Front-loading Washers Rule the Energy-Efficiency Race, But Affordable Top-loaders are Regaining Lost GroundClothes Call

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"A lot of people, with the cost of the electric and gas these days, are really trying to be conscious of that and look for the most efficient machines they can buy," she says. "They're looking for … the biggest bang for their buck."

Style Reigns

Rising energy costs or not, others, like custom home customers of Paramount Construction in Rockville, Md., are still more interested in style than in savings.

President Rob Maggin says most of his buyers care more about what their washers and dryers look like than about energy efficiency. He typically recommends what will fit the space best, and that's usually a front-loader, he says.

"They look better, they're more fashionable, and they're different colors," notes Maggin of front-loaders.

Home buyers who do ask about the energy efficiency of front-loading machines, he says, are more curious than serious about it. "It's always a question, not a huge demand," he says.

Manufacturers are catering to customers who crave color, especially for homeowners whose laundry rooms are on display near the kitchen, where guests will see them, rather than hidden in the basement.

Kenmore, for instance, makes front-loaders in bold blue, red, and champagne, in addition to white. Whirlpool has introduced a crisp green and a chestnut hue. "Color is very much important to consumers now," says Reed-Granger.

Convenience runs a close second, as consumers embrace washers and dryers with "smarter" features that automatically steam, pre-treat, sanitize, and choose water temperatures, taking the guesswork out of getting clothes clean. But energy savings will continue to be the big story in the laundry room, which is quickly becoming no place to waste water or energy.