What It CostsWill replacing it pay for itself?
Every efficient appliance is sold on its running cost. The only question that matters is how many years it takes to get the difference back.
One thing off the bill each month
MonthlyOne appliance a month worth measuring or changing, and what it does to the yearly total. No tariff pitches, no prices — the numbers that stay true.
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How this works
Typical paybacks
What replacing an old appliance with an efficient one saves a year, and how long that takes to pay for itself.
| Replacement | Saving a year at $0.17 | Typical price gap | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vented → heat pump dryer | $78 | $300 | ~4 years |
| 15-year-old → new fridge freezer | $43 | $700 | ~16 years |
| Resistance heater → mini split | $294 | $3,000 | ~10 years |
| Tank → heat pump water heater | $442 | $1,500 | ~3 years |
| Single → variable-speed pool pump | $214 | $800 | ~4 years |
Paybacks shorten wherever electricity is dearer. The same heat pump dryer pays back roughly twice as fast in Germany as in the United States.
Frequently asked questions
Should I compare against the full price or the price gap?
The gap, when the old appliance needs replacing anyway — you were going to buy something. Compare against the full price only when the old one still works and the replacement is purely a running-cost decision.
Where do I get the yearly kWh figures?
The energy label gives an annual figure for both. For the old appliance, if the label is long gone, the wattage table and your own usage hours give a good estimate — or measure it with a plug-in monitor for a fortnight and multiply.
Does the payback change if electricity gets dearer?
Yes, and in your favour. A payback calculated at today’s price is conservative if prices rise, which is why the price per kWh is a column rather than a constant — run it twice and see.