subject: How To Choose An Energy Efficient Dishwasher [print this page] Continuous advances in technology are bringing hundreds of new improved products onto the market every day. With so many products to choose between it can sometimes be a baffling process. Sustainability is a key issue but also currently because of the recognition of its importance, many firms are all trying their best to push a green status. It can be hard to identify which products are truly energy efficient.
If we take the dishwasher as an example, have you ever considered how much water and energy this appliance uses when it runs? It is likely to be a lot more than you expect. Some older models especially any which are over 10 years old are zapping a lot more electricity than the new improved designs. This means not only are we essentially wasting energy, our bank balances are also taking an unnecessary hit.
The difference in energy use between a model which was made in 2001 and a new current dishwasher is phenomenal. There is a 43% difference in energy use between the least efficient model 11 years ago and the most efficient model on the market today.
When we think of the dishwasher in relation to being green, it may seem like a contradiction in types. The immediate thought would be that a dishwasher is in fact using energy for a job which we can just as easily do by hand. Where this is true when it comes to electricity use, it is in fact the case that using a dishwasher instead of hand washing can save on water usage. Some of the newest models have an energy save setting which uses less water than the amount used on average when hand washing the pots.
New models now all have an energy rating label which gives consumers information on the efficiency of the appliance. Dishwashers are rated between A G, with A being the best and G being the least efficient. Over the past couple of years due to most models meeting a high grade level within this system, newer categories have been added. You will now see A+ A++ and A+++ branded upon the newest designs. The ratings take into account both the water usage and the electricity usage of the model.
Ensuring that your machine is always full and that you use the energy save setting are two handy tips to make sure you are saving both energy and money. The low energy setting takes longer to wash the pots at a lower temperature thus using around 35% less electricity and 30% less water.
