What should I consider when buying new electrical appliances?

To be more eco-friendly when buying appliances, you can:

• Buy the right size appliance for your home.
• Choose appliances with a good energy efficiency rating.
• Buy secondhand.

When you are choosing new energy appliances for your home, for example a new kettle, you should consider the size of the appliance. Only buy the size you need for your family. Bigger appliances use more energy and therefore cost more money to run. You can look in detail at the number of people the appliance caters for or the capacity size; for example, when buying a new washing machine, a 5kg drum size will suit a family of three.  

Once you have decided what size appliance you want, look for the energy efficiency label. This label tells you how much energy the appliance uses. You should look for the appliance that uses the least energy. Although this may mean products are slightly more expensive, they will likely save you money in the long run through cheaper energy bills - they also help the environment. 

Energy efficiency ratings follow a scale of A to G, with A being the most efficient and G being the least. Some appliances use an older scale, from A+++ to G, with A+++ being the most efficient. Where possible, choose the appliance that's the right size for your home and has an A rated efficiency.

Which provide a useful guide on how to save money with energy efficient appliances.

Buying secondhand can also be a good way to help the environment when shopping for appliances. There are good quality secondhand appliances available, these will often be advertised on local sites such as Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree.