 On the surface it looks good. Some 95% of dishwashers and 98% of washing machines now claim to be a-rated. Until you realise that for an appliance not to score an a it would need to belch out a visible cloud of soot during every wash. The point of energy ratings for machines is to reduce environmental pressures through better efficiency and to let the consumer make that choice. The biggest carbon-emission impact of the wearing of clothes is in the heating of the water to wash them. So the energy used per kilogram of washing determines your emissions.  Unfortunately there's extensive greenwashing. Rumours began swirling some time ago that the standard for a and a+ was set too high. a machine might test at a B or C rating, and this was bumped up as manufacturers claimed its poor performance represented a blip. Instead of recalibrating and downgrading high-energy appliances, a series of + signs has been added. You can now get an a++++++ washing machine.  Some manufacturers are attempting to bring clarity: the new Bosch Ecologixx7 Tumbledryer represents its superior energy efficiency with an a-40% badge (meaning it rates 40% better than an a rating). and yes, I appreciate that many of you will find an eco-friendly tumble dryer to be an oxymoron, given the massive availability of carbon-free washing lines. Overall our tolerance need not be so high. Go to sust-it.net, the energy-efficiency website for electricals that actually rates eco claims based on average use. The current system would be lucky to score a D-.