Energy and Water Efficient Washing Machines

The more energy and water efficient washing machines are, the more money you can save. But just how much?

With energy labels most of us now know that A is the best and G is the worst. However, what these labels don’t tell you is how much better or how much worse each rating is. Buy buying an A rated appliance will you save pounds or pence when comparing against a B rated machine?

If you replaced a washing machine (bought in 1998) with a modern A rated energy and water efficient washing machine you could save up to £10 a year. Source: Energy Saving Trust (Energy saving assumptions). In this case, if the maximum annual saving is £10 then the difference between the latest A rated washing machine and a B, or C, can’t be that great?

So, how much money would you potentially save if you purchased a washing machine that had an energy efficiency rating of A rather than a B? A mere £5.20/year (doing 5 washes a week) according to Which? This figure doubles when comparing an A rated appliance with a C. By basing your buying decision purely on the washing machine running costs you may in advertently end up with a less reliable machine. Any savings made can very easily be lost with just one repair. Therefore, buying a good quality washing machine should be your number one priority.

Washing Machine Energy Costs*

Water consumption can clearly be seen on the energy label – capacity (cotton) kg water consumption. This figure allows you to easily compare the amount of water used as against other appliances. The best models will have a water efficiency of less than 7.50 litres per kilogram, while the very worst can exceed 20 litres per kilogram. But again, a lower figure for water consumption doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best buy. Tests show that machines with lower water usage generally have poor rinse results as a consequence.

Click to see our range of energy & water efficient washing machines

*Courtesy of Which?