Model
Lg SWWE50*4
Rank #87 means 86 of the 388 washing machine models we track cost less to run each year; the 88th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 88% of those models.
What does the Lg SWWE50*4 cost to run per year?
The Lg SWWE50*4 is a relatively cheap runner for its class: about $18 a year, rank #87 of 388. Efficiency-wise, once capacity is accounted for, it beats 88% of the class, a solidly strong result rather than a size-driven fluke. The IMEF figure of 2.92 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 Lg SWWE50*3 at $18/yr runs a little cheaper and the Lg SWWG50*3 at $18/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 Lg SWWE50*4's $18/yr adds up to roughly $180 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Lg SWWE50*3.
By the numbers
The Lg SWWE50*4 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 $18/yr, here is what the Lg SWWE50*4 adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Lg SWWE50*4 costs about $180. That is roughly $20 less than the class median, which would run closer to $200 over the same ten years.
How the Lg SWWE50*4 compares
The washing machine class we track runs from $7 to $58 a year. At $18/yr, it runs about $2 a year cheaper than the class median of $20, and it is about $11 a year more than the cheapest washing machine to run at $7.
What drives its running cost
At 5 cu ft, the Lg SWWE50*4 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, neither the size advantage of a small unit nor the size penalty of a large one applies here, so its running cost is a fairer test of efficiency alone. Beyond size, its IMEF of 2.92, above 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). 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 Lg SWWE50*4 cheap to run?
Yes, relatively. At $18 a year it ranks #87 of 388 washing machine models we track, in the cheaper part of its class to run.
How much does the Lg SWWE50*4 cost per month?
Roughly $1.53/mo, spreading the $18/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 99 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $18 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Lg SWWE50*4 for its size?
88th percentile once size is factored in, a fairly typical result for the class.
Cheaper to run in the same class
| Rank | Model | Cost/yr |
|---|---|---|
| 87 | Lg SWWE50*35 cu ft | $18 |
| 86 | Ge GFW148S*M***2.4 cu ft | $18 |
| 85 | Samsung WH46DBH5**G*4.6 cu ft | $18 |
| 84 | Samsung WH46DBH55*E*4.6 cu ft | $18 |
| 83 | Samsung WH46DBH50*E*4.6 cu ft | $18 |
Source
ES_1118034_SWWE50*4_10162023164039_80186373View certified washing machine listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Lg and SWWE50*4 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.