It's What's Inside that Counts

Home appliances look pretty much the same on the outside, but what's inside counts a great deal toward their operating costs and energy efficiency.

When shopping for a refrigerator, dishwasher, clothes washer or other home appliance, think of two price tags — the purchase price and the cost of operating the appliance. Long after paying the purchase price, you'll continue paying the monthly operating cost for the life of the appliance.

Here are some long-term savings tips:

• Narrow your choices by looking for appliances that bear the ENERGY STAR symbol of energy efficiency or that have a Tier 1, 2 or 3 rating from the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE). With CEE ratings, the higher the number, the more energy efficient the appliance.
• Refrigerators last about 14 years. A model with a top or bottom freezer is more energy efficient than a side-by-side model. Features like ice makers and water dispensers are convenient but increase energy use.
• Clothes washers last about 11 years. Most high efficiency models use about 15 gallons of water per load, compared to 32.5 gallons used by older machines. High efficiency washers also spin clothes better, resulting in shorter drying time.
• Study the bright yellow and black EnergyGuide label to help you figure out the appliance's annual energy consumption and operating cost.
• Dishwashers last about 10 years. An ENERGY STAR model uses less water and 41% less energy than required by federal standards.
• There are no high efficiency clothes dryers. The best you can do is to select a model with a moisture sensor so your machine shuts off automatically when the clothes are dry.