Washing machines
There are approximately 1.2 million washing machines in use in New Zealand. That's a lot of potential to save energy and money if they were all used sensibly.
When you do warm or hot washes, heating the water makes up a large part of the running cost of your machine. Washing on a hot cycle can use over four times as much energy as a cold wash. That's an extra dollar in electricity for every single wash - it soon adds up.
On this page:
Choosing a washing machine
When choosing a new washing machine there are some things to consider:
- Select the right size for your needs - if you choose a machine that's too big, you'll be tempted to run it when it's not full. The most commonly used size of washing machines are in the 5.5 to 6.5 kg range
- Check its water usage as well as the energy rating - both figures can be found on the label. You can find a database of water star ratings for all clothes washers on the Australian Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards website.
- Spin performance is important, especially if you dry some or all of your loads in a clothes dryer. There are good and bad spin performers in both top and front loading models. Consumer NZ includes spin performance in their tests of washing machines.
- Choose a model that offers economy and cold wash cycles.
- Check for auto-sensing or load size selection - so you're not using more water and energy than you need.
Top versus front loaders
Top loaders are the type of washing machine that have traditionally been used in New Zealand. The European style front loader washing machine is becoming more common here, and there might be some good reasons for you to consider switching over.
Top loaders
- Generally faster washing times (typically 30-45 minutes)
- Generally uses more water, which means they use more energy on a warm wash
- Tend to wear clothes faster, especially impeller/agitator types
- Usually cheaper to purchase
- Generally have a range of cold washing options
- Generally have cold and hot water connection (this is cheaper to run for a warm wash if you have a gas, off peak or solar water heating).
Front loaders
- Generally slower washing times (typically 60-90 minutes)
- Generally use less water, which means they use less energy on a warm wash
- Much more gentle on clothes and usually wash better, although all washers have to meet minimum wash performance standards
- Can be more expensive to purchase
- Many only have a cold water connection with internal water heating, and/or do not have a cold wash option.
Choosing by labels
All washing machines have energy rating labels so you can see roughly how much electricity each model will use in a year. Make sure you're comparing a similar size and type of washing machine, and look for the one with the lowest annual energy consumption (kWh). Many washing machines also carry labels which show how much water they use.
ENERGY STAR® qualified washing machines can typically be about 50% more efficient than non-qualified models. They use less energy to do the job and also reduce the amount of water needed for the wash cycle. Over a year you can expect to reduce the water used for washing clothes by more than 6,000 litres. [1]
Check out:
- Current list of ENERGY STAR® qualified washing machines
- Current ENERGY STAR® retailers and where to buy
- ENERGY STAR® specification for washing machines
Hints and tips
- Save energy by using cold water to wash your clothes and other lightly soiled loads. Do a warm wash every five loads or a hot wash every 10 loads to remove any dirt and detergent that may build up in the machine
- Wash a full load rather than several smaller loads where possible
- Dissolving powder detergents before you add them to the washer is good practice for all wash temperatures and will improve performance in cold water
- Adjust the water level to suit the load size
- Some machines have a 'suds save' option, which can save water and detergent if washing more than one load. This is particularly useful if you aren't on mains water supply
- Try to group clothes by fabric, colour, and how dirty they are. E.g. try to wash a whole load of lightly soiled items with cold water, rather than adding a pair of overalls that need a heavier cycle and a warmer wash
- Warm water makes most detergents work better, so for really dirty loads, a warm wash can save you having to do a second load if things don't come out as clean as you want.
Notes:
[1] Figures based on comparatively sized machines, using hot water cycles and 4 washes per week.
