The Appliance of My Eye

Although a few thrifty souls still wash clothes by hand and keep food in an icebox or nearby cold stream, most of us prefer our modern appliances. But the downside is a copious energy and water drain. Choose appliances that use less water and have high energy efficiency ratings from the EPA's Energy Star program. Some utilities offer rebates on energy-saving products. Top performers include:

Product Picks:

Refrigerators: Sun Frost delivers the highest Energy Star-rated fridges: R-19 Refrigerator (53*); RF-12 Top Freezer (51*); RF-16 Top Freezer (36*) ($1,800 and up; www.sunfrost.com, 707-822-9095). Intirion's MicroFridge (MF3) line, includes space-saving refrigerator/freezer/microwave combos (31*, starting at $379; www.microfridge.com, 800-577-8041).

Ovens: Although ovens and ranges aren't Energy Star certified, microwave ovens are your best energy-saving option for reheating or cooking small portions, according to the Clean Air Partnership, reducing energy costs by 82 percent over an electric oven. Convection ovens offer a wider range of cooking options than microwaves and can reduce energy costs by about 30 percent over electric ovens. Frigidaire produces an affordable convection oven rated "very good" overall by Consumer Reports (CR): PLEF398DC ($1,499; www.frigidaire.com, 800-374-4432). For microwaves, GE'scountertop JE1460BF is a CR "Best Buy" ($139, www.geappliances.com).

Washing Machines: LG Electronics WM2677HSM (125*) has the highest water efficiency listed by Energy Star at 4,731 gals./year ($1,299 to $1,349). Slightly cheaper but similarly performing is the WM2042CW ($949-$999; us.lge.com, 800-243-0000). Other options include Kenmore's 45081 (111*), with very low water use at 5,200 gals./year ($1,399, www.kenmore.com) and Asko's W6461 (140*), 5,486 gals./year ($1,508, www.askousa.com).

Dishwashers: Asko's D3531XLFI (159*) and D3531XLHD (141*), less than 5 gals./wash ($1,500, $1,764) (askousa.com). Viking's DFUDO42 and DFUD142 (both 100*), 4.5 gallons/wash ($1,300 and $1,450, www.vikingrange.com).

*percent more efficient than federal standard according to Energy Star

Resources: Refrigerator and Water Saving Appliance Product Reports at thegreenguide.com/reports. Energystar.gov.