what does energy efficiency rating actually mean?

bigpaws23

I understand that 'A' is best, but how do the people (and who *are* the people who run these tests) come to this conclusion?

I was told by a sales rep in Comet that there was little difference between an A and a B oven. I'm saving for a new oven and hob as I think ours is running away with electricity, but now I'm confused.

Another woman in another shop told me that the ratings meant so little because all they did was heat up some kind of brick in an oven to a certain temperature and they recorded how long it took to heat and how long it took to cool to determine the rating.

Is that is so, does it just mean that an 'A' rated has better insulation or does it mean that it uses more electricity becuase it heats up better??

I feel like it is something else we all take for granted, but we don't actually know what it means.......

CAn anyone help?

Bigpaws x