Model
Ge GTW685B*L***
Rank #305 means 304 of the 388 washing machine models we track cost less to run each year; the 33rd efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 33% of those models.
What does the Ge GTW685B*L*** cost to run per year?
The Ge GTW685B*L*** costs about $28 a year to run, more than most of the 388 washing machine models we track; it ranks #305. Capacity-normalized, it ranks ahead of just 33% of washing machine models we track, a soft spot worth weighing against the dollar figure. The IMEF figure of 2.06 on this model captures integrated modified energy factor, the main efficiency lever ENERGY STAR tracks for this class.
Immediately around it on the leaderboard, the Ge GFW510S*V*** at $28/yr runs a little cheaper and the Ge Profile PFQ83HSHW*** at $28/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 GTW685B*L***'s $28/yr adds up to roughly $280 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Ge GFW510S*N***.
By the numbers
The Ge GTW685B*L*** 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 $28/yr, here is what the Ge GTW685B*L*** 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 GTW685B*L*** costs about $280. That is roughly $80 more than the class median, which would run closer to $200 over the same ten years.
How the Ge GTW685B*L*** compares
The washing machine class we track runs from $7 to $58 a year. At $28/yr, it runs about $8 a year above the class median of $20, and it is about $21 a year more than the cheapest washing machine to run at $7.
What drives its running cost
At 4.5 cu ft, the Ge GTW685B*L*** 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. Beyond size, its IMEF of 2.06, below the class median of 2.76, is the class's own efficiency yardstick, integrated modified energy factor, and it is what separates two similarly sized models with different running costs.
- Spin and wash efficiency (IMEF). IMEF is this class's core efficiency yardstick; two washers with the same drum size can carry meaningfully different IMEF figures and running costs.
- 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.
- Water heating. Most washers rely on your home's hot water supply, but internal-heater sanitize or hot-wash cycles use meaningfully more electricity than a cold or warm wash.
Common questions
Is the Ge GTW685B*L*** cheap to run?
Its $28/yr running cost, rank #305 of 388, is above what most washing machine models we track cost to run, so this is not one of the cheaper picks on electricity alone.
How much does the Ge GTW685B*L*** cost per month?
About $2.32 a month, which is the $28 annual estimate spread across twelve months at the US average rate of $0.1856/kWh. Your own bill scales with your local electricity rate and how heavily you use it.
How is this running-cost figure calculated?
The formula is annual kWh times price per kWh: 150 kWh from ENERGY STAR times the US average of $0.1856/kWh comes to about $28 a year. It covers electricity only, not the purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Ge GTW685B*L*** for its size?
33rd 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 306 | Ge GFW510S*V***4.6 cu ft | $28 |
| 305 | Ge GFW510S*N***4.5 cu ft | $28 |
| 304 | Ge GFW350S*Y***4.6 cu ft | $28 |
| 303 | Ge Profile PTW905B*T***5.3 cu ft | $27 |
| 302 | Ge Profile PTW900B*T***5.4 cu ft | $27 |
Source
ES_1123206_GTW685B*L***_05082017184751_9271148View certified washing machine listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Ge and GTW685B*L*** 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.