Imagine washing a full load of dishes with less than two gallons of water or having a burner on a stove or cooktop automatically turn off or reduce the heat to keep a dish warm when the cooking is done.
A new generation of highly efficient appliances can do all this and more. Many exceed the standards for energy and water usage established by the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) through the Energy Star program. Reducing energy consumption is only part of their value, since many create efficiencies by streamlining everyday tasks such as cooking or drying clothes.
Appliance manufacturers are ''pulling out the stops to create a high-end part of their brand,'' but consumers in general also benefit from a wider selection and more competition that is lowering prices, according to Barbara Barton, a certified kitchen and bath designer from Highlands Ranch, Colo.
Typically, Energy Star-rated appliances do not cost more and increasingly major manufacturers are devoting larger portions of their product lines to models that conserve energy and water.
Last year, 24 percent of clothes washers sold were Energy Star-rated, 67 percent of dishwashers and 30 percent of refrigerators, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Replacing a 1980s refrigerator, for example, with a basic energy-star rated model saves a $100 a year, or about $1,700 over the life of the appliance.
To encourage consumers to replace older machines, the DOE recently rolled out a rebate program for purchases of Energy-Star rated appliances. The program is administered by individual states, so the size of the rebate and eligible appliances vary by state.
Rather than water or time, consumers' top priority remains energy consumption, according to research conducted by Whirlpool. And despite recent questions about the accuracy of some cost savings reported by manufacturers, Energy Star does give consumers a baseline to gauge energy usage and compare costs between models.
Additionally, the DOE and EPA who administer Energy Star are considering ways to improve the program. Since a number of appliances exceed energy star requirements by 10 percent or more, one proposal suggests creating a new classification for those with the highest efficiency.
The goal of Energy Star is to identify the most efficient products -- the top 25 percent. ''We are constantly raising the bar,'' says Maria Tickoff Vargas, spokesperson for Energy Star.
--Saving in the Kitchen
New standards for dishwashers went into effect this year and an even more stringent set will be introduced in 2011. Under the new guidelines, Energy-Star qualified dishwashers use no more than 5.8 gallons of water per cycle. On the other hand, the most energy- and water-wise models use three gallons or less. In 1994, the average dishwasher consumed almost 14 gallons of water per load.
Today's models operate so differently compared to 10 years ago that most consumers need to be educated on the changes. For example, washing cycles, particularly for heavy loads, may be longer than years ago. Prewashing has become a relic. Both changes may require some new users to completely adjust their dishwasher paradigm.
The most efficient dishwasher today, which Bosch introduced this year, uses 1.5 gallons of water per cycle, 70 percent less than the average dishwasher, and meets the 2011 standards. The savings are, in part, created by sensors that detect the amount of soil in the water as well as the type and quantity of dishes and adjust the washing time, amount of detergent and water accordingly. Additionally consumers can opt to only wash the top rack.
Refrigerators manufactured before 1993 use twice the energy of an Energy-Star rated model today. Operating costs were reduced with better insulation, more efficient motors, separate compressors for freezing and refrigeration and improved seals.
Although Energy Star doesn't rate stoves, cooktops and ovens, innovations in cooking appliances offer alternatives to traditional models that save energy and/or improve performance. Convection, which cooks faster using hot air circulated around the food, continues to be incorporated into more ovens.
Jenn-Air recently introduced an oven with a touch screen control that asks users a series of questions regarding the food and the container. It tells them what rack to use and automatically programs all the cooking.
--In the Laundry
High efficiency is a moniker that is especially applicable to washers. The most efficient use as much as 70 percent less water per load than the industry average.
High efficiency machines, which can be either top or front loading, use different types of washing action than a machine with a central agitator. Front loaders tumble clothes through a small amount of water. Advanced top loaders flip or spin clothes through a stream of water. For example, the newest Kenmore products have five washing actions, including swinging and dropping.
Whirlpools Duet washers can wash up to 18 pairs of jeans at once in about 17 minutes.
Rather than submersing clothes in water, high efficiency front- and top-loaders use a high-pressure spray to rinse. More efficient motors spin clothes two- or three-times faster to extract more water and reduce drying time. These washers are also equipped with sensors that adapt the water, washing times, and amount of detergent to the amount of soil in the water.
--Looking Ahead
Whirlpool is one of several manufacturers leading innovation in the appliance industry particularly regarding smart appliances. As part of the DOE Smart Grid Investment grant program, which uses stimulus dollars, Whirlpool plans to produce one million smart energy clothes dryers by the end of 2011.
The company has already conducted Smart Grid pilot projects in which appliances reduce energy use in response to signals from the power grid during times of high demand.
Ultimately, according to Mike Todman, president of Whirlpool, consumers will save on energy costs by shifting more consumption to off-peak hours.
The Smart Grid is still being developed and many questions need to be answered, such as the role of consumers and incentives to encourage their participation.
While the Smart Grid is several years or more in the future, real savings await anyone who buys a high efficiency appliance.
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