Are larger power cords more energy efficient than smaller ones? askscience

So I heard recently that the reason thicker power cords were used for appliances (such as AC, refrigerators, washing machines, etc.) was because it is more energy efficient, and less energy would be lost as heat. I was always under the understanding that they only had larger cords because they used a lot more energy, and a smaller cord would burn out (obviously being less efficient in that regard, but continue reading to see what I mean with my question). So is what I heard true? And would that mean that using larger cords for smaller appliances, like oscillating fans or a small space-heater, would make them more efficient?

Submitted February 12, 2015 at 07:04AM by Fizban195 http://ift.tt/171eJCb askscience