From clothes washers and dryers to refrigerators and microwaves, home appliances are an indispensable convenience of modern life. These products, which consumers recognize as innovative and easy to use, play an undeniable role in enhancing household energy efficiency and quality of life. The industry takes pride in the innovations that have enhanced appliance safety, sustainability, capacity, and performance and features while maintaining affordability and durability for purchasers.
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Appliance Standards Program was intended to spur energy conservation in response to a national energy crisis and helped achieve decades of successful improvements in appliance efficiency. However, with most appliances operating near peak efficiency, additional, meaningful, savings are unlikely for some products without sacrificing the features, performance, and full product selection that appliance owners desire.
The DOE Appliance Standards Program should not be used to reduce consumer choice, prescribe how appliances perform, or impose unnecessary regulation that does not benefit consumers.
AHAM advocates for changes to the DOE standards that protect consumers' freedom of choice and ensure national consistency. This prevents state standards from becoming default national standards, preserving the variety of appliances that consumers expect when they shop for a new appliance.
The home appliance industry is committed to delivering high-performing products that enhance users' quality of life while respecting consumer choices.
