Green appliance use 'can cut your bills'

Considerate appliance use could make you greener and more efficient around the home, it has been advised.

Those looking to be greener around the home can do so by carefully considering how they use their appliances, one expert suggests. Debbie Arrington notes in a piece for the Sacramento Bee that some kitchen gadgets are more efficient for tackling certain jobs.

Citing tips from Carter Oosterhouse, host of HGTV's Red, Hot & Green, she says people should consider how they use their most convenient appliances. "Use the microwave oven instead of the convection oven whenever you can. Not only will you save time, you'll save up to 50 per cent in energy costs for cooking. The microwave oven is a great way to steam vegetables," Ms Arrington adds.

In addition, she says only running the dishwasher with a full load and allowing items to air-dry is a more efficient way to operate the unit.

Larger families may be interested in the Bosch SBV69M10GB dishwasher as not only does the model have space for up to 14 place settings, it is also A-rated for washing and drying performance.