While picking an efficient model is the first step to achieving considerable energy savings (see Dishwasher Energy Efficiency), how you operate your dishwasher is also important. Here are some tips on how to use your dishwasher to its best advantage:

* Because modern dishwashers are pretty powerful when it comes to cleaning, you can usually skip hand-rinsing them—thereby saving water—and just scrape food particles off your dishes.

* Only run your dishwasher when it is full, but do not over-fill it; dishes that are packed in too tightly will not come out clean and may get chipped.

* Pick the shortest cycle that will get your dishes clean. Today’s dishwashers come with a plethora of cleaning options. Obviously, the “power scrub” function isn’t going to be necessary for every load, so experiment to see what meets your household’s average needs while utilizing the least amount of water.

* Let dishes dry after the wash cycle by opening your dishwasher door, if it will not impede the flow of traffic. Or utilize the energy-saver feature if your model has one.