These top-loader washing machines topped our tests: They'll blitz your washing but not your wallet.
The most efficient washing machines
How to choose the best performing washing machine that's better for the planet and your wallet.
Last updated: 30 May 2024
If you’re trying to save money and be kinder to the environment, a good place to start is your laundry.
From the type of washing machine you own to the amount of laundry detergent you use, there’s always an efficiency to be found somewhere. And this can translate to real savings on your electricity and water bills.
So whether you’re buying a new washer or wanting to make the most of what you have, CHOICE experts share their top tips for washing more efficiently.
Plus, exclusively for CHOICE members, we reveal some of the most energy-efficient washing machines and top performers from our recent testing.
Which is the most efficient type of washing machine?
An efficient washing machine is one that gets the largest amount of clothes clean (without damaging them), using as little water and energy as possible, in the shortest amount of time.
Most of the energy used when doing your laundry is for heating the wash water. So this means that the more water your machine uses, the higher its energy consumption.
Verdict: Front loaders use less water and energy than top loaders
Top loaders use a lot of water because they need your clothes to float freely in order to wash them – they use an average 121 litres per cycle in our tests.
Front loaders, on the other hand, work by repeatedly picking your clothes up and dropping them into the wash water instead, requiring an average of just 57 litres for a cycle.
Front loaders are way more water-efficient, and because most of the energy used is to heat the wash water, they’re far more energy-efficient as well
That means front loaders are way more water-efficient. And because most of the energy used is to heat the wash water, they’re far more energy-efficient as well.
Good to know
Also in the ‘pros’ column for buying a front loader – we find they do a much better job of getting your clothes clean, and are gentler on your clothes as they do it.
But the trade-off for low water consumption is a longer cycle time – over five hours for some front loaders we’ve tested, compared to a typical top loader’s approximately one-hour cycle.
Front loaders do a much better job of getting your clothes clean
If you wash in cold water you take heating-related energy consumption out of the equation, and top loaders do have a very slight energy-efficiency advantage there, as the much shorter cycle time means pumps and motors aren’t running as long.
But this advantage is nowhere near as big as the one enjoyed by front loaders for warm washes.
And hot or cold, top loaders still use way more water.
CHOICE tip: Our recommendation for both efficiency and performance? Get a front loader. But if using a top loader, consider switching from a warm to a cold wash – it’ll reduce your running costs significantly.
As important as efficiency is when it comes to washing machines, bear in mind it’s not everything – we all want efficient appliances, but balance that against a washing machine that does a great job of cleaning your clothes without damaging them.
Our washing machine reviews can show you which washers do the best job, as well ones which are the most efficient.
Or read on for our pick of the best, most efficient machines.
How to work out running costs
Even when comparing models of the same type (front loader or top loader), we see a real range of running costs in our tests.
Knowing the running costs of your machine is a good place to look for savings. It might prompt you to switch to washing in cold water instead of warm, for example, or run fuller loads so you don’t have to wash as often.
To calculate the annual running costs of your machine you need to know how frequently you run it, how much energy and water it uses per wash, and their respective costs.
Calculating energy cost
Assuming, as the Australian standard does, you run a warm wash every day, then your washing machine’s estimated annual energy consumption is prominently displayed on its energy star rating label (e.g. 600kWh). Multiply this by your electricity cost (we estimate 40c per kWh) to get your annual energy cost. Using the example figures, your washing machine’s energy cost would be 600 x 0.40, or $240 per year.
Calculating water cost
Your washer also has a water star rating. Rather than an annual figure, this shows the water consumption per wash (e.g. 42 litres).
If you run a wash approximately once a day, then multiply this by 365, then multiply the result by your water cost (we estimate $2 per 1000 litres) to get the dollar amount – that is, 42 x 365 x 2 / 1000, or $30.66 per year.
Calculating annual running cost
Add your energy and water costs together to get the annual running costs for your machine – in this example, just over $270.
Only wash in cold water?
If you only wash in cold water, the energy star label won’t help, because that only gives you the figure for a warm wash.
At CHOICE, we test washers using a cold wash because that’s what most Australians do at home – you can find the cold wash energy consumption in our washing machine test results, and we also calculate 10-year running cost figures for each machine.
What you should know about energy star ratings
Washing machines must carry a label that shows their comparative energy efficiency, with a series of stars plus a number that tells you its total annual energy consumption.
The more stars, the more energy-efficient the machine.
It may seem simple to choose the machine with the greater number of stars, but here are some things to consider.
1. You can only compare star ratings between machines of the same capacity
A bigger washing machine may have more stars than a smaller one, because there are inherent energy savings in a larger load. But it will probably use more energy overall in a year.
2. Star ratings may give a false sense of economy
Energy star ratings may also give a false impression of economy, because they’re calculated based on a full capacity wash, and most of us don’t come close to filling our machines. If you’ve got an 8kg capacity machine but, like most people, wash multiple smaller loads, your energy and water consumption is likely to be higher.
And if you select a different program or temperature to what was used to calculate the star ratings, your energy and water consumption will probably differ – a gentle wash, for example, will use more water than a cottons program (the extra water compensates for the gentler mechanical action of the machine). A gentle wash can also probably only accommodate a couple of kilos of clothes at a time, further reducing efficiency.
3. A 5-star energy rating isn’t a guarantee of 5-star washing performance
Because good ratings sell more machines, unscrupulous manufacturers may minimise water and energy consumption as much as possible while barely meeting the minimum performance thresholds required by the standard. In other words, a machine may not wash really well with the tested settings, rather, just barely well enough.
Good to know
Also remember that at CHOICE, we select a ‘normal’ cold wash for our tests – whereas energy labels use a warm wash, and oftentimes an ‘eco’ program. We do this because most Australians wash in cold water, and we want our testing to reflect what you’ll experience in your laundry at home.
Some manufacturers may publish the figures for both warm and cold washes, but only the warm-wash figure is required on the label.
It’s also worth noting that for top loaders, which don’t have internal heaters, the quoted figure includes an estimate of the energy used by your home’s hot water service, as well as the energy used by the machine itself.
Choosing the most efficient wash program
To guarantee you’re using your washing machine as efficiently as possible, it’s important to choose the right program.
We always recommend you wash full loads, which usually means you need to use the cottons program.
But if you have just a few kilos of clothes that aren’t really that dirty, it’s likely more efficient to use a different program, such as daily wash, mixed fabrics or easy care.
These programs are probably faster and probably have fewer wash and rinse fills than a full cottons program, which means they use less water and therefore less energy.
The exception here is a gentle or woollens cycle. Even though this program is likely to use cold water, it can use a lot more water than other cycles to compensate for the gentler washing action.
Get efficient with your detergent
Your detergent is likely the biggest expense in your laundry routine, but also one where you can possibly make great savings.
This is because detergent prices vary wildly – from as little as 6 cents per wash in our latest test up to a staggering $1.24 per wash.
The good news is we consistently find in our laundry detergent reviews that some of the best performing detergents are also some of the cheapest. Choose wisely and you’ll get a great wash for a fraction of the price of the market leaders.
CHOICE tip: We’ve found you can get a great wash with just a third or even as little as a quarter of the recommended detergent dose.
The best, most efficient washing machines in CHOICE testing
We asked CHOICE laundry expert Ashley Iredale which washing machines he’d recommend to people who are particularly concerned about efficiency – we reveal these below.
In our labs, we’ve tested over 70 of the latest models of front loader and top loader washing machines, so our experts know what’s worth spending your money on.
Join CHOICE to access our detailed washing machine testing data and recommendations. Only CHOICE members have access to all our expert, independent reviews.
Or log in to unlock this article and find out which washers will give you the perfect combination of efficiency and performance.
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