Energy Guide Labels for H-Axis Washers Misleading

We also noted, though, that the expected annual energy cost was a mere $28 with electric water heating and $13 with gas water heating. Something didn’t make sense.

It turns out that front-loading (horizontal-axis) washers are in a separate appliance category from standard top-loading (vertical-axis) washers. Thus, when looking at an EnergyGuide label on a front-loading washer, only other front-loading washers are included on the scale of comparative energy performance. Not only do front-loaders not look as good (because they are only compared to other machines of the same type), but also conventional top-loaders look better than they should because the scale of comparable energy performance does not include the more efficient front-loaders.