Energy-Efficient Appliances

Washing machines and other household devices are being redesigned for greater efficiency. Key to creating an energy-efficient washer is to cut the use of water, because 85 to 90 percent of the energy used in washers goes to heating the water. This is typically accomplished by a front-loading unit with a tub that rotates around a horizontal axis. Studies by Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Palo Aldo, CA, show that horizontal-axis machines use about one-third less water and two-thirds less energy than the vertical-axis machines that have captured almost the entire U.S. market. Maytag Laundry Appliances Research and Development’s new front-loading Neptune washer features a horizontal-axis tub that is angled up 15 degrees to improve visibility and access. Rather than agitating wash loads in a full tub of water like standard top loaders, the Neptune washer substitutes a clothes-dryer-like tumbling action that dunks fabrics in a smaller volume of water.