The Best Energy-Efficient Products Under $100

Of all current home trends in Canada, energy efficiency is one of the biggest to follow. Home improvements usually make your house look nicer and feel more comfortable. Only a few of them, however, can pay for themselves in the long run. Energy-efficient upgrades are known for reducing your household’s carbon footprint, but they can also cut down on your energy bills. 

Whether with energy-saving devices or other energy conservation measures, there is a world of reasons to be energy-efficient. For those of us who want to make our homes more affordable and eco-friendly without making large investments, many energy-efficient products will enable you to reach such goals at no financial risk. Yes, you can buy energy-efficient gadgets for the home without wrecking your finances.

From smart light bulbs to motion sensors, you can spend less than $100 on energy-efficient products for your home. Such gadgets will help you get lower bills, and tend to make your home even more practical and livable. Find below some of the best energy efficiency products for homes under $100. 

There’s no mystery why smart light bulbs became so popular: They combine the energy-saving aspect of LED light bulbs with the practicality of smart home devices. Such features result in versatile products that can be used whether to save energy, make your home techier or even decorate — most of them are colour-changing LED bulbs that enable you to set up to millions of tones.

Windows and doors are some of the house’s primary sources of insulation gaps, drafts and leaks. And if you don’t think this is something you should be concerned about, you will be surprised to find out that proper insulation can reduce your energy use by 20-60%, according to BC Hydro. 

Insulation, however, can be pricey. For those of us who want to improve insulation at home without spending loads of money, window insulator kits can be both the cheapest and easiest solution. These kits are usually priced below $30 and come with enough components to make your windows more energy-efficient, including double-sided tapes and window glass films. 

The main idea behind such kits is to provide a quick-to-install yet durable insulation option for your windows. By reducing condensation, preventing frost buildup and saving energy, insulation kits can reduce your heating costs during summer and winter.

There are many window insulation kits available online. Some of them offer a more custom upgrade, such as the 3M Window Insulator Kit, which has both indoor and outdoor versions for windows of many sizes, whereas others are more standard, such as the Frost King Window Insulation Shrink Kit, which contains four plastic film sheets designed for standard windows.

Power strips were already practical enough, as they could let you turn all of your appliances off at the same time, instead of unplugging one by one. But then smart power strips started hitting the shelves, making these gadgets not only useful but also highly energy-efficient.

Smart power strips allow you to manage your energy consumption more efficiently by protecting you from vampire appliances. In case you’re not familiar with this term, such appliances are usually the ones that spend a lot of time on standby mode and silently use plenty of electricity, such as TVs, game consoles and media players. 

The best smart power strips usually have a surge protector and an automated energy-monitoring system, which enables the device to automatically turn off the power to appliances on standby and, of course, save energy.  

Water-saving isn’t literally energy-saving, but the two will result in lower energy costs and a reduced carbon footprint. That’s why both are commonly put together. In most cases, investing in water-saving devices is a process quite similar to making energy efficiency investments. 

On a rough note, low-flow showerheads and faucets limit the flow of water every time you use the shower or the faucet without impacting your usability. You will still be able to properly take a shower or wash your hands while cutting down on your water costs. Some of these products can save up to 60% on your water consumption. 

The average flow rate for showerheads is 2.5 gallons per minute in North America. Some low-flow showerheads can cut such consumption by half, reaching 1.25 gallons per minute. These devices usually keep the water pressure by using pressure compensators, which can head the water in a direction that is more concentrated and comfortable for you. 

There are low-flow showerheads and faucets at all prices, but most of them can be found under $100. The Niagara Earth Massage, for example, is a low-flow showerhead that costs less than $30 and provides a flow rate of 1.25 gallons per minute. When it comes to faucets, the High Sierra Low-Flow Faucet model can save 25% or more water with a 1.8 gallon per minute flow rate.

Occupancy sensors are no news to anyone. However, it seems that energy-saving motion sensors got a whole new boost with the smart home trend. They got more integrated with other intelligent gadgets and quite smarter. 

The great advantage of such products is that they can help you have better control of your energy consumption, especially in rooms with low traffic. Instead of wondering whether you left the lights on or off, you will always be sure about it.

Motion sensors for lights, whether for indoor or outdoor lighting, can be wireless, waterproof and reasonably cheap. You can find them integrated with the light bulbs, such as the Sensor Light Bulbs Dusk to Dawn Light Bulb, Govee 7W, which can save up to 90% on lighting costs, or even the Security Light LED Motion Sensor by TECKIN, an outdoor one that can save up to 90% on lighting costs. Both of them can be found online for less than $60.

Although solar energy still isn’t one of the cheapest energy sources, solar-powered devices are getting each time more diverse and affordable. When it comes to smart homes, for example, such gadgets can use little to none electricity, as their main source of energy comes from the sun. 

From string lights to security cameras, you can find solar-powered versions of many devices you have at home. The most useful solar-powered products tend to be the ones that you use regularly — and that tend to consume more electricity — including lights and tech accessories. 

Some good examples are solar-powered computer keyboards. These could be a nice opportunity for you to start saving energy without making a large investment. Of course, keyboards don’t consume that much electricity compared to a computer, but this could be a good test to see if buying solar-powered devices are worth it for your home. 

One of the most praised solar-powered keyboards online is the Logitech K750 Wireless Solar Keyboard. The device costs around $80, and it presents no battery hassles. According to Logitech, any light source will keep the keyboard charged for at least three months in the darkness. 

Such a purchase probably won’t bring your full money back in energy savings (unless it lasts for decades), but could be a helpful test to see whether your home is the ideal place to invest in solar-powered appliances.

Non-electric washers, such as the ROMX Hand Crank-Type Mini Rotary Dryer or the Wonder Washer have been receiving highly positive reviews. These manually operated, portable washing machines are 100% eco-friendly and energy-saving. They are usually hand- or pedal-powered and let you clean your clothes without using any electricity. In plain English, with zero impact on your energy bills or the environment. 

Most non-electric washers range from $80 to $300. If you’re not willing to pay more than $130 for a non-electric washer, the Portable Manual Washing Machine could be a cheap option for you. The machine supports up to 2 kg of dirty laundry and doesn’t require any installation.