Q&A: I've seen green labels on dishwasher detergents. Are they legit?

I've noticed all kinds of green claims and labels on a number of cleaners, specifically dishwasher detergents. What makes a these cleaners green?

We've seen these eco-friendly claims and labels, too. Some are meaningful, others meaningless. Terms like "natural," "environmentally friendly," and "nontoxic" lack standard definitions. Even "biodegradable" means little unless the information is specific, such as "biodegradable in three days" or "certified biodegradable."

But some of the claims you'll see aren't greenwashing and can point you in the direction of greener cleaners. A statement that a detergent is "certified biodegradable" has been independently verified, as is the Leaping Bunny symbol on Earth Friendly and Seventh Generation detergents. The presence of that logo indicates that a product wasn't tested on animals during any stage of its development. Keep this shopping tip in mind: Look for specific claims such as "contains no artificial dyes or fragrances," then look at the ingredients list if there is one, which might help confirm the claim.

In the end, you'll probably want a detergent that cleans well. In our August 2009 report on dishwasher detergents (story and ratings available to subscribers), one Cascade detergent was excellent and five other cleaners were very good, including the phosphate-free Method Smarty Dish tablets (shown).
Other tested detergents without phosphates tended to perform worst overall. Method's success might be due to the amount and type of enzymes in its formulation. Enzymes help break up food for easier removal.

Whichever dishwasher detergent you use, follow the tips below to get the cleanest dishes. And remember, don't machine-wash items made of brass, bronze, cast iron, disposable plastic, gold-leaf china, or wood.

1. Load large items at the sides and back of the dishwasher so they don't block water and detergent from other dishes.
2. Orient the dirtier side of dishes toward the center of the machine.
3. Don't let dishes or utensils nest or rest side by side. If your dishwasher has an open basket, mix spoons, forks, and knives so they won't nest together.
4. Use the top rack for plastic and more-delicate items.
5. Rest glasses on prongs so they stay upright and don't fill with water.
6. Load silverware with handles down; knives, with handles up. e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: If you're in the market for a new dishwasher, read our latest report and check out our free buyer's guide.

Can sharing housework make for a better sex life?

The recession has seen hundreds of thousands of Americans lose their jobs. One result of this lingering economic slump is that men are apparently taking on more housework, as we reported a few months back. That shift is not only good for gender equality on the household-work front but it might also heat things up in the bedroom, according to this CNN report.

"When a man does housework, it feels to the woman like an expression of caring and concern, which then physically reduces her stress," Joshua Coleman, a San Francisco-area psychologist and the author of The Lazy Husband: How to Get Men to Do More Parenting and Housework, told CNN. "A guy can be completely stressed out and want to have sex to burn it off, but women are not wired like that."

In 1976, men did only six hours of housework per week, according to a University of Michigan study of 8,000 families that began in 1968. But by 2005, they were doing 13 hours of housework a week compared with 17 hours a week by women.  A 2008 survey by the Consumer Reports National Research Center showed that while most women still did the cooking, 54 percent of men responding claimed they did the cleaning.

Guys who haven't been pulling their weight around the house can find motivational help, including Q&As like "What's the Best Way to Load a Dishwasher?" on this blog and items like "10 Easy House-Cleaning Strategies" on our Web site. If you're a grilling fanatic, give your significant other the night off and make some of these easy, delicious grilling recipes.

As much as you might envision a Jetsons-like future, the time of automated home chores has yet to fully arrive. (Take a peek inside the Microsoft Home concept space.) For instance, robotic vacuums modeled on those used in the military have proved poor performers in our tests. Nor were there any real winners among some shower cleaners; the longer you wait between cleanings, the more elbow grease you'll have to expend.

So visit this blog for more expert advice on getting things done around the house. Keep in mind that it's possible for a man to overdo it—earlier this spring, a German housewife apparently divorced her husband because he did too much around the house.—Gian Trotta | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

August 2009 Report on Dishwasher Detergents: Do greener cleaners get the job done?

Phosphates help dishwasher detergents clean better, but they also boost algae growth in freshwater, threatening fish and plant life. Bans on dishwasher detergents with all but trace amounts of phosphates, like the one in effect in Spokane, Washington, are designed to help the environment.

But many of the eco-friendly dishwasher detergents we recently tested are not great cleaners. Read our latest report on dishwasher detergents (available to subscribers) to find out which of the liquid, packet, powder, and tablet products scored the best in our tough tests, and watch our video on how we test dishwasher detergents (right).

To get the cleanest dishes, scrape off heavy soil before you load them into your dishwasher. Skip the prerinsing, which wastes energy and water. Then:
• Load large items at the sides and back so they don't block water and detergent.
• Face the dirtier side of dishes toward the center of the machine.
• Keep dishes and utensils from nesting.
• Place glasses upside down on prongs so that they don't fill with water. e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: If you're in the market for a new dishwasher, read our latest report and check out our free buyer's guide.

Consumer Reports' 2009 Kitchen Special: Leaner, greener kitchen remodels are on tap

Gone are the days when cash-out refinancing fueled kitchen renovations with glitzy granite countertops and state-of-the-art appliances. (This also seems to be the era of "phasing" projects.) As covered in our brand-new "Top Kitchen and Bath Values" report, part of the August 2009 issue of Consumer Reports, two-thirds of homeowners surveyed said they'll be spending less, doing more of the work themselves, and buying more-efficient appliances.

Below you'll find a listing of the product reports and other stories in this special section. And don't forget to use our revamped Kitchen-Planning Guide, which can help you save thousands of dollars on your kitchen remodel.

Buying appliances: Learn about money-saving tactics and find the best retailers.

Refrigerators: Lower-cost top-freezer models are making a comeback. Our ratings (available to subscribers) also include top performers in other styles. As with all our appliance coverage, we show the most reliable brands and ways to decide whether your existing refrigerator can be saved.

Cooking appliances: Find the best-performing ranges, wall ovens, cooktops and microwaves. We'll also help you decide between a range and a cooktop/wall-oven combo or between an over-the range microwave and a range hood.

Dishwashers: A $400 recommended model and $550 Best Buy lead the latest ratings. The story also includes advice on the pros, cons, and costs of turbo sprayers, stainless-steel interiors, half-load options, and filters.

Countertops: We rated quartz, granite, tile, laminate, steel, concrete, butcher block and more materials for strength and cost.

Flooring: Bamboo and plastic laminates have improved, but some brands resist wear better than others. We also found difference in performance within the same brands.

Garbage disposers: After pushing hundreds of pounds of beef bones and vegetables through 15 continuous-feed and s batch-mode models, we found a pair of sub-$165 top performers. Watch the video above to see how we test garbage disposers.

Appliances forums: We've revamped our always-busy forums with a new format that will let you quickly find info on particular types and models of large and small kitchen appliances.

Stay tuned to this blog and the Kitchen-Planning Guide over the coming weeks for a additional articles and videos with additional information from our reports and tests on all of the above products.—Gian Trotta | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Esential information: Find 15 top-rated products for summer projects that will save you time and money.

By the Numbers: Haier buys 20 percent stake in Fisher & Paykel. Is this the appliance world's version of Fiat buying Chrysler?

$50 million

Approximate amount Chinese appliance maker Haier is paying for a 20 percent stake in Fisher & Paykel, a New Zealand appliance manufacturer. The deal shoud help both countries grow beyond their home markets, according to this recent article in The Wall Street Journal.

Haier has been looking to expand its holdings but was outbid by Whirlpool for Maytag in 2004 and last year dropped a bid for General Electric's appliances unit. (Find out who makes which appliances in "Appliance Sleuthing.")

The stake in Fisher & Paykel "will allow Haier to share the marketing and research-and-development resources of Fisher & Paykel in the high-end whiteware market," according to a Haier statement.

Could the investment turn out to be a mixed blessing? Like the Chrysler-Fiat deal, it involves a company (Fisher & Paykel = Chrysler) whose product performance in our tests and reliability are often less than stellar and one (Haier = Fiat) whose appliances are generally aimed at the lower end of the market. Some Haier products do well in our tests, including the ESAD4066 air conditioner, part of our July 2009 report on air conditioning (report and ratings available to subscribers).

Fisher & Paykel, along with Amana, has been among the more repair-prone brands of top-loading washing machines; brand-reliability data, based on responses to the Consumer Reports Annual Product Reliability Survey, conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center are available to subscribers. (The Fisher & Paykel Intuitive IWL16 top-loading washing machine is shown.) And the New Zealand company has been the the most repair-prone brand of dishwashers, according to our survey.—Gian Trotta | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Flame or acclaim your appliances on our recently redesigned appliances forums.

Consumer Price Index drops from a year earlier. Is now a good time to buy new appliances?

The Consumer Price Index fell 0.7 percent in April from a year earlier, according to the latest figures from the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, and in March, the CPI dropped 0.4 percent year-over-year. These declines, says the BLS, are the first since 1955.

We're seeing a similar pricing trend for appliances. "Appliance manufacturers were planning in early 2008 to increase prices by 5 percent, mostly to pass on higher costs for commodities like energy and metals," says Michael DiLauro, a product-information specialist for Consumer Reports. "But since the financial crisis hit, we're seeing very few price increases."

So is now a good time to buy an appliance you've been coveting? As detailed in "Repair or Replace It?" (available to subscribers), if your appliance is eight or more years old, it often makes sense to buy a newer model. Federal, state, and utility company tax credits and rebates for energy-efficient appliances can provide further savings.

And when you're ready to shop, find the best stores to buy appliances.—Gian Trotta | e-mail | Twitter

Essential information: Find out how to maintain and extend the life of your appliances

Buzzword: Cookprint

What it means. Cookprint takes the carbon footprint—the amount of greenhouse gas each of us generates through our daily activities—and plants it firmly in the kitchen.

Food writer Kate Heyhoe cooked up cookprint, defined as the energy needed to prepare the food you eat. That energy use encompasses the appliances and techniques used to prepare and store food, though the management of leftovers and food waste also factors in—you lower your cookprint by composting rather than tossing scraps into the trash. Low-cookprint meals should also be heavy on plant-based and locally grown, sustainable foods.

Why the buzz? A few new cookbooks—including Heyhoe's Cooking Green: Reducing Your Carbon Footprint in the Kitchen—the New Green Basics Way; Big Green Cookbook: Hundreds of Planet-Pleasing Recipes and Tips for a Luscious, Low-Carbon Lifestyle, by Jackie Newgent; and Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating, by Mark Bittman—have stirred up interest in eco-conscious cooking.

Besides food enthusiasts, appliance manufacturers are in on the cookprint movement, though it's worth noting that cooking appliances as a category account for just 3 percent of a home's energy consumption, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Whirlpool says that for its induction appliances, "90% of the energy [is] expended into useful heat to reduce utility costs. (With gas ranges up to 60% of the heat is normally wasted through indirect gas combustion.)"

It's easy to cook more efficiently. On the cooktop, blanch green beans first and then cook pasta in the same pot of boiling water. In the oven, roast vegetables for tomorrow's supper alongside tonight's baked chicken. And when preheating a gas grill, throw on some potatoes or corn on the cob or heavy-duty-foil packets of vegetables instead of letting all those Btu go to waste.

Or when you're cooking small portions, use your toaster oven, which will consume less energy than a conventional oven. And reheat leftovers in a microwave oven. As covered in our February 2009 report on microwaves, microwave ovens can save up to 80 percent of the energy used by a typical oven. Indeed, the Environmental Protection Agency is considering making microwaves eligible for Energy Star qualification.

Remember, it rarely makes environmental sense to replace a working appliance just to take advantage of a new, more-efficient model. Still, if you do need a new refrigerator or dishwasher, the latest versions will reduce your cookprint. The average 2008 refrigerator or dishwasher uses 30 percent less energy than the average 2000 model, according to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers. Just don't fall victim to the Snackwell's effect when shopping.

Completing the cookprint cycle, conserve energy and water with your dishwasher by not prerinsing dishes before loading them, running full loads, and skipping the heated-dry cycle.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter

Essential information: Visit our appliances hub to find the most energy-efficient refrigerators and dishwashers. Look for our special report on kitchens, in the August 2009 issue of Consumer Reports, online and on newsstands in July.

By the Numbers: Today's washing machines gain in energy efficiency

64 percent

Decrease in energy use for the average washing machine in 2008 compared with a machine sold in 2000, even as the average capacity of a washer has grown by 9 percent in that time, according to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers' 2008 Energy Efficiency and Consumption Trends data for home appliances, released today. (The GE WCVH6800J[WW], $900 and a Best Buy, is shown.)  AHAM also says the average 2008 refrigerator and 2008 dishwasher use 30 percent less energy than the average 2000 models. Learn more about tax credits for energy-efficient appliances. e-mail | Twitter

Essential information: Our August 2009 issue (online and on newsstands in July) features our annual kitchen special, with reports on a wide range of appliances.

By the Numbers: Americans focus on bare necessities, perhaps hoping to forget about worries and strife

21 percent

Decline from 2006 in the percentage of Americans who say a microwave oven is a necessity, according to the Pew Research Center's Social & Demographic Trends survey of 1,003 Americans ages 18 or older. The new survey covers how Americans are looking at common household appliances, electronic equipment, and services during the recession, asking respondents whether they see items as necessities or luxuries.

Several other appliances also saw double-digit declines from 2006 in the percent of respondents describing them as a necessity. Clothes dryers, for example, are considered necessary by 17 percent fewer people; air conditioning by 16 percent fewer; and dishwashers by 14 percent fewer. The shifts have occurred among adults in all income brackets, proof that spartaneity is an equal-opportunity phenomenon.

"These recession-era reevaluations are all the more striking because the public's luxury-versus-necessity perceptual boundaries had been moving in the other direction for the previous decade," wrote Rich Morin and Paul Taylor, of the Pew Research Center.

Americans are also looking to tighten their belts because of the recession. Fifty-seven percent have bought less-expensive brands or shopped more at discount stores (here's hoping they avoid the big-box binge); 21 percent have made plans to plant a vegetable garden; and 20 percent have started doing yard work or home repairs they used to pay for.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter

Buzzword: Snackwell's effect

What it means. Studies have pointed to a phenomenon in which some folks who buy lower-calorie foods actually consume more calories than they would by eating full-calorie versions of those same items. They mistakenly believe that it's okay to devour mass quantities of "light" chips or cookies, negating the intended calorie savings. This Snackwell's (or Snackwell) effect takes it name from the Nabisco brand of snacks, which were originally marketed as low-fat products.

When it comes to the home and energy use, the Snackwell's effect is common too, as consumers erase the financial savings their energy-efficient appliances, lightbulbs, electronics, and more can provide through careless consumption, such as doing multiple small loads of laundry throughout the week when it would be smarter to run fewer full loads. While those influenced by the Snackwell's effect might still use less energy than they would with lower-efficiency products, they're not getting the complete benefit of their higher-efficiency equipment.

Why the buzz? At a time when our president has made energy efficiency a priority of his administration, Americans need to avoid squandering would-be energy savings.

A 2008 study by University of Michigan economist Lucas Davis found that people with high-efficiency washing machines do more loads of laundry than those without HE machines. Similarly, people who install energy-efficient compact fluorescent lightbulbs squander 5 to 12 percent of the potential savings by leaving the lights on, according to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy.

And in a survey of 500 Americans conducted by the Shelton Group, 33 percent of respondents said their utility bills didn't decrease after they made their homes more energy efficient. The Snackwell's effect could be a culprit.

Boosting energy efficiency and reducing energy use through technological innovation like the smart grid and state-of-the-art appliances like the hyperefficient Xeros washing machine are often portrayed as a way to counteract climate change, eliminate our dependence on foreign oil, and stimulate the economy and create jobs. But given the pull of the Snackwell's effect, you'll need to use products smartly to see real energy savings:

Washing machines
High-efficiency front-loaders use about 50 percent less electricity and water than some conventional top-loaders, for a potential annual savings of about $130. To avoid the Snackwell's effect, don't turn laundry into a daily chore and do small loads. Also opt for the cold-water wash cycle whenever possible.

Dishwashers
Stricter federal energy standards have made these appliances more efficient on the whole. To get the most out of your dishwasher, don't prerinse dishes and try to run the appliance only at full capacity.

Refrigerators
A new top- or bottom-freezer refrigerator costs $10 to $15 dollars less to run annually than a side-by-side model. But that's not license to leave the door open while you decide what to snack on. Cleaning the coils behind or underneath the refrigerator will also help the unit run more efficiently.

Televisions
LCD televisions tend to us less electricity than plasma TVs. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't unplug your LCD set(s) when you're away from home for an extended period. You can cut down on standby power consumption by unplugging TVs and other devices.

Lightbulbs
Compact fluorescent lightbulbs are 90 percent more efficient than traditional incandescent lightbulbs, so you'd have to leave your CFLs on for a long time to suffer any Snackwell's effect. But to maximize the savings, always turn off the lights when leaving a room.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter