Clothes Washers for Consumers

The average American family washes almost 300 loads of laundry each year. Families can cut their related energy and water costs just by purchasing a clothes washer that's earned the ENERGY STAR. Clothes washers that have earned the ENERGY STAR have a greater tub capacity which means you can wash fewer loads to clean the same amount of laundry. They are available in front-load and top-load models. The top-load models look like standard machines on the outside, yet they do not waste water filling up the tub. They clean using sophisticated wash systems to flip or spin clothes through a stream of water. Many have sensors to monitor incoming water levels and temperature. They also rinse clothes with repeated high-pressure spraying instead of soaking them in a full tub of water.

Consider the following:

• Use less water. A full-sized ENERGY STAR qualified clothes washers uses 14 gallons of water per load, compared to the 27 gallons used by a standard machine. That's 50 percent less water, per load. Over the machine's lifetime, that's a savings of 43,000 gallons of water!!
• Use less energy. On average, a new ENERGY STAR qualified clothes washer uses 270 kWh of electricity and costs $60 to run, each year.
• Is your washer over 10 years old? It's estimated that there are 84 million top-loading washers with agitators, 24 million of which are at least 10 years old, still in use across the country. Washers manufactured before 1998 are significantly less efficient than newer models. Together, these inefficient washers cost consumers $2.6 billion each year in energy and water.

If every clothes washer purchased in the U.S. this year earned the ENERGY STAR, we would save 790 million kWh of electricity, 32 billion gallons of water, and 2 trillion BTUs of natural gas every year, resulting in energy bill savings of about $350 million, every year.

Clothes washers originally qualified for the ENERGY STAR label in May, 1997. Clothes washers that have earned the ENERGY STAR are about 30% more efficient than non-qualified models and are more efficient than models that simply meet the federal minimum standard for energy efficiency.

Eligibility Requirements:
Only front and top loader clothes washers with capacities of greater than 1.6 ft3 are eligible to earn the ENERGY STAR.

Clothes Washers Key Product Criteria: ENERGY STAR

Learn How a Product Earns the Label

What else should I look for when buying a Clothes Washer?

Check the yellow EnergyGuide label.
This label helps you determine how much energy it takes to operate the model, compare the energy use of similar models, and estimate annual operating costs. Learn How to Use the EnergyGuide Label.

Think carefully about the size.
While a larger model will obviously hold more clothes, it will also use more energy. On the other hand, a model that's too small will require a lot more clothes washing. ENERGY STAR qualified models are also available in stackable and under-the-counter designs, which fit in smaller spaces.

Choose a dryer with a moisture sensor.
While ENERGY STAR does not label dryers, you can reduce your dryer's energy use by choosing a model with a moisture sensor. This feature automatically shuts off the machine when clothes are dry, which saves energy and reduces wear and tear on your clothes caused by over-drying.

Choose a model with a high Modified Energy Factor (MEF) and a low Water Factor (WF).
Modified Energy Factor (MEF) is a measure of energy efficiency that considers the energy used by the washer, the energy used to heat the water, and the energy used to run the dryer. The higher the MEF, the more energy efficient the clothes washer. Water Factor (WF) measures water efficiency in gallons of water consumed per cubic foot of capacity. The lower the WF, the more water efficient the clothes washer. Both MEF and WF are listed on the ENERGY STAR qualified product list:

Related Information:
Educate yourself on new clothes washer technology
Clothes Washing Best Practices

These are the top FAQs related to Clothes Washers and the ENERGY STAR program.