Model
Ge GTW538A*W***
Rank #351 means 350 of the 388 washing machine models we track cost less to run each year; the 26th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 26% of those models.
What does the Ge GTW538A*W*** cost to run per year?
Do the math and the Ge GTW538A*W***'s $32/yr puts it at rank #351 of 388, one of the costlier washing machine models we track to keep running. Normalized for capacity, it beats only 26% of washing machine models we track, a below-average efficiency result. 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 GTW500A*N*** at $32/yr runs a little cheaper and the Ge GTW540A*P*** at $32/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 GTW538A*W***'s $32/yr adds up to roughly $320 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Ge GTW500A*N***.
By the numbers
The Ge GTW538A*W*** 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 $32/yr, here is what the Ge GTW538A*W*** 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 GTW538A*W*** costs about $320. That is roughly $120 more than the class median, which would run closer to $200 over the same ten years.
How the Ge GTW538A*W*** compares
The washing machine class we track runs from $7 to $58 a year. At $32/yr, it runs about $12 a year above the class median of $20, and it is about $25 a year more than the cheapest washing machine to run at $7.
What drives its running cost
At 4.6 cu ft, the Ge GTW538A*W*** is a mid-size washing machine for its class, which spans 1.9 to 6 cu ft with a median of 4.5 cu ft, right in the middle of the capacity range, so capacity is roughly a wash compared with the rest of the class. The IMEF of 2.06 on this model, below the class median of 2.76, measures integrated modified energy factor; it is the number to compare directly against another model's IMEF if capacity is similar.
- 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 GTW538A*W*** cheap to run?
Not especially. At $32 a year it ranks #351 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 GTW538A*W*** cost per month?
Roughly $2.71/mo, spreading the $32/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 175 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $32 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Ge GTW538A*W*** for its size?
26th 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 351 | Ge GTW500A*N***4.6 cu ft | $32 |
| 350 | Ge GTW490ACJ8WS4.4 cu ft | $32 |
| 349 | Samsung WA54R76**A*5.4 cu ft | $31 |
| 348 | Samsung WA54M87**A*5.4 cu ft | $31 |
| 347 | Samsung WA52T76**A*5.2 cu ft | $31 |
Source
ES_1123206_GTW538A*W***_011820241701963_1299345View certified washing machine listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Ge and GTW538A*W*** 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.