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This Overlooked Dishwasher Setting Could Save You Hundreds of Dollars a Year

Difficulty: Novice
Time: 5 minutes to find and use
Cost: Free (already on your dishwasher)

Why You'll Like This

Got five minutes? There is a dishwasher setting that can save you real money and still leave your plates gleaming. The energy-efficient Eco mode uses significantly less power and water than standard cycles, according to Good Housekeeping. Switching from Auto to Eco could trim your annual usage by about 523 kWh, research shows.

Yet only about one in five people use it, surveys reveal. We tap the same familiar button and leave money on the table. Why?

Why this matters: every kilowatt-hour you skip eases pressure on the grid, which often means fewer fossil fuels burned at peak times. Small switch, real ripple.

Cleanup & Disposal

No special cleanup required, you are using your dishwasher's built-in features.

Variations & Upgrades

• Time-pressed households: Run Eco 3 to 4 times a week, use Quick only when you need a fast turnaround
• Heavy cooking families: Eco for daily loads, Normal for weekend deep cleans
• Small households: Combine Eco with Half Load if available for extra efficiency

That is it, one button for long-term savings. Tonight, skip your usual cycle and try Eco on a reasonably clean load. Set it to run while you sleep. You will wake to spotless dishes and the quiet satisfaction of using less energy. Your wallet, and the planet, will be glad you pressed the green button most people ignore.