Top 12 Eco Friendly Dishwashers on the Market
Selecting a Dishwasher
September 11, 2020
Are you looking for the most energy efficient way to wash your dishes? You might be surprised to learn that a dishwasher actually has a much smaller impact on the environment than hand washing. If you're ready to purchase a new eco-friendly dishwasher, here's our advice on selecting the right dishwasher and the top models available on the market today.
What Makes a Dishwasher Eco Friendly?
Over the past decades, dishwasher manufacturers have taken strides to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of dishwashers. Not only do modern dishwashers clean better than they used to, they also use less energy and water to do so.
Washing dishes in an Energy Star dishwasher can cut utility bills by over $111 per year per household. You might be surprised to learn that hand washing your dishes rather than using an Energy Star dishwasher can cost $1300 more in energy and water use over lifespan of a dishwasher. Reducing the amount of energy your household is using will reduce the amount of fossil fuels that are being burnt to support your energy use and limiting your water use can help save our lakes and oceans.fridge and how they can save you time, money, and just make life easier in the long-run.
What to look for when shopping?
Image Source: https://www.energystar.gov/products/appliances/dishwashers
Ready to purchase a new eco-friendly dishwasher for your home? Here’s what to look for.
• Choose the right size for your home. If you get a compact dishwasher and run it more frequently, you may be using more energy than running a standard size less often. Look to see how many place servings each dishwasher can hold and think about your holdhold’s needs before purchasing.
• Look for an Energy Star rating and EnergyGuide label. This will tell you how much energy each particular dishwasher will use and you can use this to compare it to other models you are considering. Any dishwashers that meet the Energy Star rating must use less than 270 kWh/year and less than 3.5 gallons of water per cycle. Some dishwashers are rated Energy Star Most Efficient. This means they use no more than 240 kWh/year and 3.2 gallons of water per cycle.
• Compare gallons per cycle. Checking the EnergyGuide label will provide you with details on how much water each dishwasher uses per cycle. Compare this across models to find the best option for you.
• Choose a dishwasher with multiple cycle options. Having the option to choose the best fit for your wash load is ideal. If you have a load of dishes that are lightly soiled, it can be nice to run a light cycle rather than a full cycle and converse some energy and water use. Other models may have the option to air dry rather than heat dry.
• Research reliability and lifespan. The environmental impact of manufacturing a dishwasher is much higher than that of the use per load. If you purchase an unreliable dishwasher that needs to be replaced after a few years, the environmental cost will be much higher. Most dishwashers are designed to have a 10-year lifespan. Some brands or models have been known to last longer.
What are the 12 greenest dishwashers on the market today?
Here are our top 12 picks for the greenest dishwashers on the market. Each of these dishwashers has an Energy Star rating and it’s own unique features that can reduce your footprint and save on the water, time, and energy that your household is consuming. Shop our entire selection of dishwashers here.
- Bosch 300
- Bosch ADA 18″ 300 Series
- Samsung Linear Wash 39
- LG Top Control Smart wi-fi Enabled Dishwasher with QuadWash™
- Samsung Digital Touch Control 55
- Bosch ADA 24″ 800 Series
- GE ADA Compliant Stainless Steel Interior Dishwasher with Sanitize Cycle
- Danby 18
- Frigidaire 18″ Built-In Dishwasher
- Bertazzoni 24
- Monogram 18″ Dishwasher
- Whirlpool Quiet Dishwasher with Stainless Steel Tub
Best Practices to Improve Reduce Dishwashers Footprint
• Run Full Loads. Whenever possible, run full loads in your dishwasher. Most dishwashers will use the same amount of energy and water regardless of how full they are. Waiting to run a cycle until your dishwasher is full will help reduce the number of times you are running it each year and conserve more energy.
• Air Dry When Possible. Some dishwashers have an air dry setting or will automatically open the door when the cycle is finished to help circulate air and air dry the dishes. Whenever possible, skip the heat dry on your dishwasher to reduce that energy cost.
• Don't Pre-Rinse Your Dishes. Scraping your dishes off rather than rinsing them will save water waste over time. Energy Star dishwashers and detergents are designed to do the cleaning for you. If you need to let your dishes sit overnight but you’re not ready to run a full cycle, use your dishwasher’s rinse cycle. This cycle will rinse your dishes off to avoid the smell and use a fraction of the water and energy you would waste hand–rinsing.
• Choose stainless steel interiors. The last thing you want to think about when purchasing a dishwasher is the day that you will need to get rid of it, but it is important to consider what will happen to your dishwasher once you need to upgrade. Dishwashers with stainless steel interiors are recyclable. Dishwashers with white plastic interiors are not recyclable. Keeping this in mind can help reduce your contribution to landfills down the road.
Ready to Purchase Your New Dishwasher?
Howard’s Appliance offers a wide variety of eco-friendly dishwashers. Shop our selection online to find the right fit for your family or stop into one of our 13 locations in the Southern California area today to shop in person. Our team of experienced customer service specialists can help you select the perfect model for your household’s needs. Howard’s offers free next day delivery on all appliance purchases over $399 to customers in the Southern California area.
