Model
Lg WM3180C*
Rank #60 means 59 of the 388 washing machine models we track cost less to run each year; the 85th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 85% of those models.
What does the Lg WM3180C* cost to run per year?
Among the 388 washing machine models we track, the Lg WM3180C*'s $17/yr running cost ranks it #60, comfortably in the cheap-to-run group. Its size-adjusted efficiency percentile of 85 sits well above the class median, a clearly above-average efficiency result. Its IMEF of 2.92 reflects integrated modified energy factor, one of the class's core efficiency levers.
Immediately around it on the leaderboard, the Lg WM3085C* at $17/yr runs a little cheaper and the Lg WM3270C* at $17/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 WM3180C*'s $17/yr adds up to roughly $170 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Lg WM3085C*.
By the numbers
The Lg WM3180C* 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 $17/yr, here is what the Lg WM3180C* 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 WM3180C* costs about $170. That is roughly $30 less than the class median, which would run closer to $200 over the same ten years.
How the Lg WM3180C* compares
The washing machine class we track runs from $7 to $58 a year. At $17/yr, it runs about $3 a year cheaper than the class median of $20, and it is about $10 a year more than the cheapest washing machine to run at $7.
What drives its running cost
At 4.5 cu ft, the Lg WM3180C* 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. Its IMEF of 2.92, above 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). 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 Lg WM3180C* cheap to run?
Yes. Its $17/yr running cost puts it at rank #60 of 388, below what most washing machine models we track cost to run.
How much does the Lg WM3180C* cost per month?
About $1.39 a month, which is the $17 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: 90 kWh from ENERGY STAR times the US average of $0.1856/kWh comes to about $17 a year. It covers electricity only, not the purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Lg WM3180C* for its size?
85th percentile once size is factored in. That means its size-adjusted efficiency is a real factor in the running-cost figure above; its capacity plays a large role too.
Cheaper to run in the same class
| Rank | Model | Cost/yr |
|---|---|---|
| 60 | Lg WM3085C*4.5 cu ft | $17 |
| 59 | Lg WKHC152H*A2.4 cu ft | $17 |
| 58 | Electrolux ELFW4222***2.4 cu ft | $17 |
| 57 | Whirlpool WFW92HEF**4.5 cu ft | $17 |
| 56 | Whirlpool WFW7540F**4.5 cu ft | $16 |
Source
ES_1118034_WM3180C*_02092018060252_70172585View certified washing machine listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Lg and WM3180C* 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.