U.S. appliances gain in energy efficiency

Not all the news on the energy-use front is depressing. Major home appliances sold in the U.S. in 2007 perform much more efficiently than they did seven years ago, according to a recent study by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers.

Washing machines, refrigerators, and dishwashers in this country consumed 43 percent less energy overall last year than they did in 2000. Washing machines posted a 63 percent decrease in energy use even as tub capacity grew by 8 percent, refrigerators now use 30 percent less energy, and dishwashers consumer 29 percent less energy.

Taken together, according to AHAM, the energy savings from these three appliances would offset the carbon-dioxide emissions from 1.3 coal-fired power plants or more than 698 million gallons of gasoline. Americans consumed 130.2 billion gallons of gasoline in 2001 and 140.2 billion gallons in 2007.

By comparison, the fuel efficiency of the average U.S. passenger car from 2000 to 2007 remained relatively unchanged at 27.5 miles per gallon—the minimum required to meet federal Corporate Average Fuel Economy, or CAFE, standards. "During the last seven years, with more consumers purchasing larger and for the most part less-efficient vehicles, meeting higher CAFE standards has been a challenge," says Charlie Territo, a spokesman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, a Washington, D.C.-based trade association that represents 10 major auto companies. New CAFE rules approved last year mandate an increase in fuel economy for cars, pickups, SUVs, and vans to 35 mpg by 2020.

"Dishwashers, refrigerators, and clothes washers have had programs for seven out of the last 10 years that include active efforts by utilities and governments to make it profitable for manufacturers to produce efficient machines and provide a cushion to help overcome any failures," explains David Goldstein, Ph.D. codirector of the energy program for the National Resources Defense Council.

Improved designs often drive efficiency:
• Today's front-loading washing machines, for example, are more water and energy efficient even though these appliances typically have greater load capacities than their predecessors did, according to Emilio Gonzalez a senior program leader in the Consumer Reports Technical division. (Watch our washing machine video buying guide, right.)

• The latest dishwashers filter wash water better and more often so they can avoid multiple large fills and reuse the water they have, cutting down water and energy use. "Soil sensors in dishwashers can save water and energy," Gonzalez says. Updated federal energy-efficiency requirements and Energy Star standards for dishwashers will go into effect in 2010. Our dishwasher Ratings (available to subscribers) reveal the most and least efficient models.

• The average refrigerator today consumes 498 kilowatt-hours—despite even wider use of energy-hungry water dispensers and icemakers. (The capacity of the average refrigerator in this country has not grown in recent years.) That's significantly less than 1,726 kWh used in 1972 and the 704 kWh figure from 1990. The improved efficiency has actually led to slight decreases in annual operation costs, even as the average cost per kilowatt-hour for residential electricity rose from 8.24 cents to 10.80 cents from 2000 to 2007. It cost $58 to run a refrigerator seven years ago but about $53 today.

"There's no technical reason not to be able to at least double refrigerator efficiency with today's technology," says Goldstein, who mentions vacuum-panel insulation and the use of separate compressors for refrigeration and freezing as "the two most attractive and unused technologies" available to enhance energy efficiency. (Perhaps the best way to cut the energy consumption of your own refrigerator, according to Goldstein, is to buy a smaller one, who suggests you walk to the market daily to buy food. Don't get a compact model, like the one you might have had in your dorm room at college, since that type tends to be very energy inefficient.)

Goldstein says he's concerned about a trend by manufacturers to trick out refrigerators with electronic devices like LCD screens, joining a roster of energy-consuming extras like ice and water dispensers, fast-chill compartments, convenience lights, and more. While such an add-on might boost your energy bill only slightly, consumption could rise dramatically nationwide if a significant amount of consumers buy these refrigerators. Still, "Appliance manufacturers are finding ways like using LED lighting to keep any additional energy costs down, says Jill Notini, vice president, communications and marketing, for AHAM.

Refrigerators are often no longer a home's biggest energy-consuming appliance; that distinction now often goes to big-screen TVs.

But bigger can be better—sometimes. In our recent review of dehumidifiers, our testers found that larger units used fewer watts of electricity for each pint of water they pulled out of the air. Also note that efficiency can vary between similarly sized models: We noticed a $17 difference in the cost of running two similar-sized models over a six-month period.

In the end, the best way to save is to not only find the deals on appliances but also to factor in the energy efficiency of the appliances you're buying.—Gian Trotta

Essential Information: Read this story on appliance rebates and tax credits from state and federal governments and local utilities. And use our new Home Improvement Guide interactive, which offers buying advice on appliances, tools, and building materials for every area of your home.