When it comes to appliances, some use more power than others. In New Zealand, the biggest electricity consumers are the same as in other countries: heating and cooling systems, hot water heaters and large kitchen appliances.
Heating and cooling systems are typically the heaviest users of electricity in New Zealand households. This includes air conditioners, heat pumps and ducted heating systems. These can consume up to 3-5 kilowatts of power while they’re running, which is enough to power several other electrical items at once.
Hot water heaters are also major energy consumers in New Zealand homes. Electric hot water cylinders can consume up to 4 kilowatts of electricity when switched on – that’s enough to run a washing machine or dishwasher at the same time! Gas hot water cylinders may be less efficient but still use an average of 2 kilowatts per hour when operating.
Large kitchen appliances such as fridges, freezers, ovens and cooktops can also take up a lot of electricity depending on their size and how often they’re used. A typical household refrigerator uses about 1-2 kilowatts per hour while running – that’s equivalent to two lightbulbs or a laptop computer! Ovens typically use around 0.8-1 kilowatt per hour while cooking meals but this varies depending on how much you’re using them for baking or roasting foods instead of just reheating leftovers from last night’s dinner!
Finally, clothes dryers are another big consumer of energy in New Zealand homes due to their high wattage ratings (typically between 1-3 kilowatts). Although these machines save us time by drying our clothes quickly, they also waste lots of energy if used too often or for too long periods at a time – so try not to rely on them too much during summer months when you can hang your laundry out instead!