If you’re interested in helping the environment and preventing a deepening of our current climate crisis, you may have wondered about high efficiency washing machines, and how they might be able to assist in this regard.
So, if your curiosity has peaked on this topic, you’ve certainly come to the right place, because we’re going to be covering everything you need to know about high efficiency washers…
This includes how much energy they save, how much water they save, the difference between a high efficiency washer and an energy star washer, what makes them so efficient, where you can get one from, and what to look for when buying one.
(Please feel free to scroll ahead to any section that jumps out at you.) Here goes…
What Is Meant By A “High Efficiency” Washer?
A “high efficiency” washer is basically any washing machine that features special technology in order to reduce the amount of energy and water required for a load of laundry.
How Much Energy Does A High Efficiency Washer Save?
High efficiency washers are best known for how little energy they require to run. And in fact, a high efficiency washer can deliver 65% energy savings, really driving down your electricity bill.
How Much Water Does A High Efficiency Washer Save?
One of the reasons that a high efficiency washer delivers such great energy savings is because it uses less water for each cycle. Which in turn means that there is less water to heat for each load of laundry.
Some high efficiency washing machines use up to a whopping 80% less water than regular washers.
What’s The Difference Between A High Efficiency Washer And An Energy Star Washer?
If a washing machine is Energy Star certified, this means that it is 37% more efficient than a standard washer.
And, at the risk of repeating ourselves here, “high efficiency” washers are ones that feature special technology to reduce the amount of energy and water required for a load of laundry.
A washing machine can be Energy Star certified without necessarily having this special technology. So, not all Energy Star certified washers are “high efficiency” ones.
However, it’s important to note at this point that “Energy Star certified” and “high efficiency” are not two exclusively defined types of washing machine…
All high efficiency washers meet the criteria for being Energy Star approved and certified.
What Is It That Makes A High Efficiency Washer So Efficient At Saving Energy And Water?
Whereas a regular washing machine would use a standard amount of water for every load, a high efficiency washer will detect and analyze the fabric inside by its weight, and then determine to use only the amount of water that’s necessary for that particular load.
Thus, there’s a reduced amount of water being used, which in turn means that less energy is required to heat the total amount of water, thus saving energy and electricity.
What’s more, high efficiency washers are also able to adjust the water temperature, and spin cycles to match the load inside, reducing the usage and energy required at every opportunity.
Is A High Efficiency Washer Worth It?
We would argue that a high efficiency washing machine is absolutely worth it. Depending on how often you would use the machine, the financial savings you make within the first year would be enough to cover the cost of the machine.
And given that these machines are meant to last about 10 years (in theory!) then this is an absolute bargain. So, if you’re in the market for a new machine, and you have the budget for a high efficiency machine, you should jump at the opportunity.
Where To Get A High Efficiency Washer From
If you’re looking to buy your new high efficiency washer online, there are several retailers to choose from. Here are some links you can check out…
What To Look For When Buying A High Efficiency Washer
If you want to save both water and energy when you do your laundry, we 100% recommend that you invest in a front loading one rather than a top loading one.
It should also have Energy Star certification.
Size matters, too. High efficiency washers can be up to 40% bigger than traditional top-loader washers.
This in turn means that you can wash more items in each load, which also means that you won’t have to carry out laundry washing as frequently, thus saving you more water and more energy.
And if shopping online, or researching online before you head to a store, it pays to look at customer ratings and reviews to help you decide if the machine is right for you.
You may also need to consider more generic questions, such as whether the machine will fit where you want it to go, and whether it has all the special cycles you want.
It’s also important to note at this point that when you switch from a regular washer to a high efficiency one, you will also have to change your detergent, and only buy dedicated high efficiency washer detergent.
What Brands Make High Efficiency Washers?
The good news is that most of the top brands in the home appliance industry have now started making high efficiency washers. Here’s a quick list of ones that do:
Whirlpool
Maytag
LG
GE
Samsung
Bosch
Frigidaire
Conclusion
So, we can safely conclude that making the switch over to high efficiency washing machines is absolutely worth it if you’re in need of a new machine and have sufficient budget for a HE one.
High efficiency washing machines come with several benefits.
They are all Energy Star certified, and have special technology which works out how much water to use for each load and what temperature to set, thus using significantly less water with every load, and in turn, significantly less energy.
And what this means is that by going high efficiency, you will not only be helping the environment, but you could reduce your bills so significantly that the machine will pay for itself throughout the course of a year.
Hi, my name is Mike Noren and I am an activist for saving water. In the USA alone, we waste almost 900 billion gallons of water every year. To put that into perspective, that equates to the yearly household water use of around 11 million homes!
We waste water in so many ways, like leaving the faucet on while we brush our teeth, bathing instead of showering, and watering our lawns more than we need to.
Through my site, you'll learn more about droughts and their effects on society, how to collect rainwater and use it in your everyday life, and how much water you really need to be using a day. Remember that saving water will also save money on your water bill, so why not give it a go and help me Save The Drop!
