Washing Machine
General - New from March 1, 2021:
The energy label helps you, as a consumer, reduce your impact on the environment (and save money) by choosing products that consume less energy. The label also encourages manufacturers to develop and invest in more energy-efficient product design.
The new energy labelling requirements will hopefully lead to an increase in sales of energy-efficient products, and are therefore a good way to start meeting the EU's goal of a 20 percent reduction in energy use.
With the help of the energy label, a product's energy consumption is graded on a scale from A to G. Class A (green) is the most energy-efficient and class G (red) the least.
The new scale replaces the previous scale, which contained classes such as A +, A ++ and A +++. It is now considerably tougher to reach the top classification, compared to previous A +++ markings. From 1 March 2021, the new classifications will apply to washing machines.
The energy efficiency class for washing machines will continue to be based on the Eco 40-60 Program*. The standardized test wash has been adapted to better reflect actual user behavior by more accurately representing what the contemporary consumer's wash looks like, in the form of fabrics in cotton, linen or blended fibres.
Program time has been added to the label, with the specification for program time based on the Eco 40-60 Program*.
One of the major differences between the old and new labels is the washing machine's energy label, which will now be based on 100 cleaning cycles – unlike in the previous declaration, which was based on annual consumption (estimated at 220 cycles).
The test wash is also added to on the new label, so that it now also contains information about a quarter (¼) wash, compared to previous labels which only a full (1/1) and a half (½) amount of laundry.
A QR code will also be introduced which gives direct access to more information about the product in the European database EPREL (European Registry for Energy Labelling). There, you can easily find and compare energy-labelled products.
The new energy label:
1. Product QR code, for direct access to your specific model’s information in the European EPREL database. The symbol is a QR code (grid pattern).
2. Product Energy efficiency class. The energy efficiency class is shown on a scale from A-G, where A is the most energy-efficient and G the least.
3. Product Energy Consumption in kWh/100 cleaning cycles, with Eco 40-60 program* selected.
4. Product washing capacity with Eco 40-60 program* selected. The amount of laundry that fits in the machine per wash is stated in kg. The symbol for capacity is a picture of a full laundry basket.
6. Product Program Time in hours and minutes with Eco 40-60 program selected*. The symbol is a clock with an arrow.
5. Product Water Consumption in litres per cycle with Eco 40-60 program* selected. The symbol is a tap.
7. Product Spin-drying efficiency is shown on a scale from A-G, where A is most efficient and G is least efficient. The symbol is a sweater that is twisted at the bottom.
8. Product Sound power level (noise) in dB (A) noise class. The higher the number, the more noise the machine generates. The scale is logarithmic, which means that a difference of six decibels is experienced as a doubling of the sound. The new label also contains a classification of the measured sound value from A to D and, on the updated label, is based solely on the sound during the spin sequence. The symbol is a speaker with sound waves. Measured as an average per time average value.
* Eco Program 40-60. To achieve optimal energy efficiency, an optimal wash temperature is defined for this program. This temperature cannot be changed by the customer. The actual washing temperature is stated in the user manual and can, depending on the load size, deviate from the selected washing temperature to save energy. Laundry performance meets legal requirements.
** The values apply to quarter, half and full loads.
In addition to this, a certain minimum requirement for cleaning performance and washing performance must also be achieved. This is not shown on the energy label, but is always included in our tests.
The old energy label:
1. Product Energy efficiency class.
2. Product Energy consumption in kWh/year. Energy use per year for 220 wash cycles.
3. Product Sound power level (noise) in dB (A) by wash and centrifugation sequence.
4. Product Spin-drying efficiency is shown on a scale from A-G, where A is most efficient and G is least efficient.
5. Product Washing capacity with Eco program* selected. The amount of laundry that fits in the machine per wash is stated in kg.
6. Product Water consumption in litres/year. Water use per year for 280 wash cycles in standard wash/220 wash cycles.
FAQ
- * What is the Eco program?
The Eco program is a particularly environmentally-friendly program, the most efficient in terms of energy and water consumption. It is this program that is used when testing efficiency, drying and the other values that you can find on the energy sticker.
- What kind of laundry do we load our test washers with?The load that we, along with other manufacturers of washing machines and external testing institutes, have to use when – for example – we test the washing machines' ability to remove different types of dirt, has been changed so that it better reflects what consumers actually wash. This has been achieved by the inclusion of various fabrics made from cotton, linen or mixed fibres, among other things.
- What is a QR code?
A QR (Quick Response) code is a grid pattern you scan with your phone or tablet and which contains certain types of information. Different QR codes contain different information. This might be technical data, verification of an ID or a link to a website. If you scan the QR code on the energy label, you will be taken to the information for your specific model in the EU’s EPREL product database.
- What does the energy efficiency class scale look like?
The energy efficiency class is shown on a scale from A-G where A is the most energy efficient and G the least energy efficient. Below you can see how the new scale relates, approximately, to the old one. The current energy label for washing machines features three additional efficiency classes above A: A +, A ++ and A +++, where the energy consumption for A ++ is up to 24% lower and the energy consumption for A +++ is up to 32% lower than for Class A appliances.
- How do we calculate energy consumption?
Energy consumption is measured in kWh/100 cleaning cycles with the Eco program selected. A cleaning cycle is the same as 1 round of washing (based on predefined load compositions).
- What is meant by capacity?
The capacity of a washing machine is measured in laundry weight, in kilograms. A wash consists of a predetermined amount of laundry, made from fabrics in cotton, linen or blended fibres, and so on. Our measurements are tested on machines with a quarter (¼), a half (½) or a full (1/1) load.
- What is water consumption?
Water consumption is the amount of water that a washing machine uses during a wash cycle, with the Eco program selected.
- What is meant by program time?
Program time is measured in hours and minutes, with the Eco program selected. The time is counted from the start of the cycle until it has finished, and the requirement for the spin level has been reached.
- How is the sound level specified?
The machine's sound level is measured in decibels. On the energy label, this is marked with the letters A - C, where A is the lowest sound level and C the highest. The corresponding values are: A: 72 dB(A) or lower B: 73-76 dB(A) C: 77-80 dB(A) or higher The sound level is an average value of the sound during the spin sequence. The scale for decibels is logarithmic, which means that a difference of six decibels is experienced as a doubling of the volume.