Contrary to popular belief, dishwashers may not be such a wasteful commodity to own. Although using a dishwasher may leave you feeling extravagant and careless, research from the University of Bonn in Germany may put your mind at rest. Tests taken in 2003 by Stamminger et al. [1] have shown that new dishwashers are able to clean as well as hand-washing yet they use considerably less soap and water, therefore are more eco-friendly and save you money. There has been an influx of new dishwasher models onto the market with “economy” programmes which considerably out-perform older, more inefficient models. The Energy Saving Trust [2] consider newer models to use 20% less energy so you could save around £12 a year and 48kg of CO2,, as well as a reduction on your water bill if it is metered. Consequently, if all households in the UK replaced their old dishwasher with a new, approved model, then there would be yearly savings of £40 million and 170,000 tonnes of CO2.
Dishwashers have efficiency ratings for energy use, washing and drying, which range from G up to A (being the most efficient). Therefore, the models rated A for all will give the best environmental performance, and are the most widely recommended to be eco-friendly. Another way to assess the environmental impact of dishwashers is to calculate the water efficiency of the model, as it is not always displayed on the label. To do this, simply divide the model’s water consumption by its capacity (litres per standard cycle divided by place settings). Waterwise [3] consider the best models to have a water efficiency of less than 1.08 litres per place setting and the worst can exceed more than 3 litres per place setting. The models below have been selected using the Which? [4] reviews of dishwashers and score particularly highly in the energy and water efficiency categories.
Eco-Friendly Dishwashers
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Best Compact Dishwashers:
The Bosch SKT5102 Classixx
This compact model of dishwasher is perfect for small families as it easily fits on tabletops with measurements of only 45cm x 56cm x 46cm (h x w x d) and the ability to wash 4 place settings. The model comprises of a normal washing program and an eco program; both of which gained full marks for cleaning and drying, as well as water and electricity consumption. Overall, this model is the highest scoring eco-friendly dishwasher due to its ease of use, reliability and consumption levels. Slight downsides are that a normal wash takes around two hours and 36 minutes and this cannot be set on a timer. Also in testing, this model scored lowly in terms of the noise produced.
Average Prices: This model retails for around £350
The Zanussi ZSF2340
This model is also designed to sit on table tops with measurements of 45cm x54cm x48cm but in contrast to the Bosch, it can wash 6 place settings – around 20 more items. There are five wash programs to choose from, including an eco program, which all gained full marks for water and energy consumption. The standard of washing and drying is not as high as the Bosch, however the normal wash time is only one hour and 31 minutes, and there is the possibility of up to a three hour delayed start. Similarly to the Bosch, one of the downsides of this model is the noise produced and the eco program is quite slow.
Average Prices: This model retails for around £290.
Best Normal Sized Free-standing Dishwashers:
The Siemens SN26T252GB
This model is a free-standing, normal sized dishwasher that measures 85cm x 60cm x 66cm and can wash 13 place settings. The model comprises of a main wash which uses a sensor to adjust the wash conditions in relation to the dirtiness of the dishes and consequently saves water and energy. There is also an Eco 50o program which saves approximately 3 litres of water with each use and is even more energy efficient. A normal wash program takes 2 hours and 5 minutes for a full load, but also has the opportunity for a delayed start. The standards of cleaning, drying and reliability are excellent, and this dishwasher is considered to be one of the quietest around.
Average Prices: This model retails for around £900.
The Bosch SMS69L09
This model is also a free-standing, normal sized dishwasher that measures 84cm x 60cm x 61.5cm and can wash 14 place settings – around 147 pieces of crockery and cutlery. This model has 6 programs, including a main program which takes 113 minutes, using 1.22 kWh of electricity and 14 litres of water. The “economy 50” program take around 40 minutes longer, however it uses 3.5 litres less water and 15% of electricity. There is also a quick-wash facility, delayed start and a half load option, which also saves water and electricity. This model has full marks for reliability and also for noise, which again makes it one of the quietest around.
Average Prices: This model retails for around £515.
Best Slimline Free-standing Dishwasher:
The Matsui MS452:
This model is a free-standing, slimline dishwasher that measures 85cm x 45cm x 60cm and has a capacity to wash 8 place settings – around 87 dishes. There are a variety of programs including main, eco, rapid, strong, soak and rinse. This model is energy efficient, using 0.93kWh and 14 litres of water of which there is a reduction of 3 litres and 0.23kWh when using the eco program. In contrast to other dishwashers, the eco program on this model takes one hour and 36 minutes, which is 55 minutes less than the main program. The model gets high marks for the quality of cleaning and drying, however, it is very noisy.
Average Prices: This model retails for around £220.
To ensure you pick the most energy and water efficient model for your home, it is important to take into account the average size of your loads. Even if you have the most energy efficient model, using it regularly only half full actually uses more energy than it does to run it fully loaded. On the other hand, choosing the right model will help you to save 20% of the costs of running an older more inefficient model.
Ensure you continue your eco-friendly ways by using an environmentally friendly dishwasher powder.
For more information on the very best Ecologically Friendly Dishwashers and Home Appliances, be sure to explore our extensive range of Energy Saving Appliances
[1] http://www.landtechnik.uni-bonn.de/ifl_research/ht_1/EEDAL_03_ManualDishwashing.pdf
[2] http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Home-improvements-and-products/Home-appliances/Dishwashers
[4] http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/dishwashers/product-finder/
