10 Energy-Efficient Kitchen Appliances Recommended by Experts (2023)

With the cost of living on the rise, everybody wants to save money in any way they possibly can.

Having energy-efficient kitchen appliances can make a small, but entirely welcome, difference.

Let’s look at some of these awesome energy-efficient kitchen appliances that help you save a little money…or a lot of money.

According to Which’s research, the average house could say up to £3,360 over 10 years by switching to energy-efficient appliances.

That is a big chunk of change.

Let’s take a look at our picks for the most energy-efficient kitchen appliances you can buy.

Best-performing energy-efficient kitchen appliances at a glance

Let’s get right to the point: what are the best energy-efficient kitchen appliances available right now?

Here’s a quick breakdown…

Energy-efficient slow cooker

For a small slow cooker: The Crockpot 1.8l (1-2 servings) Slow Cooker for £14.99 is fantastic value and only 100w.

For a medium slow cooker: The Morphy Richards Easy Time Slow Cooker 3.5l for £55 is great at just 165w.

For a large slow cooker: The Crockpot 5.6l Slow Cooker for £75 is surprisingly efficient for its size at 240w.

Energy-efficient air fryer

The best and most energy-efficient Air Fryer we ‘ve found so far is the Corsori 4.7l Air Fryer £99.99 at 1500w.

Energy-efficient combination microwave

The best and most enegry-efficient combination Microwave we’ve found is the Toshiba Microwave Oven £109.99 at 900w.

Energy-efficient microwave

The most energy-efficient Russell Hobbs £91.76 Microwave Oven at 700w.

Energy-efficient kettle

The most energy-efficient and highly rated Kettle available is the Dualit Pour Over Fast Boil (£89.99) which comes in at 1100w.

Energy-efficient toaster

The best and most energy-efficient toaster is the Aigostar 2-slice Toast (£24.99), which comes in at 850w.

Energy-efficient fridge-freezer

The best and most energy-efficient fridge-freezer is the Russell Hobbs Free Standing Fridge-Freezer (£260) at 222 kW hours per year energy consumption.

Energy-efficient fridge

The best and most energy-efficient fridge is the Miele K28202 D Freestanding Fridge (£1029) coming in at just 116 kw hours per year.

Read more about energy-efficient fridges in our dedicated article.

Energy-efficient dishwasher

The most rated and energy-efficient dishwasher is the Bosch Dishwasher (£599) at a rating of just 74 kW hours per year. 

Energy-efficient Washing machine

The best and most energy-efficient washing machine we found was the Bosch WGG24409GB 9kg Capacity Washing Machine (£678) using just a tiny 46 kW hours per year.

Now, let’s dig a little deeper into why we need energy-efficient kitchen applications and why they will benefit you…

…or just click right here to jump to the full product reviews.

Why are energy bills so high?

The energy bills are so high at the moment because the UK is currently facing a cost of living crises, which experts believe is causing the average household yearly energy bill to jump from £1,971 to £3549.

This crisis was brought on by a number of factors.

Energy Output

According to a Government Energy Trends report (as of March 2023), despite renewable energy output (wind, solar, and hydro) being at a record high, energy production remains 14% below pre-pandemic levels.

This is making us more reliant on imports, which in turn pumps up the price of energy to supplies and to us.

COVID-19

The pandemic caused supply chain disruptions (amongst many, many other problems), particularly in the global gas market.

This, of course, affected the UK’s ability to secure gas supplies.

Brexit

Now that we’re out of the EU and no longer have access to all the benefits that entails, the UK’s access to the EU energy market has been affected leading to more cost. 

Closing of Power Plants

A number of power plants have closed in the past years, directly affecting energy output. 

However, according to the Government Energy Trends report, despite Nuclear operational capacity still being down because of this, the output was actually up on last year’s record low.

…so energy prices are high, but can energy-efficient appliances really make a dent in those bills? Let’s take a look.

Can energy-efficient appliances impact energy bills?

Yes, energy-efficient can have a significant impact on energy bills.

Why? Because these appliances are used to use less energy than their less efficient counterparts and less energy, means less cost.

According to Which, an energy-efficient fridge freezer will cost you around £49 per year in energy, whereas a standard one could add £300 to your annual bills.

…but before we go any further, it’s probably best to explain precisely what energy-efficient means.

What does “energy-efficient” mean?

Energy-efficient refers to products or systems that use less energy to perform the same tasks as their standard counterparts.

For example, an energy-efficient fridge should keep as cool as a standard fridge.

Are all appliances energy-efficient?

No, not all appliances are not energy-efficient but there are different degrees of efficiency based on the appliance design, features, and technology.

Generally speaking, the most energy-efficient appliances are the most expensive – they have the latest technology and more features than standard appliances. 

However, energy-efficient appliances will also save you the most money as time marches on.

…so how can tell whether an appliance is energy-efficient or not? Great question…

How do you identify an energy-efficient appliance?

In the UK, the energy-efficiency label system AKA the Energy Labeling Regulations is designed to provide consumers with information about the energy efficiency of appliances and products.

These appliances and products include:

• Fridges and fridge-freezers
• Washing machines and dryers
• Dishwashers
• Lighting products
• Televisions
• Air conditioners
• Heat pumps and boilers

How do energy labels work?

The energy rating labels provide a scale from A to G, with A being the most efficient and G the least.

The label also provides important information about the product’s energy consumption and other performance factors.

Label Origins

The labels are mandatory as part of the EU’s Energy Labeling Regulations, which aim to reduce energy consumption and promote the use of renewable energy.

Despite the UK no longer being in the EU, we have opted to use these regulations as part of its own energy efficiency policies regardless. 

So now that we know about energy-efficiency labels, let’s get down to the cold, hard numbers of it all.

How to calculate an appliance’s cost per day

There’s a way to calculate exactly how much an appliance will cost you per day.

Here’s how: take the wattage and multiply that by the hours of use per day. Then, divide the total by 1000. The result of which is the appliance’s estimated daily kilowatt-hour (kWh).

Best-performing energy-efficient kitchen appliances 2023

Energy-efficient slow cooker

Slow cookers are great cooking meals and meal prep. Often, I much slow-cooked meat to oven or fried – it just tastes more succulent to me.

…but I digress!

Getting into your slow-cooking game, you need an energy-efficient appliance as it’s probably going to be on and in use at any one time longer than an oven (and certainly a microwave).

Here are our selections, based on size.

Small energy-efficient slow cooker

For a small slow cooker, we recommend The Crockpot 1.8l.

This little beauty will set you back just £14.99 and is perfect for cooking smaller meals.

And the best thing? It’s just 100 watts to run – now that is efficient.

It’s also highly rated, with a 4.7 out of 5 rating on Amazon based on over 4000 reviews.

Medium energy-efficient slow cooker

For a medium energy-efficient slow cooker, we recommend The Morphy Richards Easy Time Slow Cooker.

At £54.97 it’s on the more expensive side of things, but it is 3.5l and only uses 165 watts. Also, with a 4.7 out of 5 rating on Amazon (for 597 reviews) you can be sure that you get what you pay for.

Large energy-efficient slow cooker

For a large slow cooker, we recommend The Crockpot 5.6l. With 4.6 out of 5 ratings and using just 240 watts, this is the very definition of energy-efficient.

Energy-efficient air fryer

In this day and age, it’s very much on trend to have an Air Fryer. And why not? They’re awesome and you can make delicious food.

…but can you get an energy-efficient? Absolutely!

With our recommended Corsori Air Fryer you can save up to 55% on energy bills. Yes, you read that right: 55%.

And with a 4.8 out 5 star raiting with over 15,000 reviews you can be more than sure that this Air Fryer is the real deal.

Energy-efficient combination microwave

The Toshiba combination microwave may not be much to look at, but it does its job and it does it well…and efficiently to boot.

Energy-efficient microwave

This Russell Hobbs microwave is a thing of beauty.

I mean look at it…just look at it!

And it’s efficient too. Using just 700 watts, it’s the most energy-efficient microwave we’ve found.

Energy-efficient kettle

Dualit is a brand synonymous with energy-efficient, and this beautiful kettle lives up to the brand’s ethos.

This pour over fast boil kettle has a great rating of 4.6 out of 5 (from 141 reviews) on Amazon and despite being a little on the pricey-side, it looks gorgeous and it’s very eco-friendly.

Energy-efficient toaster

Aigostar isn’t a well-known brand, but here they’ve produced a well-loved 2-slice toaster that hits all our marks:

• At £24.99 it’s a great price.
• It uses just 750 watts, so it’s eco-friendly.
• It looks good.
• It’s got a 4.3 rating for over 1700 reviews.

…what’s not to love?

Energy-efficient fridge-freezer

This Russell Hobbs fridge freezer is as elegant as it is eco-friendly.

At just £260.99, it uses only ‎222 Kilowatt Hours Per Year and has a respectable 4.3 out of 5 rating on Amazon.

Energy-efficient fridge

This Miele fridge is on another level in terms of energy efficiency.

You would expect it to have less annual energy consumption than the eco-friendly fridge -freezer we mention above, but using just ‎116 Kilowatt Hours per year it’s something else.

In our review of eco-friendly brands, Miele was number one on that list for good reason. They do great work making energy-efficient appliances, but they are known to be on the more expensive-side.

This fridge is no different at over £1000, but with the long-term saving on energy is this really so expensive? I think not.

Energy-efficient dishwasher

The Bosch Serie 2 dishwasher is energy-efficient using just ‎258 Kilowatt Hours per year (compared to 300+ from it’s rivals) and maintains a label rating of A++.

With a good 4.5 out of 5 rating on Amazon, you can also be assured that you’re getting quality for your money, as well as energy efficiency.

Energy-efficient washing machine

Another Bosch appliance in the list – looks like Bosch’s washing up range is…cleaning up! (not even sorry about that one).

This Bosch washing machine has an A energy rating, using just ‎46 Kilowatt Hours per year.

And with 4.6 out of 5 ratings on Amazon (from a 1000+ reviews) other people who have bought this love it.

Energy-Efficient Kitchen Appliances: Final Thoughts

Just looking at the wattage used and the energy rating label between different kitchen appliances can really open your eyes.

Sometimes there’s not much in it, other times there’s a vast difference, so it’s always worth comparing – the results will shock you.

The good news is: there is a wide range of energy-efficient kitchen appliances out there for you to choose from AND a lot of them are stylish and look great.

The bad news is: they’re more likely to cost you a little extra money because they’re energy-efficient.

Whatever kitchen appliances you decided to purchase, at least now you will know what to look for and how to determine just how much money you can save.