Eco programme (Eco 50°)
The standard programme for normally soiled dishes that uses the least energy and water in combination. It is the programme the EU energy label figures are measured on.
What the manuals say to do
Use it for everyday loads of normally soiled plates, cutlery and pans. It saves energy by washing at a lower temperature (about 50 °C) and soaking and drying for longer, so expect a long run: 3 h 30 min on the Hotpoint guide, 3 h 10 min on the Whirlpool guide and 4 h on the AEG. Hotpoint lists 9.5 litres and 0.76 kWh per cycle; AEG 10.5 litres and 0.935 kWh.
What it does not mean
It is not a quick or light programme — it is usually the longest one on the machine, and Bosch says the long running time is what gives the low consumption. It is also not meant for heavily burnt-on pans; the manuals point to Intensive for those.
Makes differ, check your dishwasher’s manual: the same drawing can mean different things on different brands, and only your model’s manual says exactly what a light means and which programmes an option works with.
- What it looks like
- The word Eco or ECO, usually with 50°, and on some panels a leaf. It is programme 1 on the Hotpoint and Whirlpool panels cited, and the right-hand end of AEG’s MY TIME bar.
- Names makers use
- Eco 50° (Bosch, Hotpoint, Whirlpool); ECO (AEG, Miele); Economy 50 °C (Beko)
Where makers differ
The temperatures differ a little — Bosch washes at 50 °C and rinses at 61 °C, AEG washes at 50 °C and rinses at 55 °C — and some makers lock options on Eco (Miele keeps extras for Eco only for that one run). The Eco on a washing machine is a different programme with its own page.
Other symbols with the same shapes
Sources
No single published standard defines dishwasher panel icons, so this meaning is taken from the manuals of 3 different maker groups (Bosch, Hotpoint, AEG, Whirlpool), each fetched and read on the date shown:
- Bosch: Bosch — User manual, dishwasher SMV4HVX32E (PDF) — Programme table: Eco 50° “Most economical programme: Pre-Rinse, Cleaning 50 °C, Intermediate rinse, Final rinse 61 °C, Drying”; “The relatively long running time in the Eco 50° programme is due to longer soaking and drying times. This results in optimal consumption values.” Checked 2026-09-26.
- Hotpoint: Hotpoint — Dishwasher Daily Reference Guide, 15 place settings with 3D Zone Wash and ActiveDry (PDF, 05/2023) — “Eco 50° – Program is suitable to clean normally soiled tableware … the most efficient program in terms of its combined energy and water consumption, and … used to assess compliance with the EU Ecodesign legislation.” 3:30 h, 9.5 l, 0.76 kWh. Checked 2026-09-26.
- AEG: AEG — User manual, dishwasher FSK52917Z (PDF, Electrolux media library) — “ECO is the longest programme (4h) offering the most efficient use of energy and water consumption … This is the standard programme for test institutes.” Wash 50 °C; 10.5 l, 0.935 kWh, 240 min. Checked 2026-09-26.
- Whirlpool: Whirlpool — Dishwasher Daily Reference Guide, with Multizone, Turbo and NaturalDry (PDF) — Programme 1 “Eco 50°”, 3:10 h, 9.5 l, 0.75 kWh; programme data measured according to EN 60436:2020. Checked 2026-09-26.
Written in our own words; quotations are the makers’ wording.