Appliances account for about 17 to 20% of your household’s energy consumption, with refrigerators, clothes washers, and clothes dryers as the top energy wasters.

When you’re shopping for appliances, think of two price tags.
The first one covers the purchase price. The second price tag is the cost of operating the appliance during its lifetime.
You’ll be paying on that second price tag every month with your utility bill for the next 10 to 20 years. Look for the ENERGY STAR label. This will assure you of savings every month on your utility bills.