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• Svenja Wallocha

Saving energy in the home: These are the worst power guzzlers

If the electricity bill is too high? With a few tips, you can find out where the biggest power guzzlers are in your home – and how to save energy.

Kassel- High electricity prices* are making consumers all over Germany tremble. To prevent the bill from skyrocketing even further, however, tenants or homeowners can keep a few things in mind in their everyday lives. An overview of which appliances are the biggest power guzzlers and how you can save energy and money with them.

In hardly any other country electricity costs as much as in Germany. According to the comparison portal Verivox, consumers pay around 31.80 cents per kilowatt hour in Germany. For comparison: In our neighboring country, the Netherlands, it’s just 16.5 cents per kilowatt hour. In addition the prices continue to rise. According to Verivox, they have risen by almost 40 percent (38.8 %) in the past twelve months. "Electricity prices in Germany are at an all-time high," said Verivox energy expert Thorsten Storck in January 2022.

The biggest electricity guzzlers in the household: How consumers save real money

Many people look for themselves therefore other current offerers. Above all suppliers with favorable tariffs* are downright overrun. Who wants to change the energy supplier, should above all compare- because the prices for new electricity contracts vary greatly, even in the regions. But one should also think about one’s own consumption. How much electricity a household consumes depends first and foremost on how many people live in it. However, there are also real power guzzlers that cost a lot of energy and this is reflected on the bill in the end.

Especially in Corona times,* when many people stay at home and work in a home office, a lot of electricity is consumed in communication and entertainment. Almost a third of electricity consumption is on average in this area, as the consumer center explained. It is therefore also recommended to look at televisions, computers and game consoles to see whether more efficient devices might be worthwhile. Consumers can also save electricity quite simply by generally avoiding standby mode on all appliances.

High electricity costs: With refrigerator and Co. Saving energy

The next electricity guzzlers in the household are old large appliances. Those who still have their parents’ washing machine at home should consider whether a newer appliance might be worthwhile. Old refrigerators and freezers in particular can be real power guzzlers – because they run continuously. When buying a new refrigerator, it’s worth taking a look at the energy label – after the change in the energy label in March 2021, the best category is A, the designations A+++, A++ and A+ no longer exist. Previously, A+++ was the best rating; this now counts as a maximum of class B, C or D.

In addition to energy efficiency, there are also a few tips for use. Refrigerators, for example, should not be placed next to warm appliances. Setting the right temperature is also important. "Eight degrees is recommended as the correct refrigerator temperature for the middle section of the refrigerator compartment," Norbert Endres, energy consultant at the consumer advice center, told br.en. To ensure that the products and not just the air in the refrigerator are cooled, refrigerators should also be well filled. For freezers: defrost regularly.

Heating pump as power guzzler: Consumers can save up to 80 percent

Another power guzzler can be old heating pumps. According to the energy company Eon, they are actually among the biggest power guzzlers in the household. Because it takes electricity to turn cold water into hot water – and not just a little. Replacing an old model with a new one can really pay off. Loud house.de consume newer devices up to 80 percent less energy. As with other appliances, when buying one should look for the best possible energy efficiency class.

Cooking is another way to save electricity. Electric stoves are real power guzzlers, so you should keep consumption as low as possible. The consumer advice center advises: If you want to save not only electricity, but also time, you should cook with a lid on, use less water and boil the water in the kettle first instead of in the pot.

Preheating the oven is another widespread misconception. This is often not necessary. The oven does not necessarily need to be preheated, especially for cakes, bread or frozen goods, where a crust forms relatively late in the process. Even the federal government states that with newer ovens, preheating "is usually not necessary". With circulating air, it is also possible to set the baking temperature 20 to 30 degrees lower. " Circulating air is therefore more efficient than top and bottom heat."An induction stove is even more energy-efficient, because it uses 40 percent less energy.

Interesting and helpful consumer news can also be found in our weekly HNA consumer newsletter.*

Electricity: When lighting becomes a power guzzler – tips for saving energy

The lighting in the house can also become a big power guzzler. Then namely, if instead of LEDs or energy energy-savings lamps still halogen lamps or bulbs are used. This can reduce electricity consumption by up to 90 percent in the case of lighting. Floor or table lamps with power supply units also cost a lot of energy. Because even when they are off, they consume electricity. The consumer advice center therefore advises consumers to pull the plug or use a disconnectable power strip.