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The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) produces the Energy Guide label for all major appliances except ranges and clothes dryers. If the major appliance you're looking at doesn't have the label displayed, ask the seller to see a copy. The label is supposed to help you, the consumer, understand an appliance's energy use. However, many people get confused by what they see and read in the label.
There are three important bits of information on the labels: the estimated annual kWh use, the range of consumption for similar models and the estimated annual operating cost. Among these three, the first two: annual kWh use and range of consumption for similar models are the most useful.
When you shop, compare the estimated annual use for the different models you are considering. That will give you the best comparison. If you look at only one model, check out where in the range of similar models the different models fall. If you do this, keep in mind that the FTC defines "similar models" in a way that may disagree with how you define them. For example, until recently the FTC defined all frontloading clothes washers as similar regardless of their capacity. It also grouped all toploading washers together regardless of their capacity. Most consumers would group washers by their size rather than door location. And full-sized frontloaders would clearly show up as much more efficient than full-sized toploaders in such a comparison.
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For more information from Seattle City Light on appliances, please e-mail rescons.scl@seattle.gov or call 206.684.3800.
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