Appliances can account for about 20% of your household's energy consumption. Refrigerators and clothes dryers are typically the appliances that use the most energy.
If you are looking for a new appliance, look for the ENERGY STAR® label. ENERGY STAR® appliances have been identified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) as the most energy-efficient products available. An ENERGY STAR® appliance will typically use at least 10% less energy than standard equipment that meets federal minimum efficiency requirements.
The federal government requires most appliances to display the bright yellow EnergyGuide label that provides an estimate of annual energy consumption and typical operating cost for the appliance. To help you compare, a scale provides a range of energy use estimates for similar models. EnergyGuide labels frequently note whether the product is ENERGY STAR qualified. | 
