Buy smarter, save money!

The German Consumer Foundation "Stiftung Warentest" is helping consumers choose energy-saving appliances.

Anyone looking to buy a new, energy-saving, climate-friendly appliance can now access free information on numerous appliances' energy consumption. Germany's independent consumer foundation "Stiftung Warentest" has launched a new website www.test.de/spargeraete which offers information about leading brands of domestic appliances and electronic home entertainment equipment.

The website provides lists of energy data for dishwashers, DVD players, heat pumps and washing machines, etc., helping consumers make the right choice when buying energy-efficient appliances. Besides energy consumption data, the website also publishes the results of quality testing for the individual products.
Among TV purchasers, for example, the latest plasma and LCD models are in great demand. Here, the larger the screen, the more electricity is consumed. Assuming average usage of four hours a day over a 12-year period, electricity costs can vary from around € 163 to € 1565.

Average household halves annual energy costs
Old fridges are some of the worst energy guzzlers in the home. New appliances are far more energy-efficient, which is why purchasing a new appliance is often worthwhile. The online tables also list many models rated "very good" and "good", along with energy consumption data, with new product categories being added all the time.
According to a recent report by Stiftung Warentest, an average four-person household can halve its annual energy costs by consistently switching to energy-efficient electrical appliances. Protecting the climate is not only good for the environment; it pays off for everyone. So whether you are choosing a video projector, a vacuum cleaner or a hairdryer - why not buy smart and save money?

A wide range of advisory services helps consumers save money
According to "test Spezial Energie", a special publication from Stiftung Warentest (May 2009), energy-saving bulbs offer the greatest potential savings. By replacing just one conventional bulb with an energy-saving equivalent, the average consumer can cut energy costs by more than € 100 over the bulb's lifetime.
 
The scheme is part of a nationwide information campaign which encourages consumers to buy energy-saving products. It combines various advisory services from Stiftung Warentest, the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (vzbv) and the German Energy Agency (dena). The campaign is supported by the Federal Environment Ministry's Climate Initiative.