It’s unfair and inaccurate to blame efficiency rules for all, or even most, of the changes to appliance designs. Detergent bans and the downward price pressures from increased global trade have also added to the challenges.
However, efficiency standards can involve trade-offs. When an appliance uses less water or energy, the machine needs to offset that change somehow to ensure that it still does its job well. That might mean longer run times, a heating element that’s more efficient but also more expensive, or better and pricier insulation.
Appliance manufacturers have largely risen to the challenge of making efficient machines that can also produce great results. The high-efficiency washing machines we recommend are excellent at removing stains. Today’s refrigerators use 75% less electricity than fridges did before the first federal efficiency rules took effect in the late 1970s, yet they’re bigger, quieter, and often better at preserving food.
But changes to the efficiency standards tend to be disruptive for at least a few years. Early low-flow toilets were famously bad. More recently, the latest Energy Star dishwashers have struggled to perform well in our testing, according to writer Andrea Barnes, Wirecutter’s dishwasher expert. “Several dishwashers from brands that cleaned very well in the past have failed to pass basic cleaning tests after the latest Energy Star update,” Andrea says.
Our top-rated model, the Miele G5008, meets Energy Star standards and aced our tests, but it costs $1,300 and saves only about $6 worth of energy per year in comparison with our picks that don’t meet the current Energy Star standard, which start at $930. (However, we like the Miele G5008 because it’s quiet, easy to load, and possibly more durable than other models — all of which also matters when you’re buying an appliance.)
Even after years of reengineering, some problems don’t have an obvious solution. Front-load washers, for example, still sometimes grow mildew in the damp, dark folds of their door gaskets. High-efficiency washers don’t always use enough water to effectively rinse away lint, mud, and other solid soils, as traditional washers could. Cycle times are up significantly for most cleaning appliances in comparison with 30 years ago.
So, yes, if efficiency rules are repealed, you may see at least some appliances that work a little better or faster.
However, nobody I spoke to was convinced that rule changes would unleash a wave of dramatically cheaper or more durable appliances.
Abt pointed out that while the typical lifespan of an appliance has dropped over the past few decades, so have prices (after you adjust for inflation). In addition, several super-durable appliances are still available from brands such as Speed Queen and Sub-Zero. But they’re some of the most expensive models in their categories.
