What Is a Thermal Drying Dishwasher?

Energy Use

• Experts recommend choosing the “no heat” setting on thermal-drying dishwashers and rarely using the heating option. Dishes dried without heat dry quickly anyway because of the residual heat from the rinse cycle. Up to 80 percent of your energy cost in a dishwasher comes from the heating element. By using the air-dry option instead of thermal drying, you save from 15 percent to 50 percent in energy use.

Quicker Drying

• Several steps can be taken to speed drying without using thermal drying. When loading the dishwasher, make sure large items don’t block smaller items. Use the correct amount of detergent and rinse aid; using more can affect how well the dishes dry. If your dishes don’t dry quickly enough, check the filters, drain valve, heating element and thermostat to be sure all are in working order.

Operation

• Look for options for energy-saving and short-wash cycles. Use the thermal-drying option only when necessary, choosing the air-drying option most of the time. Fill the dishwasher to capacity and wash only full loads, using short cycles for all but the dirtiest dishes. Avoid the rinse-hold option; it’s an energy hog and usually unnecessary. Instead, quickly rinse dishes in cold water in the sink before loading them.

Energy Star

• Dishwashers that have the Energy Star label offer the most energy-efficient options. They feature sensors to control the length of the wash cycle, use less hot water to clean the dishes and include a temperature booster, which means you can set your home’s water heater at 120 degrees and the dishwasher will heat its water to 140 degrees. Energy Star dishwashers exceed minimum federal energy standards by at least 13 percent.