Is the eco-mode on your dishwasher really more economical?

Eco-mode programmes often take longer than three hours. "Yet they still consume less electricity” says VRT News science journalist Koen Wauters “because less water has to be heated".

Koen says we should not focus on the duration of a programme. "The biggest energy cost in a dishwasher is heating up water. The eco-mode uses less water. Less water has to be heated, and the water also doesn’t get as hot."

Using an intensive wash programme, the water is heated to 65°C. "Using the eco mode, that's usually only about 50°C" notes Koen. "To still get a good result at that lower temperature, you need to let the dishes soak longer and that takes more time."

Opt for energy label A

All dishwashers nowadays have an eco-mode, but still there are differences between the various appliances. So, it’s quite possible that the eco mode on brand A is more economical than that on brand B.

"Of course, the energy label on your dishwasher plays a role as far as consumption is concerned. If you run a dishwasher with the most economical energy label A about four times a week, you consume an average of 110 kWh. Using a dishwasher with energy label E, you’re already consuming 190 kWh a week.  That will work out as more expensive. "Over an entire year, that can quickly set you back several dozen euros more in electricity."

Are you still using an old appliance, then the costs can quickly add up. "A 15-to 20-year-old machine can cost a lot of electricity. It can definitely be worth your while to replace an old machine with a new one," says Koen. "Although a new dishwasher obviously also costs a lot of energy to produce: on average, as much as it consumes over four years!”