What to Look For

If your current dishwasher is at least 10 years old, it likely uses between eight and 15 gallons of water per cycle, and depending on your individual habits, hand-washing dishes may use up to 50 percent more water than a water-saving, energy-efficient dishwasher. A new Energy Star-rated model can save you 13 percent on energy and as much as 1,200 gallons of water a year. Here's how to choose one:

Energy Star rated:  Energy Star models must use 41 percent less energy than non-qualified models.

Gallons per cycle (gpc): Because Energy Star doesn’t factor water savings into its dishwasher ratings, find out how much water a new dishwasher uses per load. The average new Energy Star model uses four gallons per cycle (gpc) when set on “normal,” but some models use twice that, depending on their size.

Capacity: Purchase a washer that fits your needs. Compact capacity models hold eight place settings plus six serving pieces, while standard capacity models hold more. A compact model will use more energy and water if it's run more frequently to handle multiple loads, but a standard capacity washer wastes water if your household includes only a few people.

Shopping Tips

• Look for models with several cycle selections. If your dishes don't need heavy-duty washing, you can use a light or energy-saving cycle and less water.

• Choose a model with an air-dry feature, which cuts down on energy use (you can also save energy at home by hand drying your dishes).

• At the store, compare the energy- and water-consumption costs of one model to another using the yellow "EnergyGuide" label on the product.

Usage Tips

• Save more water at home. Instead of pre-rinsing dishes, scrape food into the garbage or composter. Pre-rinsing can add an additional 20 gallons per load on average, negating any water-saving efforts you've achieved with your dishwasher.