If you’re replacing or upgrading your washing machine, it’s worth choosing a new model that uses energy and water efficiently. This handy guide will help you to understand energy and water rating labels on washing machines, so you can choose something that’s better for the planet – and keeps you in pocket!

It’s now mandatory for washing machines to have an Energy label displayed on the product. This label allows you to compare the energy efficiency of a model relative to other models of the same size in the market. Energy efficient products not only consume less energy, they save you money in the long run and help protect the environment.

To help you choose energy efficient products, the energy label classifies the energy performance of a product type into five grades.

A product with Grade 1 energy label is among the most energy efficient in the market while a product of Grade 5 is the least efficient.

On the energy label, you can find the annual energy consumption, which is given in kilowatt hours (kWh). You can use this to compare washing machines with different capacities. The lower the figure, the less energy a washing machine uses, and the cheaper it will be to run.

The water efficiencies of washing machines are rated to different grades according to their category and water consumptions as shown in Tables 2 and 3. Grade 1 is the most water efficient whereas grade 4 is the least water efficient.

Even if you have a washing machine with a high energy and water efficiency rating, there are things you can do to make sure you use it as efficiently as possible. Here are a few ways to reduce the energy usage of your machine:

● Wash at cooler temperatures: lightly or even regularly soiled clothes can be washed at lower temperatures, so you should select a cold or eco wash cycle whenever possible. Hot washes should be reserved for heavily soiled garments, or to kill bacteria on things like towels, sheets and dishcloths.
● Consider your load size: wash heavier loads every few days, rather than light loads every day.
● Utilise the energy-saving features on your machine: today, washing machines come with all kinds of features that are designed to make them more efficient, so make sure you understand these and use them whenever you can. Select LG models come with TurboWash™360°, for example, which allows you to thoroughly clean your clothes in only 39 minutes, using less water in less time*. LG’s AIDD™ technology identifies the characteristics of the load, i.e. the weight and the fabric softness of the load, and selects the optimal washing motions based on load characteristics.

*Functions may vary by models.

You’ll find energy efficient washing machines for households big and small at LG. Discover them in store now.