Model
Ge GTW491BMR***
Rank #318 means 317 of the 388 washing machine models we track cost less to run each year; the 25th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 25% of those models.
What does the Ge GTW491BMR*** cost to run per year?
The Ge GTW491BMR*** costs about $29 a year to run, sitting well up the cheapest-to-run leaderboard, rank #318 of 388. Its 25th size-adjusted efficiency percentile is a step behind the class median, though not among the weakest results. At a IMEF of 2.06, its integrated modified energy factor is the single figure that best explains how it earns its running-cost number.
Immediately around it on the leaderboard, the Ge GTW490BMR*** at $29/yr runs a little cheaper and the Ge GTW685BMR*** at $29/yr runs a little more, a sense of how tightly models are packed at this point in the ranking. A washing machine typically stays in service for somewhere around 10 years; over that span, the Ge GTW491BMR***'s $29/yr adds up to roughly $290 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Ge GTW490BMR***.
By the numbers
The Ge GTW491BMR*** normalized against its whole class, so each figure means something.
What it costs you over time
Running cost is an every-year number, so it compounds. At $29/yr, here is what the Ge GTW491BMR*** adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Ge GTW491BMR*** costs about $290. That is roughly $90 more than the class median, which would run closer to $200 over the same ten years.
How the Ge GTW491BMR*** compares
The washing machine class we track runs from $7 to $58 a year. At $29/yr, it runs about $9 a year above the class median of $20, and it is about $22 a year more than the cheapest washing machine to run at $7.
What drives its running cost
At 4.1 cu ft, the Ge GTW491BMR*** is a small washing machine for its class, which spans 1.9 to 6 cu ft with a median of 4.5 cu ft, at the small end of the class, capacity itself is doing a lot of the work to keep that figure down, separate from how efficient the unit actually is. Its IMEF of 2.06, below the class median of 2.76, reflects integrated modified energy factor: a higher figure means it wrings more useful work out of every kilowatt-hour, so it is the efficiency lever to weigh against raw size.
- Spin and wash efficiency (IMEF). A higher Integrated Modified Energy Factor means the machine wrings more useful washing (and a drier spin) out of every kilowatt-hour and gallon it uses.
- Drum volume. Drum volume sets the ceiling on how much a single cycle can wash, and it is usually the first driver of a washer's per-cycle energy use.
- Water heating. Cycle temperature, more than drum size, is usually what separates a cheap wash cycle from an expensive one on models with an internal water heater.
Common questions
Is the Ge GTW491BMR*** cheap to run?
Not especially. At $29 a year it ranks #318 of 388 washing machine models we track, in the pricier part of its class to run, though its size and features may still justify that for your needs.
How much does the Ge GTW491BMR*** cost per month?
Roughly $2.41/mo, spreading the $29/yr estimate evenly across twelve months at $0.1856/kWh. Actual monthly bills swing with your rate and usage pattern.
How is this running-cost figure calculated?
We take the model's published annual energy use of 156 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $29 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Ge GTW491BMR*** for its size?
25th percentile once size is factored in. That means its size-adjusted efficiency is not the main reason for the running-cost figure above; its capacity plays a large role too.
Cheaper to run in the same class
| Rank | Model | Cost/yr |
|---|---|---|
| 318 | Ge GTW490BMR***4.1 cu ft | $29 |
| 317 | Whirlpool WFW6605M**5 cu ft | $28 |
| 316 | Lg WT7900H*A5.5 cu ft | $28 |
| 315 | Lg WT7880H*A5.5 cu ft | $28 |
| 314 | Lg WT7800H*A5 cu ft | $28 |
Source
ES_92277_GTW491BMR***_032720251447975_1289151View certified washing machine listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Ge and GTW491BMR*** are used here for identification only and are not endorsements. Figures are computed by WattWise Labs from public ENERGY STAR data, not measured in our own lab.