Best Eco-Friendly Washing Machines of 2024

Most of our Green Choice washers are highly efficient front-loaders, which use an average of 10 gallons of water per load compared with 13 gallons for high-efficiency (HE) top-loaders and 20 gallons for agitators.

Seventeen compact front-loaders earn our Green Choice designation. The two top-rated models, below, come with a lower price and a heftier price.

Only four HE top-load washing machines in CR’s ratings earn the Green Choice designation. Here are the top two options.

LG snags the title here, too, representing the highest-rated Green Choice top-load agitator in our ratings, and there’s a Samsung model also worth considering.

Washing machines continue to evolve. They’re gentler on clothes and more efficient than ever, and they use 70 percent less energy than they did in 1990, according to the Department of Energy. Today, smart washers can tell us how much detergent to use and which eco settings to use, and even ping our smartphones when our load is finished.

CR’s Green Choice icon distinguishes eco-friendly washers from the rest based on water and energy use, reliability, and many other factors. Models must earn top scores in a variety of key environmental assessments, including these. 

Water efficiency: We gauge a washer’s total water consumption (hot and cold) per pound of laundry. The most water-efficient models in our ratings use an average of 10 gallons of water, 75 percent less than older models.

Energy efficiency: We calculate how much electricity is needed to run a washer, heat the water it uses, and dry clothes post-wash. (Generally, washers that extract more water while spinning the clothes require less energy during a tumble dry cycle, earning a higher score.)

Brand reliability: Based on information from surveys of more than 75,000 washing machines owned by CR members who purchased a new machine between 2012 and 2022, this rating estimates the likelihood that a particular brand and type of washer will break or experience problems within the first five years of ownership. Washing machines that are less likely to break will probably need fewer repairs and may stay in use longer. This is better for the environment because it reduces waste and the environmental impact of manufacturing replacements. They’re better investments, too.

Gentleness: We measure how rough a machine is on washed fabrics. After all, the longer your clothes last, the less likely you are to have to replace them. Clothing manufacturing—and disposal—takes a toll on the environment. In fact, the World Bank says the fashion industry is responsible for 10 percent of annual global carbon emissions—and its greenhouse gas emissions will surge more than 50 percent by 2030.

Shipping footprint: A washing machine’s environmental impact begins long before it reaches a consumer’s home. We assess the weight of the appliance, as well as its dimensions, to estimate how much raw material went into producing the machine. Also, the bigger or heavier a washing machine is, the more it costs to package and ship from warehouses to retail to your home, contributing to carbon emissions en route.

Special features: We credit the washer if its eco settings or extra cycles help the machine run more efficiently using methods such as automatically minimizing water and detergent use or adjusting temperatures.

Price and warranty: Washers sell for $500 up to $2,500 on the high end, depending on the type, capacity, efficiency, and features. But most range in price from $500 to $1,400. Most of the full-sized machines we’ve tested come with a 1-year warranty on parts and labor. You’ll see warranty information in our washing machine ratings.