If you have ever been into an electronics store or you have just got yourself a new appliance, you might have noticed the shiny label with stars on it. Most people have a glance at it, look at the number of stars, and move on. But these stars represent much more than you actually can imagine. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) is the one that decides the star ratings, and understanding it properly could save you thousands of rupees a year. So without wasting much time, let’s take a detailed deep dive into how these energy ratings work.
Also Read: How to choose air purifier for Indian homes: Top things to consider
India’s BEE star rating system runs on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 star means the energy efficiency is not good, while 5 stars mean that the appliance is the most energy-efficient in its category. Though it’s important to understand that the rating isn’t a fixed standard, rather it keeps on changing.
The BEE actually revises the benchmarks every two to three years, which means that a 5-star appliance from 2021 may only qualify for 3 stars after a while. This is done so that manufacturers keep on improving efficiency.
For the consumers, it means you should always check the label’s validity year before assuming you’re getting the best deal. Also, the label doesn’t just show stars; if you look closer, you’ll also be able to find the annual energy consumption figure in kWh, which is the number you should actually be doing maths with.
Since it’s the summer season across India right now, let’s first start with air conditioners. For the ACs available in India, they use the Indian Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (ISEER) as their efficiency metric. So the higher the value, the less electricity the AC consumes to deliver the same cooling output.
A simpler way to understand the efficiency is that while a 5-star 1.5-ton AC would have an ISEER value of 5.0 or above, a 3-star unit with the same capacity would sit closer to 3.5. In terms of electricity consumption, if you run a 5-star 1.5-ton AC for 8 hours a day across a five-month summer, you’ll consume roughly 900–1,000 kWh. On the other hand, the same usage on a 3-star model could push that figure past 1,300 kWh.
Let’s assume 7 per unit of electricity, and that puts a difference of over Rs 2,000 in a single season. Given that ACs are a long-term purchase, it makes a lot of sense to shell out more money for a higher-star variant.
After ACs, the most used appliance during the summer season is refrigerators. It’s a bit of a different case here, since they are always-on appliances, which makes their energy rating even more critical.
Let’s take a 250-litre 5-star refrigerator, for example; it would ideally consume around 175 to 190 kWh per year. On the other hand, a similar 3-star model of the same capacity would easily clock in around 230 to 260 kWh. If you’re looking to buy a refrigerator, it makes a lot more sense to purchase the one with less energy consumption.
In the case of washing machines, the BEE ratings apply to both the fully automatic front-load and top-load models. Generally, the front-load models are more efficient because they use less water and tumble clothes rather than stirring them, which alone reduces energy draw significantly. In the case of a 5-star front-load machine, it would use less than half the electricity of a 3-star top-load machine. So all in all, it would make more sense to pick a front-load machine instead of a top-load one if you’re after more electricity efficiency.
Last but not least, in the case of televisions, the rating is based on wattage during active use and standby consumption. The higher-end OLED panels tend to score better in standby, but they can draw more power when bright and high-contrast content is played. In all honesty, more than the label itself, the more important aspect is your viewing habits.
Let me give a quick cheat sheet for anyone who’s looking to save on energy in their appliances. It’s best to multiply the annual consumption, which would be in kWh, by the electricity rate per unit in your area. This would give out the yearly operating cost for your appliance. Now it’s as simple as comparing that figure with the price difference between a 3-star and 5-star model.
In most cases, the payback period for a 5-star appliance is under three years. The upfront cost of a higher-rated appliance almost always makes financial sense for long-running devices like ACs, refrigerators and washing machines.
Also Read: Portable AC vs window AC: Which one consumes less electricity and offers better cooling