According to appliancemagazine.com, 86% of 2010 dishwasher buyers reported buying an Energy Star certified appliance, for an increase of 5% from 2009 and a 9% increase from 2008.

Satisfaction with appliance performance is strongly influenced by the owner’s perception of the appliance’s water and/or energy efficiency, the study found. Customers who report that their appliance is Energy Star certified are more likely to be more satisfied with their appliance than customers who do not indicate that their appliance is certified.

The Laundry Appliance Satisfaction Study measured customer satisfaction with clothes washers and dryers based on performance in six factors:

• ease of use • features (such as the number of settings available and appliance capacity) • performance and reliability (including energy efficiency, noise level, and how well the appliance functions) • styling and feel • warranty • price

CLOTHES WASHERS: Samsung ranked highest for the second year in [...]

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Average appliance life span in years

Compactors: 6

Dishwashers: 10

Disposers, food waste: 9

Dryers, electric: 12

Dryers, gas: 12

Freezers: 11

Microwave ovens: 9

Ranges, electric: 16

Ranges, gas: 17

Range/oven hoods: 11

Refrigerators: 12

Washers: 11

Water heaters, electric: 13

Water heaters, gas: 11

Air-conditioners, room: 9

Air-conditioners, central: 11

Boilers, gas: 20

Dehumidifiers: 7

Furnaces, gas: 15

Furnaces, oil: 17

Heat pumps: 12

Courtesy of heraldnet.com

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DCS by Fisher & Paykel has once again scaled new heights of design and innovation with the announcement of its new DishDrawer Tall. Think of it as where DCS design meets Fisher & Paykel innovation. The company has reinvented its revolutionary DishDrawer, the world first dishwasher in a drawer, with the introduction of the DCS DishDrawer Tall featuring a more spacious design and new sleek modern styling that loses none of brand compact charm. Continuing to innovate and improve on its uniquely designed industry leading appliances has never been a tall order for Fisher & Paykel Appliances.

DishDrawer dishwasher is a signature product line for the company with its distinctive ergonomic design that doesn’t take up a lot space and cost-saving and environmental features that minimizes water, energy and detergent usage. Since launching the DishDrawer in 1997 after years of testing and research, Fisher & Paykel has continued to redefine the dishwasher of the future and to date has sold more than a million DishDrawers.

DishDrawer Tall has been designed specifically for the North American market and will be manufactured in the company new facility located in Reynosa, Mexico. DCS expects to [...]

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Le Petit Prince by Martin Miklica, Brno University of Technology, Czech Republic

The Prince is a robotic greenhouse designed for the upcoming exploration and population of Mars. It takes care of a plant it carries inside its glass case, which is mounted on top of its four-legged pod. In search of nutrients to care for the plant, the Prince is programmed to intuitively learn the optimal method for this process. It also shares everything with its fellow greenhouse robots via wireless communication so that they can learn from each other.

Bifoliate by Toma Brundzaite, Vilnius Academy of Art, Lithuania

Bifoliate is a space-saving, wall-mounted double dishwasher that will allow you to put dirty dishes in one compartment and use the other as a shelf for clean dishes, No more bending and reaching for dishes. The dishwasher uses ultrasonic wave technology to clean making it more efficient and eco-friendly than today’s dishwashers.

[...]

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As a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the Obama administration is encouraging the purchase of energy-efficient appliances through an appliance-rebate program that will soon dole out money if you buy Energy Star-qualified models. Appliances that qualify for Energy Star use roughly 10 to 25 percent less energy than the maximum allowed for that category by the U.S. Department of Energy, which runs Energy Star with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Unlike cash for clunkers, you won’t have to turn in your old appliance to get a rebate. But states are expected to have recycling plans for the flood of old appliances the program could unleash. And while the money is coming from Washington, [...]

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Gaggenau now offers two 24 inch dishwasher models – the DF 260 with Euro tub and DF 261 with tall tub. Both power dishwashers provide restaurant-grade dishwashing capabilities while meeting all your decor demands with the sleek luxurious, built-in design. The new DF 260/261 24 inch dishwashers are strong enough to clean up after the most prolific home chefs in just 59 minutes flat – thanks to the unique Power Boost option, so you have quick and spotless results each and every time. And an Intense Wash setting is perfect for mixed loads. 6 additional programs include an Extra-Dry setting to remove all water particles from hard-to-dry plastics such as Tupperware. Very economical and efficient, the ‘AAA’ rated dishwashers save time, money and energy without sacrificing strength. Gaggenau exclusive Aqua sensor technology determines the load and degree of soiling, optimizing the water temperature, water quantity and the length of the washing cycle accordingly. The 24 inch dishwasher also has automatic detergent function which adjusts the amount of detergent used to the needs of each load. Not only does it take the guesswork out of doing the dishes, it also conserves [...]

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Check out our July 24 post on three other recently tested washers. And look for more Inside Consumer Reports Tests Labs posts on washers, dishwashers, and vacuums in the coming weeks as we continue to test models on a rolling basis, providing you with information on the latest innovations and the newest models to hit showrooms.

The Estate ETW4400W[Q] top-loader, 0 (right in the photo), merited the lowest gentleness score of these machines—a poor—causing fabrics to fray. The Estate’s overall washing performance was very good—impressive considering that most conventional top-loaders we see tend to be mediocre at washing. Cycle time was 48 minutes, comparable to other top-loaders [...]

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.2 trillion

Amount U.S. consumers and businesses could save by 2020 by boosting their energy efficiency, according to “Unlocking Energy Efficiency in the U.S. Economy,” a new report from management consulting firm McKinsey & Company. (The report covers nontransportation energy use.)

Under current conditions, the United States wastes more energy each year than Canada consumes. Our nearly 130 million homes, many of which lose energy to leaky ductwork, underinsulated attics, and inefficient appliances, account for roughly 35 percent of the potential energy-efficiency gains, says the report. (You can make your old windows less drafty by caulking gaps, as shown. And use a programmable thermostat to boost your household-energy savings.)

As the report details, an initial investment of 0 billion would be needed to reduce annual energy consumption by 23 percent by 2020, which translates into .2 trillion in savings and an end-use reduction of 9.1 quadrillion British thermal units.

Those savings are key, because worldwide energy use is projected to soar over [...]

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Stuck with a leaky, noisy, bouncy, smelly, or otherwise underperforming appliance? The folks at RepairClinic.com, who have helped us with “Can This [fill in the blank] Be Saved?” sidebars on refrigerators, ranges, dishwashers, and other household gear, has a new site that provides even more sage appliance-repair advice for DIYers. (We haven’t tried out any of the repairs, so use your judgment to determine whether the you want to proceed with the recommended fixes.)

At the heart of ApplianceRepair.com are dozens of transcripts of the site’s Sunday-morning radio show with host John Sowden (shown). Each transcript is quite effectively divided into detailed descriptions and savvy solutions to problems like:

• Musty, noisy, or dancing washing machines.

• The balky top burner on a Kenmore range.

• Refrigerator lightbulbs that won’t stay lit.

• Enigmatic error codes for GE electric ranges.

• Cures for a shaky garbage disposer. See our [...]

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Not checking a brand’s track record. You can boost your odds of buying a reliable model by choosing a reliable brand from our Brand Repair History for different appliances. You’ll often save money in the bargain because, in general, lower-priced mainstream brands have often been more reliable than upscale brands. Our brand-repair histories are culled from nearly 450,000 respondents reporting on nearly 2.5 million appliances for our Annual Product Reliability Survey conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center. Paying extra for extended warranties. While they might boost profits for stores, extended warranties generally are a bad deal for you because most products don’t break within the three years most extended warranties cover. And because repairs often cost about the same as the extended warranty, you’re better off chancing it.

Jumping at package deals. Stores typically offer lower prices if you buy a refrigerator with a range and dishwasher from the same brand. But doing so could sacrifice performance, [...]

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