Efficient Appliances Save Energy -- and Money

Refrigerators

If you are thinking of replacing an old appliance, the refrigerator is a good place to start. New refrigerators consume 75 percent less energy than those produced in the late 1970s. A family replacing a 1980 vintage fridge with one that meets today's standards will save more than $100 a year in utility costs.

Go one step further and buy an Energy Star-qualified model, and your new refrigerator will save you an additional 15 percent or more by employing better insulation, more efficient compressors and more precise temperature control and defrost mechanisms.

Energy-Saving Purchasing Tips:

• Refrigerators with freezers on top use 10 to 15 percent less energy than a side-by-side model of equivalent size.
• Generally, the larger the refrigerator, the greater the energy consumption. But one large refrigerator will use less energy than two smaller ones with the same total volume or a smaller fridge plus a separate freezer.

Clothes Washers

The energy efficiency of standard top-loading washers has doubled over the last two decades, mostly by decreasing the amount of water used. (Most of a washer's energy consumption goes to heating water.)

Front-loading washers have also become more readily available. They generally use less water than top-loaders because they don't have to totally submerge clothes. Their tumbling action constantly lifts water and drops it back down onto clothing.

Energy Star top-loaders, however, can be just as efficient as front loaders. Look for the EnergyGuide or Energy Star labels to compare efficiencies.

Replacing a pre-1994 washer with an Energy Star model can save a family $110 a year on utility bills. Energy Star washers use 50 percent less energy than other standard models, and only 18 to 25 gallons of water for a full-sized load, compared to 40 gallons for standard full-size washers.

Many Energy Star models also advertise lower fabric wear, better stain removal and briefer drying times.

Energy-Saving Purchasing Tips:

• Choose the right size washer. A smaller washer may be more efficient for small households. But if you have a large family and have to do multiple loads in a washer that's too small for your needs, you could lose any possible energy savings.
• Look for a washer with adjustable water levels. This gives you the option of using less water to wash small loads.
• Choose a washer with a faster spin speed. This allows more water to be removed after the wash, reducing the drying time and your dryer's energy use.
• Use a gas dryer rather than an electric dryer where possible.

Dishwashers

A new dishwasher is not only more efficient than older models, but it's also better at getting dishes clean. Manufacturers no longer recommend that you pre-wash your dishes. Simply scrape the remaining food off your plates and place them in the machine as is. This will save you time and save money on your water bill.

The most efficient dishwashers use less hot water, have energy-efficient motors and use sensors to determine the length of the wash cycle and the water temperature needed to do the job.

The newest Energy Star dishwashers are 25 percent more efficient than the minimum federal standards. Replacing a pre-1994 dishwasher with an Energy Star model can save $25 a year on utility costs.

Energy-Saving Purchasing Tips:

• Choose a dishwasher with a "light wash" or "energy-saving" wash cycle. It uses less water and operates for a shorter period of time for dishes that are just slightly soiled.
• Look for dishwashers that have an energy-saving cycle that allows dishes to be air-dried with circulation fans, rather than heat-dried with energy-wasting heating coils.