My new ENERGY STAR certified clothes washer runs much longer than my old clothes washer. How is that saving energy?

Though it seems counter-intuitive, the reason that today's clothes washers have longer cycle times is because they are more energy efficient. Older clothes washers use larger amounts of hot water, and larger amounts of water overall. Today's clothes washers use smaller amounts, saving both energy and water. However, longer cycle times are often needed to clean the clothes effectively.