How Much Does It Cost to Run a Dishwasher in Pennsylvania? (2026)
A dishwasher draws heavy power only while heating water and during the drying phase. Over a full cycle it averages 1 to 2 kWh, which is usually cheaper than washing the same dishes by hand with hot water.
A typical dishwasher (1,500 W) costs $0.33 per hour, or about $9.78 per month at 1 hour a day in Pennsylvania. Average running cost
| Wattage | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low 1,200 W | $0.26 | $0.26 | $7.82 | $95.18 |
| Typical 1,500 W | $0.33 | $0.33 | $9.78 | $118.97 |
| High 2,400 W | $0.52 | $0.52 | $15.65 | $190.35 |
Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 1 h/day ≈ 548 kWh per year.
One hour of a dishwasher (1.5 kWh) is the same electricity as
- 8.3km in an electric car
- 15hours of TV
- 33hours of a laptop
- 167hours of an LED bulb
In Pennsylvania, with electricity at 21.7¢ per kWh (source: EIA Table 5.6.A, 2026-06), a typical dishwasher costs $0.33 per hour and about $118.97 per year at 1 hour a day. That is about 18% more than the national average for the US ($8.25 per month), because electricity in Pennsylvania costs 21.7¢ per kWh against 18.3¢ nationally. Each $1.00 of electricity buys roughly 3.1 hours of use.
How to lower the cost of running a dishwasher
- Skip the heated dry option and open the door at the end of the cycle instead.
- Only run full loads, and use the eco program.
- Scrape plates but do not pre-rinse under hot water.
- Connect to cold water if your dishwasher has its own heater and your hot water is electric.
In standby it draws about 1 W, which adds roughly 9 kWh ($1.90) per year if it is never unplugged.
Is an efficient dishwasher worth it?
Class G dishwasher, about 105 kWh per 100 cycles: about 295 kWh a year. Class A dishwasher, about 55 kWh per 100 cycles: about 155 kWh. The difference is worth $30.42 a year in Pennsylvania.
- Replacing one that still works pays back in 23.0 years.
- When yours needs replacing anyway, the extra cost of the efficient model pays back in 6.6 years.
Usage assumed: 280 cycles a year. Typical prices: $700.00 for the efficient model, $200.00 more than a basic one. Work it out with your own prices
Frequently asked questions
Is a dishwasher cheaper than washing by hand?
Usually yes, if you run full loads. Hand washing with running hot water uses more energy and far more water.
How much does a dishwasher cycle cost?
About 1 to 1.5 kWh per cycle on a normal program. Use the hourly figure above as a per-cycle estimate.
What uses the most power in a dishwasher?
The water heating element, followed by the heated drying cycle.
Compare with
Cost by region
US states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Canadian provinces
Related appliances
Use the generic electricity cost calculator · Which uses more? Take the quiz