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Dishwashers

Shopping and Usage 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.

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

+Choose a model with an air-dry feature, which cuts down on energy use.

Usage Tips

+Don't run the dishwasher unless it is full.

+Instead of pre-rinsing dishes, scrape food into the garbage or rinse them in a pan of water in the sink. Adding an additional 20 gallons per load on average, pre-rinsing can negate any water-saving efforts you've achieved with your dishwasher.

+Save energy by air-drying or hand-drying dishes rather than using the washer's drying function.

+If you must hand-wash dishes, do so efficiently. Get two basins, one filled with hot, soapy water for washing and another filled with cold water for rinsing. Start with the smaller, less dirty items first and work your way up to larger, dirtier ones.