Top 3 Tips for a "Green" Energy Efficient Dishwasher
/If you are like us and appreciate saving money on costly energy bills while simultaneously living a greener life, then this is the blog for you! Here we take a look at 3 of the most popular and researched tips in regards to purchasing a “Greener” Dishwasher. Not only that, we tell you our 2019 TOP Dishwasher pick, as well as what you can do right NOW to embrace all the “green” benefits from your current dishwasher.
ENERGY STAR Certified: 5 Star Certification
energy star is a trusted symbol used for products that are considered energy efficient in efforts to protect the environment.
Within the last 10-20 years, the dishwasher appliance industry has stepped up its game in regard to producing products that are notably more energy conscious than they ever have been before. The official ENERGY STAR certification was introduced by the EPA in hopes of producing energy efficient products for consumers. This certification applies to many products, including one of the most used appliances in the modern kitchen – the dishwasher. When shopping for a dishwasher look for ones that are ENERGY STAR Certified. The ENERGY STAR label provides the consumer a dishwasher that utilizes 4.25 gallons of water, versus the typical 10 gallon per cycle wash. The 10-gal wash cycle is typical and customary in older model dishwashers, or those not ENERGY STAR Certified. This certification enables your dishwasher to use less water and energy while efficiently and effectively providing an equal or even better wash than the standard 10-gallon wash. When purchasing your next dishwasher, look for the blue label!
What “ECO Mode” Offers your Power Bill
Look for a dishwasher that offers an “Eco Mode” wash setting. Here’s why: The Eco setting utilizes less water and less energy per wash. With regular use, according to the 2015 study on Eco Mode wash programs, it was found to reduce overall energy consumption by 20%-30%, (CHOICE, 2015). Let’s talk about how it works – Eco Mode functions by heating the water more slowly over a longer cycle. The way it “saves” energy is by preventing any additional water from heating up when it’s not necessarily needed. Many models that offer Eco Mode also include a built-in sensor to calculate how dirty the dishes actually are - often times called soil sensors. The soil sensors are able to base how much water and energy consumption should be used on that cycle. Look for these buttons on your dishwasher:
Quick/Express Wash - Go to or a No Go?
many dishwashers have the feature of “smart wash” - which uses less water and is a great energy saving feature.
Little known fact: The “Quick Wash” feature that comes equipped with most dishwashers uses a full 50% less energy compared to the standard Auto Wash mode. Not only are the dishes just as clean and consume less energy while the wash is running, but you can also save time as a standard wash can be over 90 minutes long while a Quick Wash is 30-40 mins if not less. The shorter run time may also play in to a longer life span of your dishwasher, recognizing that its working in less durations and less time overall. Working with ½ of the energy for a third of the washing run time. The only downside is the dishes may not be as dry when finished as a standard wash, however air drying your dishes works just as well.
So what can you do right now with your current dishwasher to save yourself some dollars while simultaneously helping the environment?
Additional Tips:
Load maximum dishes with each load. Maximize your space and Maximize the amount of energy and water used per cycle.
Air Dry your dishes – If you dishwasher offers a “Heated Dry” option, try turning off that capability and when the cycle is over, crack open the dishwasher door and allow the dishes to air dry.
a look inside of the 24 inch dishwasher by zline.
With the above listed criteria in mind our favorite dishwasher of 2019 has to be the ZLINE Panel Ready Dishwasher. Not only is it customizable (bonus), it is incredibly highly rated across many channels as well as one of the Eco-friendliest dishwashers that we have found. The ZLINE Panel Ready Dishwasher is ENERGY STAR Certified and offers both settings – Eco Mode and QuickWash. Researching this dishwasher further, we found that the internal measurements of this appliance exceeded all other 24-inch dishwashers in its category. Meaning that more dishes can fit inside – maximizing your wash load. Not to mention, the Seamless Top controls are pretty snazzy too!
This article is one of the many tips and tricks we will share with you about how you can “go green” in your kitchen. Conserving energy in the kitchen may seem difficult at first, but taking the time and money to purchase energy efficient products can help you live a greener lifestyle and save you money in the long run.
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