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*
 |
Energy Efficiency Rating |
Cost per year
(5 washes per week) |
A |
Less than £18.72 |
B |
£23.92 |
C |
£28.08 |
D |
£32.24 |
E |
£36.40 |
F |
£40.56 |
G |
More than £41.60 |
| |
|
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.
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*Courtesy of Which?