Arguably, the dishwasher is the most eco-friendly of ourlarge household appliances. Not because it doesn’t slurp up energy and water, but because it improves on the alternative. Hand washing your dishes actually uses more water and energy than running your dishwasher. A full load of dishes run through a modern dishwasher and allowed to air dry uses 35 percent less water than hand washing (source). Of course there’s the environmental impact of producing a dishwasher and the dubious recyclability of some of the components to contend with, but the longevity of these appliances (10-15 years), negates a lot of that impact.
Despite its upfront eco-cred however, there is still much that can be done to improve the efficiency of your dishwasher. Read on for tips for buying the best dishwasher for the planet.
Choose Energy Star Rated Models
As with mostEnergy Star rated appliances在美国,该计划从制造商那里获得了效率的巨大飞跃。20年前,洗碗机每次使用10加仑或更多的水。如今,他们必须使用不超过4.25加仑的汽油才能获得“能源之星”的资格,而且许多公司使用的汽油要少得多。用水量越少,加热水所需的能源就越少,这意味着“能源之星”洗碗机每年的用水量低于295千瓦时,即每循环1.37千瓦时。
Remember the Water
An average family spends 14 percent of their monthly energy bill on hot water. Heating water is the third largest energy expense in the home (source). Just over 50 percent of the energy a dishwasher uses goes towards heating the water before it even reaches the dishwasher. Thirty percent is then used to boost the water temperature inside the dishwasher to 140 degrees, and the rest is used by the drying cycle and to power the pumps etc. within the machine (source). Bearing all this in mind, look for the following features when purchasing your next dishwasher to cut down on energy and water usage.
Eco-Friendly Features
Delay Start:
This feature allows you to program your dishwasher to run during off peak hours, saving money on electricity usages and putting less strain on the grid.
Soil Sensing:
带有传感器技术的设备可以根据盘子上的污垢水平调整循环时间和用水量。这有助于提高效率,只要你彻底刮(而不是冲洗)你的盘子。
Multiple Cycles:
选择一个洗碗机有几个洗涤循环选项。如果你的盘子只是稍微脏了一点,你可以使用轻便或节能的洗涤循环,用水量更少,操作时间更短。快速洗涤循环提供了额外的效率,一些制造商采用了特定的环保模式,如GE的eWash。
Bigger is Better:
Standard-capacity models hold more than eight place settings and six serving pieces, some, such as the GE Profile, hold up to 16 place settings. These larger models often offer a top or bottom rack only wash, which use the same amount of energy as a compact model. So, unless space is an option, a standard or larger dishwasher is better than a compact model, as you’ll likely use a smaller washer more frequently.
Air Dry:
Avoid dishwashers with heating elements; these are huge energy guzzlers. Opt instead for an air-dry option that employs circulation fans to boost the effectiveness of the drying cycle without drawing more electricity.
Stainless Steel Tub:
除了比传统的塑料内部更耐用,不锈钢桶反射热量,以优化能源效率在干燥周期。
Water Recycling:
KitchenAid debuted its innovative AquaSense water recycling system last year. Already a common feature in Europe, the system recaptures water from the final rinse of a cycle and, after filtering it, stores it to use for pre-rinsing the next load. With this technology, KitchenAid’s KDTE554CSS model uses just 1.64 gallons of hot water. While not perfect –this reviewdetails some energy issues – the technology is certainly something to keep an eye on.
Top Tips
Once you’ve got that sleek new energy-efficient, water-saving dishwasher in place, here are some tips to using it to its full eco-friendly potential:
Scrape don’t rinse:
Scrape food off dishes rather than rinsing in the sink. This can save 20 gallons of water before the dishes are even in the dishwasher. Modern dishwashers and detergents are powerful enough to get all the grime off. If yours isn’t doing the job, it’s time for a new one.
Dispense with the pre-rinse cycle:
Unless you left your dishes out overnight, don’t use a pre-rinse cycle; it wastes water and time.
Select the right cycle:
If you’ve scraped, the light cycle will be sufficient. Don’t use super settings like “Power Scrub” or “Pots and Pans.”
Load it up:
Most dishwashers use about the same amount of energy and water regardless of the number of dishes inside, so run full loads whenever possible.
Skip the heat:
Select the no-heat drying option. It gives good drying results with less energy. If it’s not dry enough for you, time the cycle so you can leave the dishwasher open overnight to air dry thoroughly.
Location:
Don’t put your new dishwasher right next to your fridge, the fridge will have to work harder when the dishwasher is running, due to the heat it emanates.
Conclusion
As with a lot of green choices, saving water and energy is mainly about common sense, but many of the new technologies and features in modern dishwashers make upgrading the truly sensible option.
Jennifer Tuohy为家得宝撰写节能电器方面的文章,包括炉灶、冰箱和洗碗机等厨房电器。Home Depot’s large selection of dishwashers, including the most energy-efficient types mentioned in Jennifer’s article, can be viewed athttp://www.homedepot.com/b/Appliances-Dishwashers/N-5yc1vZc3po.
Svetlana Sukhanovasays
I understand it has nothing to do with dishwasher, but it has everything to do with Eco-friendliness. Use biodegradable preferably organic dishwasher detergent. Just imagine the amount of chemicals that people wash down the drain every day!