We all have used appliances before as a part of our everyday functioning. Whether it's the microwave, the fridge, or the hot water heater, it's important that you understand the basics of each appliance. This will help you to better choose appliances in the future and assist you in getting the most out of the existing appliances that you have. To make this as simple as possible, we're going to look at each appliance one by one. 

Fridge

Refrigerators are a common appliance for any home as they house most of our food. It's important to remember that these appliances are running around the clock, so they take up a lot of energy. When considering the cost of running this appliance, it's best to opt for those Energy Star rated. While saving a couple of hundred dollars a year may not seem extravagant, consider the lifetime use of your fridge around ten years and the total amount of savings you'll receive over that time drastically adds up. 

Fridges come in a lot of different styles. You can get a side-by-side fridge and freezer unit. You can get a fridge on top and freezer on the bottom unit. Different units come with various doors styles and opening spans. The cheapest models will be those with the fridge on the bottom and freezer on top. You can opt for fridges that have other amenities like water and ice dispensers and temperature controlled drawers. It's best to consider the size of your kitchen space and your personal needs when determining what type of fridge to buy. Expect to see prices between 850 and 2500 dollars per unit.

Ranges

Also referred to as ovens, ranges tend to be either gas or electric. The type of fuel you use will highly depend on what's available from your utility company. In most cases, you'll replace a range that has the same type of energy source to keep things simple. For example, if you currently have an electric stove, upgrading to another electric stove is your easiest purchase. 

When it comes to buying a new range, there are a couple of things to consider. The size of the space that you have and clean-ability of the range are the most important. Since the range will only be running for a select time period, there's really no major energy efficient models as their electricity use are minimal. Ranges cost, on average, between 750 and 900 dollars. You can expect them to last around 12 to 15 years. 

Space Heaters

Space heaters can provide an essential form of heat for those areas of your home that simply don't get enough. However, there is a lot of buzz about the electricity costs associated with running space heaters. The more you know about the type of space heater that you'll be using, the better you can control the electricity costs. When first deciding on a heater, there are a few things you'll need to consider. 

First, is the type of heater that you're going to purchase. There are numerous styles out there like radiant, fan-forced, and convection. Next, you'll want to consider the room size that will need to be heated. The heating capacity rating will be listed on each space heater model so that you can ensure it's fully capable of heating the size room that you need. How much electricity does a space heater use? You'll need to understand that too. Take a look at the various features of energy saver modes, low wattages, programmable times, and adjustable thermostats that can all play a role in the price to run the heater. 

Whether you rent or own a home, you have appliances that you use. Understanding how they work and what to look for is essential to getting the most out of each appliance. The above list is meant to give you some direction when looking at fridges, ranges, and space heaters. There are many other appliances that we can utilize in our homes which all come along with some individual knowledge of their own.