Dishwashers Buy a dishwasher with a water booster heater, as this will allow you to maintain a lower water heater temperature. Energy Guide ratings for dishwashers can be misleading. Your energy use could vary substantially, depending on how often you run your dishwasher. This is especially true if you are considering a model with other wash cycle options. Also, be aware that there are two categories of dishwashers, compact and standard capacities.
Compact models use less energy, but they also hold fewer dishes.
Washing Machines Choose a washer that offers a wide range of water temperature controls for wash and rinse cycles. Options to control the length of a wash cycle have little impact on energy consumption. Choose a machine that allows you to select lower water levels when doing smaller loads. Some models have advanced electronic controls that automatically adjust water levels according to the size of the load. Consumer Reports and other studies show better overall washing performance with a front-load machine.