Buying an energy efficient washing machine

Your washing machine can add a significant amount to your electricity bill if you are not careful, especially if you have a big family with lots of washing to be done.

The South African Energy Efficiency Website can help you make the right choices, with information on all electrical appliances. We had a look at the advice on washing machines as an example.

Washing machines not only use a lot of electricity, but also water. Therefore, if you buy a more efficient one it will be good for your utilities bill.

Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) for washing machines protect consumers from buying inefficient machines and only machines with an Energy Efficiency Rating of Class A or better can be sold in South Africa.

Size is often a key consideration for consumers when buying a washing machine as running a machine with a large drum but a load much smaller than its capacity will waste electricity. Therefore, you must choose a machine size that is appropriate for your household size.

Washing machines with a smaller drum are suitable for households that do regular, small washes, while machines with a larger drum are best for households washing large loads at a time.

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How to understand the energy efficiency label

Washing machines must be labelled with a South African Energy Efficiency Label that indicates the relative energy efficiency of different machines.

Calculating how much the machine will cost to run

You can calculate the annual running costs of a washing machine by multiplying the kWh figure per cycle given on the label by the number of washes you are likely to do in a single week. Then multiply the figure by 52 weeks.

Lastly, multiply the figure by the cost of electricity in your municipality. You can find the kWh cost of electricity in your municipality by looking at your electricity bill. For example, if the label indicates that the machine will use 0.86 kWh per cycle and where you live a kWh of electricity costs R2 (including VAT), the cost of running the washing machine that you use six times per week will be R536.64 for the year.

Keep in mind that the kWh figure per cycle on the label is for a standard load. In reality, consumers use washing machines very differently depending on the circumstances of their households and as a result, the actual kWh per cycle will vary according to size of load, water temperature selection and spin selection.

You can use the tools on the website at https://www.savingenergy.org.za/ to calculate the running costs and CO² emissions for washing machines.

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How to use your washing machine more efficiently

• Use cold water: washing laundry in cold water where possible saves energy because the machine is not required to use additional electricity to heat the water.
• Wash with a full load as washing a small load consumes as much energy as a full load.
• Use short washing cycles. The shorter the cycle, the lower the amount of electricity required.