Seeing through the spin
Jane Turner sorts through the greenwash to look for the most ethical washing machines
The average energy used by a washing machine has dropped by a third in less than 10 years and water consumption has dropped by a half, which is good news for the environment. These changes have been driven forward, at least partly, by the EU Energy Label. But with almost all machines now getting A for energy consumption, its role as a driver of change appears to have stalled.
Moreover, washing machine manufacturers don't fare so well when it comes to
rating their company-wide environmental performance. Most of the companies
in this report receive the bottom rating for Environmental Reporting because
they produce reports without any quantified targets which demonstrate how
they have improved their manufacturing operations or are planning to do
so in the future.
Most washing machines are made by the usual domestic appliance multinationals,
but this report includes the Fagor brand which is made by a Spanish co-operative
company.
This report looks at washing machines only � not washer dryers or tumble
dryers.
EU Energy Label
By law, since 1996, all new washing machines must display an Energy Label
which shows, on a scale of A-G, energy efficiency, wash performance and
spin efficiency. Manufacturers voluntarily phased out D,E,F, and G energy
efficiency class models by 2003. Numbers also appear for energy consumption
per cycle (kWh) and water consumption (litres).
In 2003, over 75% of washing machines were rated A for energy efficiency.(4)
Nearly three quarters of all machines were also rated A for wash performance.(4)
Spin performance brought less impressive results with most models in 2003
only rated as B or C.(4) Machines with spin speeds of 1400rpm or over are
likely to be A rated for spin performance. The rationale for encouraging
A rated spin performance machines is that you can save energy and money
on using a tumble dryer less often or not at all. Only A rated spin performance
models are now recommended by the Energy Saving Trust (see below).
With most models now getting A for energy consumption, a further class
(A+) was proposed to differentiate 'best practice' models. The EU has unfortunately
rejected the proposal and will not consider it again until 2008. In the
meantime, manufacturers have taken it on themselves to use an A+ rating
to promote machines that use 0.17 kWh/kg or less. However, Energy Labels
for these machines will still display the energy efficiency class as A and
you may see this on websites and literature.
We found that only 15% of washing machines being sold were promoted as
A+ for energy consumption. If you look at the �best practice� models in
all areas, those rated A+ for energy consumption and A for wash and A for
spin performance, then the figure drops to about 5%.
Criticisms of the Energy Label
Direct comparison not possible An A energy efficiency rating means
that a machine consumes less than or equal to 0.19kWh per kg of washing,
but a comparable figure like this is not given on the Energy label, so you
cannot tell whether one A rated machine consumes more energy than another
just from looking at the label. To directly compare A rated machines for
energy efficiency you need to do a calculation to get a figure . You need
to look at the energy consumption figure given in kWh/cycle and then divide
this by the capacity of the washing machine (usually 5, 6 or 7 kg) to give
kWh per kg.
Another way to reduce your impact on the environment and your purse is
to choose a model with low water consumption. Best practice in 2002 was
10 litre per kg. So for a 5kg machine this would be listed as water consumption
of 50 litres per cycle on the Energy Label. From our research in 2006, we
found an average figure to be a more impressive 8.5 litres per kg. Again,
to directly compare machines, you need to look at the water consumption
figure on the Energy Label given in litres and divide it by the capacity
of the machines to get a litres/kg figure.
Levels don't reflect real use The energy consumption figure on the
Energy Label is based on using a standard 60°C cotton cycle with a full
load. In reality, consumers usually wash with less than maximum loads and
therefore use more energy per kg. On the other hand, most people actually
use a 40°C cycle which will use less energy than is stated on the Energy
Label. The combination of using smaller loads at lower temperatures means
that consumers are, overall, still using less energy than is shown on the
Energy Label. Washing a reduced load also means that the actual water used
will normally be less than is indicated on the Energy Label.
What's needed An A+ rating is needed to enable consumers to differentiate
between machines and to set minimum standards which will encourage manufacturers
to produce more efficient models. The one that manufacturers are currently
using for their own A+ rating (0.17kWh/kg) does not seem stringent enough.
In addition, the EU needs to look at an energy consumption level which
will reflect real use. They are looking at changing the test cycle to a
40°C cycle but this will still be at full load. Finally, the Energy Label
needs to show energy consumption and water consumption in kWh and litres
per kg to enable direct comparison of different-sized machines without consumers
having to resort to the use of a calculator.
EU Ecolabel
There is a voluntary Ecolabel for washing machines whose criteria for performance
levels are similar to the 'best practice' in the industry, namely energy
consumption of less than 0.17kWh/kg, A or B for both wash and spin performance
and less than 12litres/kg of water used. The Ecolabel also sets other minimum
requirements relating to the entire life cycle of the machine such as:
- plastic parts heavier than 25g must not contain certain flame retardants
- plastic parts heavier than 50g must identify the material used to facilitate
recycling
- the manufacturer must have made arrangements for the take-back
or recycling of the machine at the end of its life without further cost.
Unfortunately, none of the manufacturers have applied for an Ecolabel for
any of their products available in the UK. Hoover used it in the late 1990s
for its New Wave range, but dropped out because it failed to boost sales.
Energy Saving Recommended
Developed by the Energy Saving Trust, in conjunction with industry and
the UK government, the Energy Saving Recommended logo appears on a wide
range of products including fridges, freezers, dishwashers, washing machines,
tumble dryers, light bulbs, light fittings, gas boilers and heating controls.
The Energy Saving Trust is a not-for-profit company which was set up by
the Government following the 1992 Rio Earth Summit and its goal is to achieve
the sustainable and efficient use of energy, and to cut carbon dioxide emissions.
The Energy Saving Recommended (ESR) on-line database lists products meeting
its criteria with model numbers and manufacturer�s contact details. You
can search using product type, brand and even model number. It does not,
however, give you the figures we have listed in the table above. You need
to go to the manufacturers' websites or brochures for that. The criteria
for washing machines mean that only triple A rated machines are listed (A
for energy efficiency, A for wash performance and A for spin efficiency).
76 models of washing machine are listed as AAA on the ESR website.
Taking part in the scheme at least shows that the manufacturers are concerned
about providing consumers with energy efficiency information, even though
the motive may be largely driven by marketing. The AEG, Creda, Fagor, Neff,
Tricity Bendix and Zanussi brands have not submitted data and are therefore
not listed on the ESR site.
Green machines
We have chosen to list the best AAA (energy consumption, wash performance
and spin efficiency) models, in terms of energy efficiency and water consumption,
for all the companies on the table. We checked the manufacturers' websites
to find the latest available models and to check out the energy and water
consumption data. There was no data available on the Haier and Creda websites.
Fagor, Neff and Tricity Bendix did not produce any triple A rated machines.
All figures and models were correct at the time of writing � 8th March 2006.
However, the models that we list below may not all be available in the future
so you could go through the same process and work out the figures yourself.
| Model
| energy
| water
| capacity
|
|
| kWh/kg
| litres/kg
| kg
|
| AEG-Electrolux
|
| L88810
| 0.17
| 6.5
| 6
|
| LL1620
| 0.17
| 6.1
| 7
|
| Beko
|
| WMA765
| 0.17
| 7
| 7
|
| WMA745
| 0.17
| 7
| 7
|
| Bosch
|
| WFR3269
| 0.17
| 7.2
| 6
|
| Candy
|
| CN136
| 0.19
| 9.8
| 6
|
| CN146
| 0.19
| 9.8
| 6
|
| CN166
| 0.19
| 9.8
| 6
|
| CBL166
| 0.19
| 9.8
| 6
|
| Hoover
|
| HNL9146Z
| 0.17
| 9
| 6
|
| HNL6156S
| 0.17
| 9
| 6
|
| HNL6166
| 0.17
| 9
| 6
|
| HNL6146
| 0.17
| 9
| 6
|
| Hotpoint
|
| WT965
| 0.17
| 8.6
| 7
|
| WT960
| 0.17
| 8.6
| 7
|
| WTV75
| 0.17
| 8.6
| 7
|
| WTV70
| 0.17
| 8.6
| 7
|
| Indesit
|
| WIE 167
| 0.19
| 10.6
| 5
|
| WIE 157 S
| 0.19
| 10.6
| 5
|
| WIL 153
| 0.19
| 10.6
| 5
|
| WIL 163
| 0.19
| 10.6
| 5
|
| WIL 163 S
| 0.19
| 10.6
| 5
|
| LG
|
| WM-1122
| 0.15
| 6.7
| 7.5
|
| WM-1222
| 0.15
| 6.7
| 7.5
|
| WM-1322
| 0.15
| 6.7
| 7.5
|
| WM-1422
| 0.15
| 6.7
| 7.5
|
| WM-1622
| 0.15
| 6.7
| 7.5
|
| Miele
|
| W 2659 WPM
| 0.17
| 8.4
| 5
|
| W 2659 i WPM
| 0.17
| 8.4
| 5
|
| W 2888 WPS
| 0.17
| 8.4
| 5
|
| W 3652 WPS
| 0.17
| 8.2
| 6
|
| W 3444 WPS
| 0.17
| 8.2
| 6
|
| W 3622 WPS
| 0.17
| 8.2
| 6
|
| Servis
|
| M6516
| 0.19
| 9.8
| 5
|
| Siemens
|
| WIQ1835
| 0.17
| 7.2
| 6
|
| WIQ1635
| 0.17
| 7.2
| 6
|
| WIQ1435
| 0.17
| 7.2
| 6
|
| Smeg
|
| WMI16AAA
| 0.19
| 9.4
| 5
|
| WMF16AX
| 0.19
| 9.4
| 5
|
| WMF16A
| 0.19
| 9.4
| 5
|
| Whirlpool
|
| AWO 5963/5
| 0.17
| 8.2
| 6
|
| AWO 10961
| 0.17
| 8.2
| 6
|
| AWO 12963/5
| 0.17
| 8.2
| 6
|
| Zanussi-Electrolux
|
| ZWF1631W
| 0.17
| 8.2
| 6
|
| ZWF1651W
| 0.17
| 8
| 7
|
| ZWV1651S
| 0.17
| 8
| 7
|
How the figures are worked out
kWh/kg: electricity/energy consumption (kWh) divided by machine capacity(kg)
litres/kg: water consumption (litres) divided by capacity (kg)
Energy and water consumption figures are given on the Energy Label and
in the Technical Specifications section of manufacturers' brochures.
No more hot fill
80% of the energy used by a washing machine is for heating the water in
its wash phase.(3) We always used to recommend choosing a machine with a
hot fill facility so that your machine can use the hot water from your heating
system and therefore reduce the amount of energy used by your machine. Domestic
hot water systems are usually gas-fired. Gas is a much more carbon efficient
way of heating water than using electricity produced from fossil fuels.
A cold fill washing machine uses electricity to heat the water.
Unfortunately, most new washing machines are only cold fill. Only Fagor
and Whirlpool models still offer both hot and cold fill.
The energy consumption data on the EU Energy Label is based on a cold fill.
Manufacturers say that introducing hot water straight onto clothes fuses
any stains. But, unless all consumers are using electricity generated by
renewable electricity, the phasing out of hot fill models may only serve
to increase carbon dioxide emissions.
Waste machines
Producer responsibility for waste electrical products will not happen in
the UK now until at least January 2007. Until collection schemes are set
up, consumers will have to continue to take responsibility for disposing
of washing machines.
If you are a householder your waste collection authority (district, borough
or unitary council) is obliged to provide a collection service for bulky
items, although they can charge a collection fee. Alternatively, you can
take your appliance to your local civic amenity site for disposal free of
charge.
The Waste Online website lists two recycling projects in the UK that accept
washing machines for recycling. See the Links section below.
Which? reliability
To find out which brands are the most reliable, Which? sent questionnaires
to 30,000 readers in November 2004 and received 14,296 replies.
Above average: Bosch, Miele, Tricity Bendix
Average: AEG-Electrolux, Candy, Creda, LG*, Servis, Siemens, Whirlpool,
Zanussi-Electrolux
Below average: Hoover, Hotpoint, Indesit
*The reliability of LG was calculated over three years rather than six.
Which? excluded high-scoring machines from Hotpoint and Servis from being
Best Buys because their washing machines needed repairing too often. And
while initial data for LG looked like they didn't need repairing too often,
Which? didn't make the top scoring model a Best Buy because they don't really
know enough yet about how reliable LG models are.
Buying and usage tips
- choose the fastest spin you can afford. Machines with faster spin have
more efficient motors
- second-hand or reconditioned machines are less likely to be energy efficient,
a factor which has to be weighed against any re-use benefits. They are also
unlikely to be Energy Labelled so finding out energy consumption data will
be more difficult
- wash with a full load each time to maximise energy efficiency. Half-load
programmes use more than half the energy and water of a full load
- use short wash cycles for light soiling
- use the lowest wash temperature you need. A 40°C wash cycle uses a third
less electricity than a 60°C cycle
- pre-soak dirty clothes, since then you can use less detergent and a cooler
wash
- avoid the pre-wash cycle whenever possible
- re-use water from machine outflows
- dry clothes naturally � a washer dryer uses four times as much energy as
a washing machine, and a tumble dryer will use nearly three times as much
energy
- get together with a group of neighbours to share a washing machine and
create your own community launderette
- don't wash your clothes every time you wear them
- airing clothes can get rid of some smells like smoke or cooking smells
- do more handwashing � look on it as exercise � green gym!
Links
Energy Saving Recommended database: www.est.org.uk/myhome/efficientproducts/recommended/
Furniture Reuse Network: FRN Membership Office, The Old Drill Hall,
17A Vicarage Street North, Wakefield, West Yorkshire WF1 4JS Tel: 01924
375 252 membership@frn.org.uk www.frn.org.uk/
Has details of organisations that take furniture, white goods and household
appliances.
The SOFA Project: 48-54 West Street, St Philips, Bristol BS2 0BL
Tel: 0117 954 357 info@sofaproject.org.uk www.sofaproject.org.uk
Furniture and electronic equipment scheme across the west.
References
1 Energy Saving Trust website – www.est.org.uk
2 Assumptions
underlying the energy projections for washing machines – BNW05: Market
Transformation Programme
3 Product efficiency performance indicators
for washing machines – BNW11: Market Transformation Programme
4
2nd CECED Unilateral Commitment on reducing energy consumption of domestic
washing machines (2002-2008) - European Commitee of Household Appliance
Manufacturers (CECED), 2005