Choose appliances that are functional, attractive and energy efficient.
Choosing new appliances for your home can be overwhelming. There are so many choices with all kinds of different features. If you are looking at new appliances, energy usage should be a major part of your decision making process in addition to the aesthetics of the appliance. An attractive refrigerator is nice, but if it ends up putting your electric bill through the roof, it's going to look a lot less attractive after a while. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Determine your budget before looking for new appliances. Appliances can be expensive, so its important to know what your price range is. If you are buying more than one appliance at a time, like a refrigerator, stove and dishwasher, ask the store about getting a contractor's discount or bulk discount.
2. Choose the color you want for you appliances ahead of time. This will help you eliminate the choices right away and you won't be as overwhelmed when going into the store.
3. Research the different styles of appliance. Refrigerators, for example, come in double and single door models. Some have freezers or conversion drawers on the bottom. Washers come in top-load and front-load models. Go to friends' homes and see what kind of refrigerators or other appliances they have and evaluate what you do and don't like about them.
4. Look at your kitchen or laundry room, if you are buying a washer and dryer. How the appliance opens and fits into your existing room is a major factor. You may really like that big double door refrigerator, but if it's going to bang into the stove every time you open the freezer, then you might want to consider something else.
5. Check for the Energy Star label when looking at appliances. The Environmental Protection Agency is a government agency that evaluates the energy usage of appliances and recommends certain models that are at least 15 percent more energy efficient than the minimum federal requirements.
6. Choose appliances that are the right size for your needs. If there are only two of you living at home, you likely do not need a huge, commercial size washer and dryer, no matter how pretty they look. Getting the right size for your needs will save you money on the purchase and save you money in the long run by using less energy overall.
7. Estimate how much it will cost to run the appliances over the course of a month or a year. If you choose something that ends up costing you twice as much as your old model, you may want to consider something else.
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