) but can even extend the lifespan of your clothing.

Television

While Australians spend more than one month a year in front of the telly, having an energy-efficient unit means there’s no need to watch electricity costs skyrocket at the same time.

Running costs: A 3-star rated 49-inch TV that’s turned on for four hours a day will cost around $56 a year. Choosing a 6-star rated telly could see that cost decrease to around $24 a year. For even greater efficiency, you mightgo for LCD or LED over plasma.

Hot tip: Turn your TV off at the wall when you’re not using it, or use an energy-saving power board to help reduce your costs even further. 

Dishwasher

More than half of all Australian households now have a dishwasher and those with energy-efficient ones installed are often finding it cheaper to use for cleaning their dishes than if they were to wash them by hand.

Running costs: If you use your dishwasher four times a week, a 2-star model will cost $74 a year. But splurge on a 3.5-star machine and you’ll get away with spending $44 a year.

Hot tip: If you have time of use electricity billing, use a delay start option to run the dishwasher during the night or other off-peak times. 

Where is energy being used in your home?

AGL Energy Insights is a powerful service that helps you understand where your electricity is going if you have a smart meter.

Find out more

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