How much does it cost to run a washing machine?

A washing machine certified by ENERGY STAR costs about $7 to $58 a year to run at the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, based on 388 models we track. The class median is $20/yr. The cheapest to run is the Hisense WF5S2845BB at about $7/yr, while the priciest models in the class run closer to $58/yr. Running cost in this class is driven mostly by drum volume, spin efficiency, and whether it heats its own water, covered in detail below.

What it costs

Across the 388 ENERGY STAR certified washing machine models we track, annual running cost ranges from $7/yr to $58/yr, with a class median of $20/yr, all computed at the US average residential rate of $0.1856/kWh. That is a spread of $51 a year between the cheapest and priciest model we track, which over a typical decade-long appliance life is $510 of difference before the purchase price even enters the math.

What drives the running cost

A washing machine's running cost mostly comes down to how much water it moves and, for some models, how it heats that water:

• Drum volume. A larger-capacity washer can wash more per load, which can lower cost per pound of laundry, but it also draws more water and energy per cycle if you are not filling it.
• Whether it heats its own water. Most washers rely on your home's hot water supply, but some higher-end models have an internal heater for sanitize or hot-wash cycles; those cycles use meaningfully more electricity than a cold or warm wash.
• Spin efficiency (IMEF). A higher-speed, more efficient spin cycle wrings out more water before drying, which mostly shows up as a lower gas or electric bill on your dryer, not the washer itself, but it is part of the same federal test figure.
• Cycle selection. Heavy-duty and sanitize cycles run longer and hotter than a normal or quick cycle, using more energy for the same load of clothes.

How to lower it

• Wash in cold water when the fabric allows it; heating water is normally the biggest energy cost in a wash cycle, not the motor.
• Run full loads rather than several small ones, since most of a cycle's energy and water use does not scale down proportionally with a partial load.
• Use the high-speed spin option when the fabric allows it, since a drier load out of the washer needs less drying time and energy afterward.
• Skip sanitize and extra-rinse options unless you actually need them; they add both water and, on some models, heating time.

The cheapest washing machine to run

These are the five cheapest washing machine models to run among the ones we track, ranked by estimated dollars per year. See the full leaderboard for all 150 ranked.

Calculate your own

These figures assume the US average electricity rate. If your local rate is higher or lower, or you want to check a specific model's real annual kWh, use the running-cost calculator to swap in your own rate and see the yearly cost update live.