Kitchen Appliances

How Does Your Dishwasher Rate?
Dishwasher ratings are more important to your bank account than you may realize. Most of us are accustomed to shopping for
bargains. That is why we may mistakenly think that the most inexpensive dishwasher is the best bargain. However, when
shopping for a dishwasher, you really need to consider three things to determine which is a bargain in the long run. First,
the initial up front cost will play a role in what you can afford to buy right now. Second, the long-term maintenance and
repair costs are a factor so cheaper may mean “fix more often.” Last, the everyday cost of running it is important to how
much you will spend each year on operation.
To find the best bargain in a dishwasher, you need to look at these three numbers and determine your total out-of-pocket
expenses over the life of the dishwasher, which is 10 to 20 years. For example, one dishwasher may be rated as more energy
efficient to run than a cheaper dishwasher of the same capacity. Consequently, the less expensive dishwasher will cost you
about $20 a year more to operate. Although $20 may not be a huge savings compared to a $100 price difference, think of how
quickly that $20 will add up over the years that you keep the dishwasher. In the first five years, you will have made up the
difference in the initial cost, and you will start saving that much each year for the next 5 to 10 years of life left on that
dishwasher.
How do you find out which dishwasher is rated as more energy efficient? That is easy. The government requires that all
appliances, including dishwashers, have a label to show certain information to help you comparison shop. You will find a
yellow and black label on the dishwasher, as well as other home appliances, that will show its capacity, its estimated yearly
energy consumption, and a comparison to the energy use of equal-sized dishwashers. You can easily compare these tags among
several models of dishwashers to find which is rated to use less energy each year.
If the label has the EnergyStar logo on it, you will know that the dishwasher is rated to use significantly less energy than
other average dishwashers of similar capacity. The EngergyStar program is run by the Department of Energy and the
Environmental Protection Agency to monitor the impact of our energy use on the environment. Since energy prices are soaring,
buying an EnergyStar rated dishwasher assures that you are meeting the strictest guidelines of energy use and saving the most
money in the operation of the dishwasher as well as protecting the environment. For dishwashers to earn the EnergyStar
rating, they must use 25% less than the standard energy consumption level of average dishwashers. Compared to conventional
models, and EnergyStar dishwasher will save over $25 a year. They also use less water, which will save around $100 itself
over the life of the dishwasher.
When shopping for a new dishwasher, compare the energy ratings to find the real best deal. Choose models of similar size and
style to compare performance and Energy Guide labels. Sometimes, you may qualify for rebates or local incentive programs for
buying a more energy efficient dishwasher (and other appliances). The salesperson or your local utility company
representative will know about such programs. Even without incentives, buying dishwasher with better energy ratings will not
only save you money in the long run, but it will improve our impact on the environment.

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