How much does it cost to run a washing machine?
A 40°C wash costs about 31p at the UK price cap (Which? average). Calculator per cycle, month and year, with ADEME measured data and tips to cut the bill.
- Per cycle
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- Per month
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- Annual consumption
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Comparison at the same price and usage
- 20°C / cold (0.44 kWh)
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- 30°C (0.73 kWh)
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- 40°C cottons (average) (1.17 kWh)
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Defaults calculated by Wisiko from Which? average annual running costs (October 2026, four washes a week, 80% cotton load): about 1.17 kWh per cycle at 40°C; 0.73 kWh at 30°C and 0.44 kWh at 20°C from Which? published savings. Your model may differ: the product sheet or energy label (kWh/100 cycles) gives the Eco programme figure. Results are indicative estimates based on the values you enter. Always check your appliance labels, your tariff and the manufacturer’s data.
- About 1.17 kWh per cycle at 40°C cottons (Which? average, 80% load, four washes a week). At 30°C: about 0.73 kWh; at 20°C: about 0.44 kWh.
- UK price cap (26.32p/kWh): 31p per wash at 40°C, 19p at 30°C, 12p at 20°C. At four washes a week: about £64, £40 or £24 a year.
- US average (18.31¢/kWh): about 21¢, 13¢ or 8¢ per wash for the same energy use.
- In French homes measured by ADEME, front-loaders used a median of 72 kWh a year: real use is often cooler or less frequent than the lab scenario.
Pick the programme (or temperature): the calculator fills in a default energy use per cycle, which you can replace with your model’s figure. On the EU/UK energy label, consumption is shown as kWh per 100 cycles of the Eco 40-60 programme: divide by 100 for kWh per cycle.
Where the defaults come from
Which? measures washing-machine energy use in the lab and publishes an average annual running cost for four washes a week (208 cycles a year), an 80% cotton load, a 40°C programme, at the Ofgem price-cap rate of 26.32p/kWh. Dividing that average (£64) by the price and by 208 gives about 1.17 kWh per cycle.
Which? also reports that switching to 30°C saves about £24 a year on that baseline, and 20°C about £40: that works out to roughly 0.73 kWh and 0.44 kWh per cycle.
| Programme | Which? average annual cost (4×/week) | Energy per cycle (Wisiko calculation) |
|---|---|---|
| 40°C cottons | £64 | ≈ 1.17 kWh |
| 30°C | ≈ £40 | ≈ 0.73 kWh |
| 20°C / cold | ≈ £24 | ≈ 0.44 kWh |
Which? finds a wide spread by capacity and efficiency: from about £27 a year for the cheapest model tested to almost £120 for the most expensive, under the October 2026 cap.
Cost per cycle and per year
At four washes a week:
| Programme | UK per cycle (26.32p) | UK per year | US per cycle (18.31¢) | US per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40°C (1.17 kWh) | 31p | £64 | 21¢ | $37 |
| 30°C (0.73 kWh) | 19p | £40 | 13¢ | $23 |
| 20°C (0.44 kWh) | 12p | £24 | 8¢ | $14 |
US full-size washers are often top-loading and larger than European front-loaders, so energy per load can differ; always prefer your model’s product sheet when you have it.
Real-world use is often lower
ADEME, the French environment agency, metered appliances individually in French homes for a year (July 2023 to July 2024):
- Front-loaders (77 units): median 72 kWh a year, half between 39 and 123 kWh.
- Top-loaders (20 units): median 59 kWh a year.
That is often below a four-washes-a-week 40°C scenario, because many households wash cooler or less often. See our measured appliance energy table for other appliances.
Six ways to cut the cost
- Wash cooler: 30°C or 20°C is enough for most everyday laundry.
- Fill the drum without overfilling: two half loads cost more than one full load.
- Use Eco: longer, but usually less energy than a standard cottons programme.
- Spin high if you follow with a tumble dryer: drying often costs more than washing.
- Run off-peak if your tariff has a cheaper overnight rate.
- Skip prewash unless the load is heavily soiled: it adds an extra heat-up.
Sources
- Which? – How much your appliances cost to run (August 2026, October 2026 price-cap rates)
- Which? – Cut your laundry costs (30°C / 20°C savings, October 2026)
- Ofgem – Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges (1 October to 31 December 2026)
- U.S. EIA – Electricity Monthly Update, data for July 2026
- ADEME – Panel Elecdom, annual electricity use of household appliances (open data, in French)