How Much Does It Cost to Run a Washing Machine in the UK? (2026)
Most of a washing machine's electricity goes to heating water, not spinning the drum. A cold wash uses a fraction of the power of a hot one, which is why the low and high figures differ so much.
A typical washing machine (500 W) costs £0.13 per hour, or about £3.95 per month at 1 hour a day in the UK. Average running cost
| Wattage | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low 400 W | £0.11 | £0.11 | £3.16 | £38.43 |
| Typical 500 W | £0.13 | £0.13 | £3.95 | £48.03 |
| High 1,300 W | £0.34 | £0.34 | £10.26 | £124.89 |
Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 1 h/day ≈ 182 kWh per year.
One hour of a washing machine (0.50 kWh) is the same electricity as
- 2.8km in an electric car
- 5.0hours of TV
- 11hours of a laptop
- 56hours of an LED bulb
In the UK, with electricity at 26.3p per kWh (source: Ofgem price cap 1 Oct–31 Dec 2026, 2026-10), a typical washing machine costs £0.13 per hour and about £48.03 per year at 1 hour a day. Each £1.00 of electricity buys roughly 7.6 hours of use.
How to lower the cost of running a washing machine
- Wash in cold water. Modern detergents are designed for it and it cuts consumption by up to 90 percent.
- Run full loads and use the eco cycle even though it takes longer.
- A higher spin speed uses slightly more power but saves far more on drying.
- Front loaders generally use less water and electricity than top loaders.
In standby it draws about 1 W, which adds roughly 9 kWh (£2.31) per year if it is never unplugged.
Is an efficient washing machine worth it?
Class G washer, about 90 kWh per 100 cycles: about 200 kWh a year. Class A washer, about 47 kWh per 100 cycles: about 105 kWh. The difference is worth £25.00 a year in the UK.
- Replacing one that still works pays back in 24.0 years.
- When yours needs replacing anyway, the extra cost of the efficient model pays back in 6.0 years.
Usage assumed: 220 cycles a year. Typical prices: £600.00 for the efficient model, £150.00 more than a basic one. Work it out with your own prices
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a washing machine use per load?
Around 0.3 kWh for a cold wash and 1 to 2 kWh for a hot wash.
Is the eco cycle really cheaper?
Yes. It heats water more slowly and to a lower temperature, which uses less energy despite the longer run time.
Does the washing machine use power when off?
About 1 watt in standby on most models, which is negligible.
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
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- 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
- Clothes Iron1,500 W typical
- Heat Pump Dryer900 W typical
- Vacuum Cleaner1,000 W typical
- Robot Vacuum30 W typical
Use the generic electricity cost calculator · Which uses more? Take the quiz