Start with the appliance that has a high reference consumption and whose use genuinely reflects your own: refrigeration is often worth examining first because it runs continuously, while dishwashers, hobs and ovens should be compared according to their capacity, cycles or cooking method. According to ADEME, a newer, larger or more feature-rich appliance does not automatically reduce household consumption.
You want to know which kitchen appliance to examine first and use a fridge, fridge freezer or freezer that runs continuously. The volume you genuinely need and the features you choose matter before replacing it. According to ADEME and the European Commission, compare annual consumption with storage capacity.
You regularly use a dishwasher, hob or oven. Comparisons should then be made on a like-for-like basis: cycles and place settings for the dishwasher, capacity and cooking modes for the oven, or cookware compatibility for induction.
You want to distinguish between a worthwhile replacement and simply changing your habits. National averages and energy ratings are useful comparison points, not a forecast of your personal consumption.
First compare the appliances that match the way you actually use them, then check the measurements relevant to each category. ADEME guidance and the European Commission’s energy-label information help you compare appliances with similar functions and capacities.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Identify which appliance to examine | For refrigeration, compare kWh/year across similar capacities and compartments. For dishwashing and cooking, relate consumption to the number of cycles and your actual frequency of use. | I want to start with the appliance that has the biggest impact in my kitchen, without replacing every appliance indiscriminately. |
| Compare on an equivalent basis | Dishwasher: kWh per 100 Eco cycles, place settings, water per cycle and duration. Refrigeration: kWh/year and capacities. Oven: kWh/cycle according to the mode used and capacity in litres. | I need to be able to compare appliances that provide the same service and whose capacity suits my household. |
| Match capacity to how you use it | Choose the useful refrigeration capacity you need, check how full the appliance is and use the dishwasher’s Eco programme, and make sure your cookware is compatible before switching to induction. | I would rather avoid an oversized appliance or features I will not use, and check first whether a change in usage is enough. |
A larger fridge or freezer with additional compartments does not meet the same needs as a compact model. According to ADEME and the European Commission, the rating should be considered alongside kWh/year and capacity.
Compare kWh/year, refrigerator and freezer litres, then choose a capacity suited to the amount you actually store.
This measurement applies to the Eco programme and should be considered alongside capacity, water per cycle, programme duration and the number of cycles used by your household.
Compare similar capacities and use the Eco programme as your benchmark. Also check that a longer cycle suits the way you organise your day.
The European Commission states that hobs are not subject to a mandatory energy label, unlike ovens. An energy-rating letter therefore cannot be used to compare these two categories directly.
For a hob, check the technology, compatible cookware and your cooking habits. For an oven, compare consumption per cycle in the mode you actually use.
ADEME’s tables are based on standard formats, usage frequencies and reference consumption levels that do not describe every household.
Use these figures to decide what to examine, then compare them with your current appliance, its capacity, condition and your frequency of use before buying.
Joybuy options covering refrigeration, dishwashing and cooking hobs as part of this decision.
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Worth considering for a household looking for a moderately sized fridge freezer.
Advertised capacity: 187 L refrigerator and 75 L freezer; advertised consumption: 215 kWh/year. Width: 54 cm; height: 176 cm.
The Low Frost freezer requires manual defrosting approximately once or twice a year. Make sure the installation environment stays between 16 and 38 °C and that the 70/30 split suits your storage needs.
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Suitable for a small amount of washing-up when space is limited.
Advertised capacity: 3 place settings, up to 16 items; dimensions: 49 × 34 × 49 cm. Advertised consumption is 0.39 kWh and 2.9 L per cycle.
Install it near a power socket, water inlet and waste outlet. Check the Eco programme’s kWh/100 cycles, duration and water per cycle before comparing it with a standard dishwasher.
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Worth considering if your household needs plenty of storage space.
Advertised capacity: 235 L refrigerator and 125 L freezer; advertised consumption: 271 kWh/year. Dimensions: 185 cm high, 59.5 cm wide and 66.7 cm deep.
The 360 L format should match your actual storage needs. Compare its annual consumption with that of a similar-capacity appliance and check the available installation space.
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Worth considering if you are replacing an existing hob in a kitchen ready for built-in installation.
Three zones, touch controls, residual-heat indicators and child lock. Required cut-out: 560 × 490 mm; advertised power: 7200 W.
This hob requires ferromagnetic cookware and a dedicated circuit installed by a qualified electrician. Hobs do not have a European energy label comparable with an oven’s.
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Could suit a household that cooks with several pans at the same time.
Four independent zones, nine power levels, pan detection and individual timers. Required cut-out: 560 × 490 mm; advertised supply: 220–240 V with a 32 A fuse.
Check cabinet ventilation, the electrical circuit and the compatibility of magnetic pans before installation.
There is no universal order: start with the appliance that uses the most energy in your actual household. In ADEME’s guidance, refrigeration is among the main kitchen energy uses because it operates 24 hours a day; a fridge freezer is listed at 315 kWh/year and a freezer at 300 kWh/year in this reference scenario. These figures do not predict your personal bill.
No. According to the European Commission, a refrigeration label includes details such as kWh/year and capacity, while a dishwasher label shows kWh per 100 Eco cycles, capacity, water per cycle and duration. First compare appliances with the same function and a suitable capacity.
No. The European Commission states that there is no energy-labelling requirement for hobs, whereas ovens have a label showing consumption per cycle according to the cooking mode and capacity. So check the hob technology, your cookware and the installation requirements.
Yes. It provides the benchmark for comparing the stated consumption. ADEME indicates that the Eco programme is often the reference programme and the most economical in terms of water and electricity; compare appliances on this basis and run them fully loaded without pre-rinsing when suitable for your dishes.
Not automatically. Check its type, capacity, condition, stated or measured consumption and how often you use it. For refrigeration, a newer, larger model or one with additional features may increase consumption; for dishwashers and ovens, the programme, load and frequency of use also affect the result.