8 Best Eco-Friendly Washing Machines of 2026

Our Green Choice designation will help you find a new washer that's easy on the environment

By Keith Flamer
Home & Appliances Writer

Updated January 1, 2026

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LG WM4000HWA Washing Machine with a green leaf icon — Washing machines are more efficient than ever, but some models are more environmentally friendly than others.

When you’re shopping for a new washing machine, you want one that gets your clothes clean, of course. But what if you could invest in a machine that helps keep the environment clean, too?

Consumer Reports’ Green Choice designation helps you do that by identifying the washing machines in our ratings that we’ve determined have the least environmental impact. These models, which also meet performance standards, are identified with a green leaf icon.

In this article

Best Eco-Friendly Washers: Front-Loaders Compact Front-Loaders HE Top-Loaders Agitator Top-Loaders
What Makes a Washing Machine a Green Choice?
Why Choose a Green Choice Washer?

To earn a leaf, products must attain a Green Choice score in the top 20 percent of those evaluated. Of the approximately 120 washing machines currently in our ratings, the Green Choice designation applies to five front-loaders, four HE top-loaders, four compact models, and two top-load agitators. They include brands such as Blomberg, Electrolux, GE, LG, Samsung, and Whirlpool.

CR members can read on for ratings and reviews of some of the highest-performing Green Choice washers from our tests. For more information as you shop, see our washing machine buying guide. For a comprehensive look at all the washers we test, visit our complete washing machine ratings. And if you’re interested in pursuing a green lifestyle beyond laundry, check out CR’s Guide to Sustainable Living.

Best Eco-Friendly Front-Loaders

Five of our Green Choice washers are front-loaders, which are among the most water-efficient machines you can buy. (They use an average of 10 gallons of water per load compared with 13 gallons for high-efficiency top-loaders and 20 gallons for top-load agitators.) Here are the top three, which are also CR Recommended.

Best Eco-Friendly Compact Front-Loaders

Four compact front-loaders earn our Green Choice designation. Notably, the two top-rated models are even more budget-friendly than other compact washers in our tests.

Best Eco-Friendly HE Top-Loaders

Four high-efficiency (HE) top-load washing machines in CR’s ratings earn the Green Choice designation. Here are the top two, both of which are CR Recommended.

Best Eco-Friendly Agitator Top-Loaders

Two top-load agitators earn a Green Choice leaf in our ratings, but only one is CR Recommended, based on its Overall Score.

What Makes a Washing Machine a Green Choice?

CR’s Green Choice program evaluates a product’s environmental impact throughout its entire life cycle—from manufacture to distribution, use, and eventual disposal. Whether a washing machine gets a Green Choice leaf is determined by factors that primarily include energy and water consumption, the amount of materials used in its manufacture, and its performance in our tests. To a lesser degree, we consider specific materials that relate to durability (such as stainless steel drums), the country of origin, the gentleness of the machine on clothes, and affordability. The length of a washer’s warranty and its reliability (based on our member surveys) are also weighed. All current Green Choice washers are Energy Star certified, meaning they use 20 percent less energy and about 30 percent less water than conventional washers.

To be designated Green Choice, models must earn top scores in a variety of key environmental assessments, including:

Design: We assess the appliance’s weight and dimensions to calculate the amount of material used in its manufacture and the environmental toll of shipping it.

Washing performance: We consider each model’s score in our washing performance tests.

Water efficiency: We gauge a washer’s total water consumption (hot and cold) per pound of laundry. Washers that minimize water usage by adjusting the water level based on the load size, and innovations like dual water systems, which reuse water from the rinse cycle, further enhance water conservation efforts.

Energy efficiency: We calculate the amount of electricity required to operate a washer, heat the water it uses, and spin clothes after washing.

Cycle time: Longer washing machine cycle times can save water but may require more electricity, which lowers a Green Choice score.

Other considerations include:

Where it’s made: We examine the location of an appliance’s manufacture to estimate the environmental impact of transporting it to the American market. Machines made in North America get a higher score.

Gentleness: We consider how rough a machine is on fabric. The longer your clothes last, the less likely you are to have to replace them. Clothing manufacturing and disposal have a significant impact on the environment. According to the United Nations, the fashion industry is the second biggest consumer of water and is responsible for 2 to 8 percent of global carbon emissions.

Drum materials: We credit the washer if its drum is made of a durable material such as stainless steel. (Tubs can also be made from plastic or porcelain-coated steel, which have varying degrees of durability.)

Brand reliability: Machines that last longer reduce the frequency of replacement, minimizing waste and the demand for new resources. CR’s current brand reliability ratings are based on surveys of CR members who purchased 74,479 washing machines between 2014 and 2024. This rating estimates the likelihood that a particular brand and type of washer will experience problems or break within the first five years of ownership.

Price and warranty: A machine’s affordability also counts toward its Green Choice score. (Washers in our ratings range from about $450 to over $2,000, depending on the type, capacity, efficiency, and features.) Warranties on these machines range from one year—for most models—to seven years. You’ll see warranty information on the model pages of washing machines in our ratings.

Why Choose a Green Choice Washer?

Washing machines are essential household appliances with a significant environmental footprint, so making them as efficient as possible benefits consumers. In 2024, CR supported a proposal by the Department of Energy to raise efficiency standards for various home appliances and equipment, including washing machines. Those higher standards, scheduled to go into effect in 2028, were rolled back in February 2025.

“When we increase the efficiency of the appliances we use every day, it means we’re using less energy, water, and other resources; so more money lands in consumers’ pockets, and there’s less demand on electrical grids and water systems,” Shanika Whitehurst, Consumer Reports’ associate director for product sustainability, research, and testing, said at the time. According to the DOE, the higher standards would have saved American households $2.2 billion per year on their utility bills while significantly cutting energy waste and harmful carbon pollution.

Fortunately, Whitehurst says, most modern, top-rated washing machines are already designed for efficiency. “There are washers and dryers available today that already meet the new efficiency standards,” she says. “But without new efficiency standards for all washing machines, manufacturers have little incentive to improve energy efficiency in lower-priced models. These lower up-front costs, which may seem appealing at first, may cost you more in operation later.”

Keith Flamer

Keith Flamer has been a multimedia content creator at Consumer Reports since 2021, covering laundry, cleaning, small appliances, and home trends. Fascinated by interior design, architecture, technology, and all things mechanical, he translates CR’s testing engineers’ work into content that helps readers live better, smarter lives. Prior to CR, Keith covered luxury accessories and real estate, most recently at Forbes, with a focus on residential homes, interior design, home security, and pop culture trends.