Kitchen appliances are better than ever. Today you can get green kitchen appliances that use less energy and water and therefore save you money on energy bills. Whether you a building a new house or remodeling your present one, you will find a wide range of appliances to choose from.

The kitchen is a good place to start when you think of energy conservation. Apart from the heating and perhaps an air conditioner, the kitchen is the where the bulk of household energy use takes place. Researching products that are energy efficient is the smartest thing that you can do when planning your new kitchen.

So what does the term green kitchen appliances mean?

If you are serious about giving the environment a break (as well as saving money), you need to consider both energy efficiency and energy conservation. Energy conservation means not wasting (don't do half loads of laundry, for example; wait until you can do a full load, and on nice summer days, consider drying your clothes outside), while energy efficiency means that your appliances are designed to use less energy to get the same task done that older appliances did while sucking down more energy.

When appliance shopping, do your research and watch for the Energy Guide Label before making any decisions. Consumer Reports and Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings list the top rated energy-efficient appliances. Also, be sure and recycle your old appliances. Major appliances contain recyclable metal, glass and plastic.

Refrigerators and freezers account for 9 to 15 percent of your household energy use because they run 24 hours a day, year after year. Buying energy efficient models will not only cut your utility bills but contribute to protecting the environment. Some energy efficient models cost more than non-approved units but in the long run you will more than recoup your money. If your refrigerator is more than 12 years old, replace it.