New Zealand · costs in NZD
New Zealand Energy Rating Labels Explained
In New Zealand, fridges, freezers, dishwashers, washing machines, clothes dryers, TVs, computer monitors and heat pumps and air conditioners must carry an energy rating label in the shop. The label tells you two things. The stars show how efficient a model is compared with others of the same size and type. The kWh figure shows how much electricity it uses in a year in a standard test, and that is the number your running cost comes from.
Red arch Energy star rating
Blue arch Water star rating
Blue on an air conditioner Cooling
Red on an air conditioner Heating
The energy rating label
Fridges, freezers, dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, TVs and monitors all use this label. What it says underneath the stars changes a little by appliance.
The stars
From 1 to 6, in half-star steps. Filled stars are the rating and outlined stars are the rest of the scale. More stars means the model uses less energy than others of the same size and type.Brand and model
Check it matches the exact model you are buying. Search the model number on this site to see its full registration.Energy consumption in kWh per year
The figure that sets your running cost: kWh a year × your price per kWh. It comes from a standard test, so your own use will differ (see the table below).Capacity and programme time
Load size in kg, place settings for a dishwasher, or volume for a fridge. Australia added programme time to its dryer, washing machine and dishwasher labels in October 2025. New Zealand still requires the older label, so you may see either version here.Test standard
The Australian and New Zealand standard the model was tested to, and a reminder that actual use depends on how you use the appliance.
More than six stars
A model that goes past 6 stars gets a second red arc headed “Super efficiency rating” with room for 4 more stars, making 7 to 10. Above 6, stars go up in whole steps only. The example shows 7 stars.
What the kWh figure assumes
Each appliance is tested on a set amount of use. If you use it more or less than this, your cost changes in proportion. The calculators let you enter your own use.
- Fridges and freezersRunning 24 hours a dayUse your own figures
- Dishwashers7 washes a week, plus standbyUse your own figures
- Washing machines7 warm washes a week, plus standbyUse your own figures
- Clothes dryers1 full load a weekUse your own figures
- TVs and monitors10 hours on and 14 hours on standby a dayUse your own figures
What one more star is worth
About how much less energy each extra star means, by appliance. These are EECA’s figures for each product; Energy Rating puts the range at 15 to 30%.
The heat pump and air conditioner label
Air conditioners and heat pumps have their own label, with a separate rating for cooling and for heating in three climate zones. It has been required in Australia since 1 April 2020 and in New Zealand since 1 July 2021. Models registered before then can still carry the older single-rating label.
Capacity
Cooling output in kW (blue) and heating output in kW (red). Size the unit to the room first; the size calculator gives you a kW figure to look for.Climate zone
Hot, average and cold zones. All of New Zealand is in the cold zone, so read the bottom row.Cooling stars (blue)
1 to 10 stars for cooling in each zone.Heating stars (red)
1 to 10 stars for heating in each zone. A unit can rate differently for heating and cooling, and from zone to zone.kWh per year, for each zone
Blue is cooling, red is heating. Each zone assumes a set number of hours a year:Hot: 2,247 hours cooling, 277 heating
Average: 840 cooling, 1,921 heating
Cold: 545 cooling, 2,660 heatingNoise
Noise inside and outside in decibels, dB(A), at full power. Lower is quieter.
A single-duct portable unit shows no stars. Stars only compare units of the same cooling or heating capacity.
The water rating label
Dishwashers and washing machines also carry a blue water rating label (WELS). It is required in shops and online in both Australia and New Zealand, where it has applied to all suppliers since 30 September 2019.
Water stars
Out of 6. More stars means less water for the load size. The highest ratings registered so far are 6 stars for dishwashers and 5 for washing machines.Brand and model
The model the rating belongs to.Litres per wash
Water used on the tested programme. Multiply by your washes a year and your water price for a yearly cost.Capacity
Load in kg, or place settings for a dishwasher.Licence and test
The WELS registration and the programme it was tested on.
Three things the label does not tell you
Stars only compare the same size
A 10 kg and a 6 kg washing machine can both be 5 stars, but the 10 kg one costs more to run. A 50-inch 5-star TV uses more than a 30-inch 5-star TV. To compare across sizes, compare the kWh figure.
Old and new stars can differ
The star scales are reset from time to time, so an older model’s stars may not match a newer one’s. For fridges, figures on the old and new labels cannot be compared. For dryers, washing machines and dishwashers they can.
Your use is not the test
The kWh figure assumes a set amount of use. Put your own habits and electricity price into a calculator to see what you would pay.
Sources: Energy Rating: understand the label, the zoned label, EECA energy rating labels and WELS. The drawings are simplified; see the official sites for the labels themselves.
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