According to idealo data, the most efficient models often cost more, but offer greater saving opportunities thanks to price variability. User interest is still mainly focused on lower energy classes, but green ones are growing year after year
In a context where energy costs remain one of the main concerns for European households and attention towards consumption is increasingly high, choosing efficient appliances may involve a higher initial investment. But is choosing
“green” really worth it?
To answer these questions, idealo – an international price comparison portal – analysed the average prices and purchase intentions of Italian users for different appliance categories, also comparing changes over time and differences between energy classes.
The result is a multifaceted picture: on the one hand, the most efficient products continue to have higher average prices; on the other hand, these very products show the most interesting saving opportunities thanks to price variability over time.
The cost of green: more efficient products, higher prices
In many categories, choosing a higher energy class still means making a higher initial investment. Class A dishwashers, for example, reach an average price of around €1,006 (+45% compared to the average), while refrigerators (+38%) and washer-dryers (+46%) follow the same trend.
The gap is even more evident in professional refrigerators, where the most efficient models exceed €2,000, with prices more than double the average (+108%). At the same time, however, signs of maturity are emerging: in categories such as monitors and light bulbs, the most efficient products are now aligned with or even cheaper than the average, respectively -20% and -53%.
The “treasure” of comparison
If the initial price may represent a barrier, idealo’s analysis shows how price variability over time offers concrete saving opportunities.
Taking again the example of Class A dishwashers, purchasing at the right moment can generate average savings of around €231, against an average price slightly above €1,000: a “treasure” equal to around 20% of the product cost.
A dynamic that can also be observed in other appliance categories, where price fluctuations can translate into double-digit percentage savings. In this context, comparing deals and monitoring prices over time become key tools for making the purchase of sustainable products more accessible as well.
Growing interest in green, but televisions and refrigerators still lag behind
Looking at purchase intentions, Italians are showing growing interest in energy efficiency, but with marked differences across categories.
In the washing machine segment, for example, more than half of searches (55%) focus on Class A models, a sign of strong attention towards energy efficiency. A positive trend can also be observed for dishwashers, where Classes A and B together account for almost 50% of interest, with significant year-on-year growth (+57% for Class A).
The scenario is different for other categories, such as televisions, where searches remain heavily concentrated on the lower energy classes (E, F and G), which together account for more than 90% of total interest.
Also in the refrigerator segment, Energy Class E still dominates user preferences (68%), despite significant growth in interest for more efficient classes, such as A (+39% year on year).
Europe at different speeds: who is accelerating and who is slowing down on green
The European picture highlights a market still strongly anchored to less efficient energy classes, but with increasingly clear signs of evolution towards more sustainable solutions. The transition, however, is progressing at different speeds across countries.
In Germany, the gap between interest and sustainability is particularly evident in consumer electronics: in televisions, Classes F and G account for more than 80% of searches (48% and 33%), confirming strong price sensitivity. Lower-end classes also dominate monitors (F at 43% and G at 32%), but signs of change are emerging: Class A, while still representing only 0.4%, is growing by +53% year on year, together with Class C (+60%).
France shows more polarised dynamics. In monitors, the less efficient classes remain dominant (F at 44% and G at 38%), but the higher classes are also experiencing very strong growth: Class A records +268% year on year. In refrigerators, meanwhile, Class A already stands at 3% (although declining YoY), while the market is still led by Class E (61%). Progress is more marked in large appliances such as washing machines, where Class A dominates with 86% of searches.
In Spain, a similar behaviour can be observed: a strong concentration in the less efficient classes, but with significant growth in the best-performing ones. In monitors, Classes F and G account for more than 70% of interest (45% and 26%); at the same time, Class A is growing by +115% year on year, a sign of a gradual evolution towards greener solutions.
The United Kingdom, although with lower volumes, shows a strong concentration in the less efficient classes: in refrigerators, Class E accounts for 65% of interest, while in monitors Classes F and G together represent almost 80% of searches (41% and 39%), with marked growth especially for Class F (+83%). The positioning of washing machines,
however, is more structured, with Class A already predominant (+60%).
Overall, the clearest finding is that, across all major European markets, the less efficient classes continue to dominate user preferences. However, the higher energy classes are growing almost everywhere, often with double-digit increases, signalling a gradual yet concrete shift towards more sustainable choices.
Price and demand: a balance still evolving
The analysis highlights how the relationship between price and sustainability is still evolving. On the one hand, the higher costs of efficient products continue to influence user choices; on the other hand, growing attention towards energy savings is progressively shifting demand towards greener classes, especially in certain categories.
In this scenario, tools such as price comparison play a key role: not only do they make it possible to identify the best deals, but they also help make the purchase of sustainable products more accessible, turning “green” into a choice that is increasingly convenient as well as responsible.
