Elegant GalaxyCut Your Electricity Bill Without Sacrificing Comfort
Most Indian households overpay on electricity because of a few fixable habits. Small changes, appliance by appliance, add up to ₹2,000–₹5,000 saved per year.
The average Indian household's electricity bill has climbed 15–20% in the last two years. The appliances you already own are often the biggest levers - not because they're inefficient, but because they're used inefficiently. Here's what actually moves the needle, appliance by appliance.
Television: Standby Power Is Real
A TV left in standby mode draws 2–8W continuously. That's 70–280 units per year just sitting idle - up to ₹280 at ₹1/unit. Use the power strip switch or the TV's energy-saving 'auto power off' feature. Also: drop screen brightness from default (usually 80–100%) to 50–60%. Manufacturers ship TVs with high brightness for showroom lighting - at home it's unnecessarily bright and wastes 20–30% of screen power.
Enable 'Auto Brightness' or 'Ambient Light Sensing' on your Elegant Galaxy TV - it adjusts brightness based on room lighting and can cut display power consumption by up to 25% with no visible quality difference.
Washing Machine: Temperature Is Everything
Heating water accounts for up to 90% of washing machine electricity consumption. Washing at 40°C instead of 60°C uses roughly half the energy, and modern detergents are formulated to work effectively in cold water. Reserve hot washes for bedsheets, towels, and heavily soiled items - not everyday clothing.
Washing Temperature vs Energy Use
| Temperature | Relative Energy Use | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Cold / 20°C | Lowest | Lightly worn clothes, synthetics, colours |
| 40°C | Moderate | Regular cottons, everyday laundry |
| 60°C | High | Bedsheets, towels, baby clothes |
| 90°C | Highest | Heavily soiled items, sanitising |
Air Cooler vs Air Conditioner
An air cooler running at full speed draws 150–200W. A 1-ton AC draws 800–1200W. On a summer afternoon, that's a difference of 600–1000W every hour. Using a cooler during dry months (before monsoon) and switching to AC only when humidity makes the cooler ineffective can save ₹1,500–₹3,000 per season for a typical household.
Infrared Cooktop: Use the Right Wattage Setting
Infrared cooktops offer multiple power levels. Most people leave them on maximum and waste energy. Bringing water to a boil? Full power. Simmering dal? 40–50% power is enough. Cooking roti? 70% is sufficient after the first one. Getting familiar with the lower settings on your cooktop takes one week and makes a noticeable difference.
Quick Wins That Require Zero Habit Change
Enable auto power-off on your TV (Settings → Energy → Auto Standby)
Switch to cold wash as your washing machine's default cycle
Use a power strip for your TV and set-top box - one switch cuts all standby draw
Set your cooler to 'low' or 'medium' fan speed at night - you won't notice the difference while sleeping
Cover pots and pans when boiling - cuts boiling time by 30%, saving cooktop energy
The Bigger Picture: BEE Star Ratings
The most effective long-term action is replacing old, low-rated appliances with 4- or 5-star BEE rated ones when they're due for replacement. A 5-star rated 1-ton AC can cost ₹3,000–₹5,000 less per year to run than a 10-year-old 2-star model. The payback period on a modern appliance is often 2–3 years - then you're saving every year after that.
The best time to care about a star rating is before you buy - not after. Every year you run a low-efficiency appliance is a year you pay for the cheaper purchase price.
- Ansh Awal, Operations Manager, Elegant Galaxy