Dear EarthTalk:

Do the “eco” and short cycles on dishwashers and washing machines actually save water and electricity?

June Lorens, San Francisco, CA

Doing household chores like washing dishes and clothes can feel like a guessing game. When you load up a dishwasher or a washing machine, you might wonder if pressing the "eco" or "short" cycle buttons actually saves energy and water, or if they are just clever marketing gimmicks. To understand how these settings work, it helps to look at traditional wash cycles. Standard settings on older or basic machines often use high-wattage heating elements to blast water at maximum temperatures. Heating that water up takes a massive amount of electrical power, which drives up your monthly energy bill.

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On the other hand, modern appliances feature "eco" modes designed to be much smarter about resource usage. According to industry data, lowering the washing temperature is the most effective way to save power, as heating water accounts for the vast majority of the energy a dishwasher or washing machine uses. To compensate for the lower heat, eco cycles extend the cycle time slightly. This gives the detergent more time to chemically break down grease and grime without needing high heat.

Denis Gallagher, of the independent consumer advocacy group CHOICE, explains that using more water and taking more time in a dishwashing cycle means higher costs with your energy and water bill. As a result, many people confuse eco modes with "short" or "express" cycles, assuming that a faster cycle is automatically better for the environment. However, short cycles often use more electricity and water. While short cycles seem better, in reality they use more energy to finish the job faster. Trying to force a heavy-duty cleaning job into a fraction of the usual time requires a burst of brute force and rapid rinsing.

Consumer habits also play a big role in how efficient your appliances really are. To wit, many people manually pre-rinse their dishes before loading the dishwasher. But modern dishwashers have sensors that detect how dirty dishes are, meaning pre-rinsing wastes water. Modern appliance design has evolved to make this even easier. Smart dishwashers and washing machines now feature advanced sensors that adjust water usage dynamically based on the exact size of the load, preventing wasted water on smaller loads.

When you weigh the financial and environmental trade-offs, the choice becomes clear. Eco modes might take a little longer to finish running, but the cumulative savings on household electricity and municipal water bills add up significantly over time. Ultimately, choosing the right setting matters. Opting for the "eco" button is a genuinely green choice that cuts energy use, while choosing a "short" cycle purely for speed often drains more resources than expected.

CONTACTS

• Should you use the eco mode on your kitchen and laundry appliances?, choice.com.au/home-and-living/laundry-and-cleaning/washing-machines/articles/eco-function-buttons.

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