Choosing The Best Green Appliances

As part of our ongoing series profiling the best green products to greenhab your home or investment property (check out our earlier posts on choosing the right flooring and insulation), this week we bring you our favorite green home appliances.

With some help from our friends at TopTen, we’ve put together our favorite appliances by category. Our choices are based on the things that really matter: energy efficiency, initial cost, ease of installation and lifetime cost savings.

Here they are:

The Clothes Washer

Model: Maytag MHW6000XW and MHW7000X

How much? From $832

This 4.3 cubic foot clothes washer uses just 114 kilowatt hours of energy every year, which is at least 200 kWh less than a typical clothes washer. These Maytag models rank very highly in tests of thoroughness of cleaning and speedy dry times.

The projected cost savings over the lifetime of the product is about $280.

The Dishwasher

Models: Bosch SHE8ER5#UC and SHX8ER5#UC

How much? From $1288

These 1.9 gallon dishwashers use on average 180 kWh per year and have the potential to save up to $311 in energy costs over the first 12 years. The ultra-efficient models have a half-load option for small loads and boast water savings of almost 500 gallons per year.

High-tech features include a water-softening feature that reduces spotting on glass, and insulation that makes it the quietest in its class.

The Refrigerator

Model: Whirlpool WRT351SFY

How much? From $695

This 21.1 cubic foot refrigerator uses approximately 364 kWh per year and can knock over $300 off your energy bill over the first 12 years.

The EnergyStar-approved refrigerator with a top freezer is the most energy-efficient on the market, and carries a lower price tag than its upmarket peers.

The Television

Model: Sharp LC-60LE632U and LC-60LE633U

How much? From $1398

Considering how often they are used, large televisions can be among the biggest users of electricity in a home. But not all models on the market are energy hogs. These two models by Japanese manufacturer Sharp wed minimal energy expenditure with a brilliant 60-inch screen.

They use on average 139 kWh per year and save more on energy costs than any other EnergyStar television on the market.

The Desktop

Model: Apple Mac Mini – MC270

How much? From $599

Long known for its sleek, high-design electronics, Apple’s computers function extremely efficiently as well. This mini desktop computer requires a separate monitor but its small size makes it valuable for space-constrained consumers.

The computer uses 112 fewer kilowatt hours per year than the average EnergyStar model on the market.

The seriously zippy Mini features 2 GB of memory and a 500 GB hard drive.

Be Sociable, Share!

•