Model
Midea MLHW31S2BWW
Rank #26 means 25 of the 388 washing machine models we track cost less to run each year; the 51st efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 51% of those models.
What does the Midea MLHW31S2BWW cost to run per year?
The Midea MLHW31S2BWW costs about $14 a year to run and sits near the top of the cheapest-to-run leaderboard, rank #26 of 388. Once capacity is factored in, its efficiency percentile of 51 is fairly typical for the class, neither a standout nor a laggard. Its IMEF of 2.76 reflects integrated modified energy factor, one of the class's core efficiency levers.
Immediately around it on the leaderboard, the Midea MLHW31S2BBW at $14/yr runs a little cheaper and the Maytag MHW8150E** at $15/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 Midea MLHW31S2BWW's $14/yr adds up to roughly $140 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Aeg WHP120.
By the numbers
The Midea MLHW31S2BWW 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 $14/yr, here is what the Midea MLHW31S2BWW adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Midea MLHW31S2BWW costs about $140. That is roughly $60 less than the class median, which would run closer to $200 over the same ten years.
How the Midea MLHW31S2BWW compares
The washing machine class we track runs from $7 to $58 a year. At $14/yr, it runs about $6 a year cheaper than the class median of $20, and it is about $7 a year more than the cheapest washing machine to run at $7.
What drives its running cost
At 2.7 cu ft, the Midea MLHW31S2BWW 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. Beyond size, its IMEF of 2.76, 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 Midea MLHW31S2BWW cheap to run?
Yes, relatively. At $14 a year it ranks #26 of 388 washing machine models we track, in the cheaper part of its class to run.
How much does the Midea MLHW31S2BWW cost per month?
Roughly $1.16/mo, spreading the $14/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 75 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $14 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Midea MLHW31S2BWW for its size?
51st 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 38 | Midea MLHW31S2BBW2.7 cu ft | $14 |
| 37 | Midea MLHW31S2BB2.7 cu ft | $14 |
| 36 | Midea MLHW27S7BWW2.7 cu ft | $14 |
| 35 | Midea MLHW27S7BCG2.7 cu ft | $14 |
| 34 | Midea MLH27N5AWWC2.7 cu ft | $14 |
Source
ES_1129046_MLHW31S2BWW_092420250235369_2646654View certified washing machine listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Midea and MLHW31S2BWW 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.