The Best Green Appliances for Your Apartment

When you live in an apartment, composting and sticking solar panels on your roof just aren't realistic options. That doesn't mean there aren't still plenty of ways to be green, though. With the variety of compact, energy-efficient appliances around there these days, it's easy to find reliable, Earth friendly models that fit your budget.

I've been an apartment dweller for almost 10 years and, being from Washington State, I'm naturally (no pun intended) a pretty big supporter of the green home movement. To get you started finding some good appliances for your apartment, here are some models I've found fit just right in an Earth friendly apartment.

Haier 4.1 Cubic Foot Refrigerator/Freezer

If your apartment didn't come with a fridge or you just want to save a little space in the kitchen, a compact refrigerator is the ideal solution. This refrigerator/freezer from Haier is just 19 inches wide and 34 inches high, but it's got two shelves, a crisper, room on the door a two-liter bottle, and even a canned drink storage bin. Another handy feature for apartments is the reversible door hinge, which lets you choose whether to have the door open from the left or the right. Best of all, though, it's Energy Star® qualified, which means it's both energy-efficient and prevents greenhouse gas emissions.

Axxis Compact Washers

This washing machine is only 24 inches, but can hold up to 14 pairs of jeans at once. Its Earth friendly design is water efficient and the washer is equipped with an internal water heater that automatically chooses the most efficient temperature for your laundry. According to the manufactures, that could save you around $66 a year in electricity. Another green feature is the fast spin speed (twice the speed of most washers), which gets more water out of your clothes, so they take less time to dry.

Now, if you really want to save space and money and don't do much laundry, you might want to look into getting a mini washer. Some mini washers are as small as five pounds, come ready to use (just plug it in), and can be found for less than $500. I've used one of these myself and can tell you a quality model will get clothes just as clean as a conventional washer.

iWavecube Personal Microwave

Ah, the microwave. It's a must-have appliance for singles and many busy families and although you might think it takes up a lot of energy, today's efficient microwaves use around 60 percent less energy than conventional ovens (source: www.consumerenergycenter.com).

But the iWavecube Personal Microwave does even better. Smaller than one cubic foot and weighing only 12 lbs, this tiny microwave is built to be energy-efficient and quiet. Just keep in mind there's barely enough room to fit a TV dinner in here, though. If you want a larger energy-saving model, look for one that has variable power settings and auto shut-off when the food is done.

Bodum French Press Coffee Maker

Can't get started without your morning cuppa? You may not think your little coffer maker really uses much energy, but when you use it every day, it really adds up. 128 kilowatt/hrs per year if used for half an hour (source: www.consumerenergycenter.org).

The solution? A French press coffee maker. Since these coffee makers are operated manually, instead of by electricity, the only energy you use is in heating the water. That's not the only reason to opt for French press coffee, though. Instead of filtering out all the good stuff, this method captures more of the coffee's natural oils, producing a stronger more flavorful brew.

Electrolux Twin Clean Bagless Canister Vacuum Cleaner

Despite the noise, vacuum cleaners don't use up much energy. The problem is more with the disposable bags and filters. This model from Electrolux has solved those problems, though. The Twin Clean is has a cleanable dust container, so you don't even need bags. The cleverly designed self-cleaning system for the HEPA filters means less fuss with the filters. Both these features mean less trash in the landfills and money saved on bags and filters. As if that's not enough, the vacuum has an energy efficient rating, too.

Stiebel Eltron Electric Tankless Water Heaters

A traditional tank water heater is a major energy hog, sucking up some 2000 kilowatt/hours per year. That's as much as a fridge, space heater, computer and TV combined (source: www.consumerenergycenter.org). The good news is, depending on how your landlord feels about it, you may be able to shut off that big hot water tank and have a tankless water heater hooked up. The Stiebel Web site says these appliances save you around 50% off the cost of running a traditional water heater. Even better, they only cost a few hundred dollars. I had one of these in my last apartment and while you do have to make sure you use them correctly (turn the water on first, then the heat), they are convenient and efficient.

With all the focus on green homes and buildings today, energy and water efficient green appliances for your apartment are pretty easy to find. More and more companies are catching up to consumer demand for Earth friendly appliances, so the number of choices you have increases every year.