Model
Summit LBW243
Rank #103 means 102 of the 388 washing machine models we track cost less to run each year; the 17th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 17% of those models.
What does the Summit LBW243 cost to run per year?
Ranking #103 of 388, the Summit LBW243 is in the cheaper half of its class to run, at about $19 a year. Adjusted for size, it is only more efficient than 17% of washing machine models we track, so its headline cost is mostly a function of its capacity rather than efficiency. At 2.3 cu ft, it is a small washing machine for the class, which runs 1.9 to 6 cu ft; size and efficiency are the two levers behind the figure above, and this dataset does not carry a separate efficiency-factor column for this class.
Immediately around it on the leaderboard, the Summit LBW241 at $19/yr runs a little cheaper and the Summit LWM24 at $19/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 Summit LBW243's $19/yr adds up to roughly $190 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Breda LUWM81400.
By the numbers
The Summit LBW243 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 $19/yr, here is what the Summit LBW243 adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Summit LBW243 costs about $190. That is roughly $10 less than the class median, which would run closer to $200 over the same ten years.
How the Summit LBW243 compares
The washing machine class we track runs from $7 to $58 a year. At $19/yr, it runs about $1 a year cheaper than the class median of $20, and it is about $12 a year more than the cheapest washing machine to run at $7.
What drives its running cost
At 2.3 cu ft, the Summit LBW243 is a small washing machine for its class, which spans 1.9 to 6 cu ft with a median of 4.5 cu ft, and smaller washing machine models generally cost less to run for the same job, all else being equal.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Summit LBW243 cheap to run?
Yes, relatively. At $19 a year it ranks #103 of 388 washing machine models we track, in the cheaper part of its class to run.
How much does the Summit LBW243 cost per month?
Roughly $1.55/mo, spreading the $19/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 100 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $19 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Summit LBW243 for its size?
17th percentile once size is factored in, a fairly typical result for the class.
Cheaper to run in the same class
| Rank | Model | Cost/yr |
|---|---|---|
| 118 | Summit LBW2411.9 cu ft | $19 |
| 117 | Samsung WF50R85**A*5 cu ft | $19 |
| 116 | Samsung WF50A88**A*5 cu ft | $19 |
| 115 | Samsung WF45K65**A*4.5 cu ft | $19 |
| 114 | Lg WM3670H*A4.5 cu ft | $19 |
Source
ES_1147102_LBW243_01142025104445_80240418View certified washing machine listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Summit and LBW243 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.