If you are considering buying an appliance as a holiday gift, you can do the person you are giving the gift to a favor by considering the EnergyGuide label as part of your product comparison shopping.
The general rule is the more energy efficient an appliance is the less it costs to operate, which means that money can be saved through energy efficiency.
The newly-revised, bright yellow-label energy guide includes, among other things, a cost range showing the estimated operating costs for models with similar features to what you are considering.
Indicated within the range is the estimated yearly operating cost for the particular product.
The range provides a rough idea of the cost of operating the particular appliance for a year (factoring in the estimated electricity use for the product with the national average cost of energy).
The label also gives an estimate of the amount of energy the particular product uses each year in kWh. The actual cost depends on utility rates and individual use.
Many, but not all, appliances are required to have labels. Also, the data provide only estimated operating costs, based on national average pricing. How an appliance is used affects the amount of electricity the appliance uses.
For more information, go to www.ftc.gov/appliances .
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