Winter has always been a critical time to keep an eye on your energy bills, but these last few years have seen the strain on homeowners across the country increase to the point where this has become a necessity. As we all struggle to keep costs under control it is absolutely critical to explore as many money-saving routes as possible.

One such way is by taking a look at energy-efficient appliances – machines specifically designed to save energy and prevent waste. However, for those that aren’t particularly tech-savvy, it can be difficult to navigate this market.

This guide has been put together to take you through some of the most important aspects when it comes to finding and choosing energy-efficient appliances, including the much-debated topic of standby modes, and what to do with your old, energy-consuming appliance.

The vast majority of appliances in this country are rigorously tested to know just how much energy they use up during a typical period of operation. This in turn allows them to receive a rating – a letter from A to G, with A being the most energy-efficient product of its kind, and G being the least*.

Appliances are usually categorised by size rather than other factors such as cost, or location within the area of the home that they’re most likely to be used. This does mean that two appliances that are differently sized may use different amounts of electricity while maintaining the same energy rating. Your best bet, therefore, is to check the energy label of the appliance and compare it to other products to find the one with the best energy rating.

*You may also find products that are scaled from A+++ to G. This is simply an older version of the grading system, and you’ll still find that A+++ is incredibly energy efficient – but an A+++ model from a few years back is unlikely to be more efficient than an A grade model that has just been released, say, in the last few months or so.

This is a commonly asked question, and the answer is – absolutely. In fact, according to the Energy Saving Trust, you can save around £35 a year by turning appliances off standby. While this is not as high had these appliances been active the entire time, it is a myth that standby modes save a great deal of money, and their continued use can certainly play a role in bumping up those energy bills.

But does standby only apply to the mode on your appliance? Well, it depends on the device, but as a rule of thumb, any appliance that is not used but not switched off at the plug could be classed as being on standby. Other products are more obvious, with appliances known for their near-constant standby modes when not in use including broadband routers and modems, a multitude of smart devices, landlines and more.

It should be noted, however, that EU regulations introduced in 2013 assert that non-networked electrical devices sold after that year would not be allowed a standby power greater than 0.5W, with network-connected devices unable to consume more than 3-12W, depending on the specific devices. This means your newer appliances may cost less than older ones, but even so, will still draw small amounts of energy potentially unnecessarily.

If you’re replacing your appliances, remember that your old ones should be disposed of carefully. This is due to the nature of their materials, including how volatile some of them can become in certain environments.

If you have an item with an image of a wheelie bin with a cross over the top of it, then the item in question is not eligible for disposal using your general household rubbish collection. This will likely include everything from microwaves to energy-saving lightbulbs. This is to keep the hazardous substances separate from other waste so they can be safely removed, and the other components safely recycled.

The current law dictates that, in the case of buying new appliances, one of the following must occur:

• Retailers must take & dispose of your old appliances from you for free
• Retailers must tell you where you can take your old item for recycling free of charge
• Many retailers will also offer installation & disposal as an additional extra

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