Appliance Energy Label Comparison Sheet

Who this is for

The cost of an appliance over the years you keep it, not just at the till. Copy each label's energy figure and your own use; the running cost at your price per kWh is added to the price.

Anyone choosing a fridge, freezer, washing machine, dishwasher, dryer, oven or television who wants to compare models on what they will cost to own.

What this helps you track

• Price, delivery, installation and removal for each model
• The energy figure from each label, on the basis the label uses
• Running cost over the years you expect to keep it, at your tariff
• Total cost to own, so a cheaper model that costs more to run shows up
• Energy class, capacity, water use, noise and warranty side by side

How to use it

1. Write the appliance type, your price per kWh from your bill, how many years you expect to keep it and the date at the top.
2. For each model, enter the price and any delivery, installation or removal charges.
3. Copy the energy figure from the label, choose the basis it is printed on, and enter your own cycles or hours a year where the label is not yearly.
4. kWh a year, running cost and total are worked out in the browser and the workbook; on paper, work across each row.
5. Fill the label details table from the same labels, tick the shortlist and choose.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser
• Excel / Google Sheets workbook

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The workbook uses plain formulas only — SUM, IF, COUNTIF and the like — so it opens in Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets without anything breaking, and every calculated cell is grey so you can see which figures it worked out.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

Why do labels use different units?

Labels give energy in the unit that suits the product: a year for fridges, per 100 cycles for washing machines and dishwashers, per 1000 hours for televisions. Choose the basis printed on your label and the sheet converts it to a year at your use.

What do I put in uses a year?

Your own estimate in the label's unit: cycles a year for a washing machine or dishwasher, hours a year for a television. For a label that already gives kWh a year, leave it blank.

Can I compare energy classes between products?

Compare classes only between labels on the same scale. Labels have been rescaled over the years in some regions, so a letter on an old label and one on a new label may not mean the same. The kWh figure is the safer comparison.

Does the sheet include water costs?

No. Water use is recorded in the label details table for comparison, but only electricity is costed, at your own price per kWh.