12 Energy Efficient Home Appliances That Actually Cut Bills: Energy Star Picks, Payback Times & Smart Upgrades

Justin McCurdy
Nov 17
12 min read

12 Energy Efficient Home Appliances That Actually Cut Bills: Energy Star Picks, Payback Times & Smart Upgrades

If you want lower utility bills without sacrificing comfort, energy efficient home appliances are the friendliest place to start. I help people across the United States make smart choices that pay off, and I know it can feel like a maze of specs, rebates, and glossy marketing. The good news is that real savings show up when you match the right ENERGY STAR certified products to your lifestyle, then use a couple of smart settings that multiply the results. In this guide, I’ll share my favorite picks, honest payback times, and practical upgrades I use in my own home and share with readers regularly via guides and newsletters.

Before we dive in, here’s how I think about upgrades. First, tackle the energy hogs that run daily or for long cycles. Next, choose models with inverter or variable-speed technology where possible because they sip rather than gulp power. Finally, stack easy wins like smart controls and habit tweaks to squeeze out an extra 10 to 20 percent. Ready to stop guessing and start saving for real?

Why Efficiency Pays Off in Real Life

Let’s talk about where the money hides. Heating water, keeping food cold, washing clothes, and drying them quietly churn through electricity measured in kilowatt-hour (kWh), and those kWh add up month after month. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) estimate that ENERGY STAR certified models can cut energy use by 10 to 50 percent depending on the category, which is huge over a 10-year appliance lifespan. Think of your home as a team where a few star players log the most minutes, and when you upgrade those starters, the scoreboard changes fast.

I’ve watched families save hundreds per year by changing only two or three high-impact appliances, then fine-tuning how they run. Swap a tired water heater for a heat pump model, add a smart thermostat to your heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, and choose a front-load washer. Suddenly, you’re not just trimming costs, you’re also getting quieter cycles, faster dry times, and better results. And because so many utilities now offer rebates, plus new federal incentives in many regions, your upfront costs can shrink more than you expect. That’s why I always check rebates first, not last.

12 Energy Efficient Home Appliances Worth Buying Now

Here are the 12 upgrades I recommend most often, based on real-world paybacks, everyday convenience, and reliability. If you like to visualize how these will look in your space, I offer EZRenovizer — our photo-based home renovation visualizer — available as a monthly subscription (listed price $10/month) with a 7‑day free trial; access is provided via a paid site membership (the site also offers a free account tier). EZRenovizer lets you upload photos and preview finishes and selected layout elements — for example flooring, cabinet colors, paint, tile and vanity options — to see how they appear in your actual rooms. Use these picks as your short list, then we’ll layer in prices and paybacks in the table below.

Heat Pump Water Heater — This is the quiet money-saver so many people overlook. It moves heat instead of generating it, often cutting water heating costs by 50 to 70 percent compared to standard electric tanks. Most models include vacation mode and timers, which are perfect for off-peak schedules.
Ductless Mini-Split or Central Heat Pump — For heating and cooling, inverter-driven heat pumps deliver efficient comfort in most climates. Paired with a smart thermostat, you can dial in schedules and zoning so rooms feel right without wasting energy.
ENERGY STAR Refrigerator — Today’s fridges use less power than older models by a mile. Look for variable-speed compressors and good door seals. Consider a slightly smaller cubic-foot size if you consistently have empty shelves; right-sizing matters.
Induction Range or Cooktop — Induction heats pans directly, offering precise control and faster boils with less wasted heat. If you’re switching from gas, you’ll also improve indoor air quality and keep the kitchen cooler in summer.
ENERGY STAR Dishwasher — Modern washers use smart soil sensors and efficient spray arms. Run full loads, use eco cycles, and let the door air-dry at the end for extra savings without sacrificing sparkle.
Front-Load High-Efficiency (HE) Washer — Front-loaders use less water and spin faster, which shortens dryer time. Use cold cycles when possible, and a high spin speed to wring out more moisture before drying.
Heat Pump Dryer — Ventless or vented options use lower temperatures and capture heat efficiently. They’re kinder to fabrics and can cut energy use by 20 to 40 percent versus conventional electric dryers.
Microwave or Countertop Convection Oven — For small meals, these beat your full-size oven on energy use and speed. Think weeknight reheat, crispy veggies, and late-night snacks without firing up the big box.
Ceiling Fans with Direct Current (DC) Motors — Energy-sipping DC motors move more air with less power. In summer, run fans to feel cooler and nudge the thermostat up; in winter, reverse them to gently push warm air down.
ENERGY STAR Dehumidifier — A dry basement feels better and eases the burden on your air conditioner. Efficient models remove the same moisture using fewer kilowatt-hour (kWh), which matters in humid regions.
Smart Thermostat — Schedule, geofence, and optimize setbacks for your heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. Many households see 8 to 15 percent heating and cooling savings with simple, automated routines.
Advanced Smart Power Strip — Entertainment centers and home offices leak power when idle. A smart strip kills standby loads and can be set to turn peripherals off when the main device sleeps.

Payback Table: Costs, Savings and Quick Wins

Numbers help you prioritize, so I pulled together typical ranges I see in the field. Your home, climate, and usage patterns will shift results, but this is a reliable starting point. Savings are annual estimates versus comparable non-ENERGY STAR or older models, based on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) guidance and utility data. Payback is a simple estimate and does not include rebates, which can shorten timelines significantly.

Two quick notes. First, if your utility rate is high, the savings above often go up, and the reverse is true in low-cost regions. Second, rebates and tax credits can dramatically change payback math. When the total installed price drops by a few hundred dollars, the simple payback can shift from six years to three years instantly.

Smart Upgrades, Settings and Habits That Stack the Savings

Buying the right appliance is half the win; using it well seals the deal. On heat pump water heaters, enable vacation mode when you travel, and if your utility offers time-of-use billing, heat water during off-peak hours and you’ll bank savings you can actually feel. For front-load high-efficiency (HE) washers, use cold cycles for most loads, pick an eco program, and choose the highest spin speed to cut dryer time by 15 to 30 percent. With a heat pump dryer, clean the filters regularly and avoid overfilling so the lower-temperature cycles can do their efficient magic.

In the kitchen, induction has a small learning curve, but it rewards you with speed and control. Use flat-bottomed pans that a magnet sticks to, and try the built-in simmer settings for perfectly steady heat. Dishwashers love full loads, and if yours has a door-pop or air-dry option, use it to avoid the energy-hungry heated dry. Around the house, ceiling fans with direct current (DC) motors can raise your summer thermostat by 2 to 4 degrees Fahrenheit while maintaining comfort, because moving air increases evaporative cooling at your skin. That tiny setpoint bump reduces air conditioning runtime more than you might expect.

Set your smart thermostat to pre-heat or pre-cool before peak pricing hours and let temperatures float slightly during the most expensive time.
Use an advanced smart power strip to control gaming consoles and streaming gear, which often pull noticeable standby power.
Add a dehumidifier to damp spaces to lighten the load on your main air conditioner, especially in basements and first floors.
Right-size your refrigerator so it’s comfortably full; an oversized, half-empty fridge wastes both space and energy.

Rebates, Timing and Buying Like a Pro

Here’s a tip I wish every homeowner knew: shop with rebates in mind from the start. Many utilities post seasonal bonus incentives for heat pump water heaters and smart thermostats, and some regions offer generous support for heat pump space heating and cooling. Federal programs and state agencies update incentives regularly, and there are income-based incentives in certain areas that can cover a substantial portion of costs. The difference between list price and your after-rebate price can be the difference between “maybe next year” and “let’s order it now.”

When you’re replacing a failing appliance under time pressure, it’s easy to buy whatever is in stock. If you can, plan replacements six months ahead so you can choose a model you love, catch a sale, and line up rebates. I also keep a simple worksheet with model numbers, energy ratings, and must-have features. If you like visuals, you can mock up your kitchen or laundry space in EZRenovizer to preview finishes, cabinet and flooring options, and how selected elements look on photos of your real space. A half hour of planning now prevents those “why doesn’t this door clear the wall” headaches later.

From House Hunt to Home Upgrade: How I Help

If you’re shopping for a house, I bake long-term efficiency into the strategy from day one. My guides show how to spot the big-ticket items at showings, like the age of the water heater, the type of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), and the general condition of the electrical panel, so you know what to budget for after closing. For growing families and first-time buyers, that clarity can be the difference between a home that stretches you thin and one that builds breathing room month after month. And if you already own, we’ll evaluate your current lineup and target the top two or three upgrades that deliver the fastest payback.

On Justin’s Key to Home Life, I break the process down into plain-English guides, checklists, and short tutorials. You’ll find home buying advice, financing and mortgage tips, smart home technology insights, modern home design ideas, and lifestyle upgrades that make everyday living easier. I also share kitchen cooking appliances, devices and gadgets I’ve tested in real kitchens, along with simple how-tos and credit building advice to support your bigger goals. My whole mission is to make the path to owning, designing, and modernizing a home feel doable, step by step, with zero fluff.

What to Replace First: A Simple Decision Ladder

Not sure where to start? Use this quick ladder I use with clients. First, replace safety risks or failing gear immediately. Second, target the biggest energy users running daily or for long cycles, like water heaters and dryers. Third, capture easy control wins with a smart thermostat and advanced smart power strips. Finally, optimize comfort with ceiling fans and a dehumidifier so you can dial back the heating and cooling a notch without noticing a thing.

Is anything unsafe or leaking? Replace that first and use the opportunity to go efficient.
What runs the most hours each day? Prioritize those upgrades to move the monthly bill.
Are you missing simple controls? Add a smart thermostat and smart strips within a weekend.
Could comfort be better? Ceiling fans and a dehumidifier can transform how the home feels.

One last pro move: track your baseline. Grab a few months of bills, note your average kilowatt-hour (kWh) use and costs, then check back after each upgrade. Watching the numbers drop is motivating, and it helps you decide the next best move with confidence.

Item-by-Item Tips You’ll Actually Use

I’m big on tips you can act on today. For the heat pump water heater, make sure you have enough room for airflow and consider a ducting kit if the space is tight. If placement is near living areas, set the fan to quiet mode at night. With heat pump heating, lock in a smart schedule and resist the urge to big-swing temperatures; inverter systems love steady setpoints, and sudden extremes can nudge usage up.

For refrigerators, clean the coils twice a year and leave space behind the unit for airflow. If you own a chest freezer in the garage and it’s over a decade old, consider replacing it with an ENERGY STAR model or moving more food into the main fridge to eliminate the second unit. On washers and dryers, keep lint filters clean, use dryer balls to shorten cycles, and try a drying rack for delicates to shave more minutes off each load. With ceiling fans, size the fan to the room and use the reverse switch in winter to push warm air down without creating a draft.

If you want a quick mental picture of your savings curve, imagine a bar chart where the first two bars are huge. Those are your water heating and space conditioning upgrades. The next bars shrink but stay meaningful for laundry, refrigeration, and dishwashing. The smallest bars are your smart controls and power strips, and they’re still worth it because they’re cheap, easy, and keep saving quietly in the background.

Choosing Models Without the Headache

When you’re comparing models, I keep it simple. Start with ENERGY STAR certified models, then sort by noise levels, capacity that fits your household, and features you will actually use every week. I like variable-speed compressors for refrigerators and heat pumps because they match output to demand and avoid wasteful stop-start cycles. For ranges, induction is my first pick for both efficiency and cooking quality; if you love to sear, look for a power-boost setting that pairs nicely with good ventilation using a high-capture, low-sone hood.

For washers and dishwashers, check for soil sensors, eco cycles, and strong third-party reliability ratings. Read two or three recent user reviews that mention the features you care about, like a quiet wash or a quick cycle, rather than scrolling for hours. If you want help narrowing choices fast, I can share shortlists I’ve built for first-time buyers, growing families, and downsizers, and you can plug those model choices into EZRenovizer to preview finishes and selected elements in your space before you buy.

A Quick Reality Check on Paybacks

Paybacks are estimates, not guarantees, and that’s okay. Your actual savings depend on your rates, climate, home size, and how you use the appliance. Still, when I look at hundreds of homes, the patterns are consistent. Heat pumps for water and space usually deliver the biggest absolute savings, whereas smart thermostats and power strips are the fastest to pay back because they cost so little. Kitchen appliances often deliver medium savings but big lifestyle wins, and when you run them daily, the math improves quickly.

If you’re trying to decide whether to replace an appliance that still works, I compare the annual savings to the resale value on the old unit, if any, and the risk of an emergency replacement later. Planning an upgrade on your timeline beats buying in a panic when inventory is thin and prices are high. When in doubt, give yourself a 12-month window to watch for sales, line up rebates, and prepare the space so installation goes smoothly.

Bringing It All Home

By now, you can probably see your top two or three upgrades clearly. Circle the items that run most in your home, look up your utility’s rebates tonight, and pick a weekend to set up smart controls. If you want a second set of eyes, my guides, checklists, and member resources can help you compare models, map the layout, and plan a smooth install. These resources help turn confusing specs into a confident plan that starts saving money the first month it’s live.

When you build a home that uses energy wisely, you free up cash for the fun stuff and make everyday living feel calmer. That’s why I put so much focus on the right gear and the right setup, not just a pretty checklist taped to the fridge. If you’re ready to go deeper, scan the tables above, make a shortlist, and lean on my checklists and templates to keep the process light and doable. Your future self will thank you every time the bill arrives and you think, hey, that’s lower again. And yes, I made sure this guide keeps the spotlight on energy efficient home appliances because they really do move the needle.

Quick reference recap of the 12 picks: Heat pump water heater, heat pump heating and cooling, ENERGY STAR refrigerator, induction range, ENERGY STAR dishwasher, front-load high-efficiency (HE) washer, heat pump dryer, microwave or countertop convection oven, ceiling fans with direct current (DC) motors, ENERGY STAR dehumidifier, smart thermostat, and advanced smart power strip.

Ready to Build Momentum?

I’ll leave you with a simple path: lock in one big upgrade, one control upgrade, and one habit change. That trio is enough to see a measurable drop in your next bill. Keep going from there and each month gets a little easier, a little quieter, and a lot more comfortable.

If you want help choosing, financing, and planning, that’s exactly why I created Justin’s Key to Home Life: to provide practical guides, checklists, templates, and tools that make decisions easier. I offer home buying advice, financing and mortgage tips, design ideas, smart tech insights, and straightforward how-tos. For visual planners, EZRenovizer — our photo-based visualizer — is available as a monthly subscription (listed price $10/month) with a 7‑day free trial and is accessible via a paid site membership (the site also offers a free account tier), so you can preview ideas in your actual space and stop guessing.

When you’re ready, my guides and templates can help you build a tailored upgrade plan and a realistic timeline that fits your budget and your life. Let’s make your home more comfortable, more modern, and more affordable one smart choice at a time.

Final Thoughts

Efficient appliances, smart controls, and a few easy habits can shrink your bills without shrinking your lifestyle. In the next 12 months, imagine your home running quieter, cooler, and cheaper while the design still feels like you. What’s the first upgrade you’ll lock in to kick off your momentum?