Want to know how much it costs to run your washing machine? Use our free Washing Machine Cost Calculator to estimate the electricity cost per load, as well as your monthly and yearly running costs.
Enter your washing machine’s power consumption, the average length of a wash cycle, how many loads you run, and your electricity rate. The calculator will estimate electricity use and the approximate cost of washing your clothes.
Washing Machine Cost Calculator
Estimate the electricity cost of each load and your regular laundry routine.
The calculator estimates electricity use from average power consumption, cycle duration, and the number of loads. Actual consumption varies by wash program, water temperature, load size, and machine efficiency. This estimate covers electricity only, not water, detergent, or dryer costs.
How Does the Washing Machine Cost Calculator Work?
The Washing Machine Cost Calculator estimates how much electricity your washing machine uses per load and how much that electricity costs over time.
The calculation uses four inputs:
- Average power consumption: The estimated average electrical power used during a wash cycle, measured in watts (W).
- Cycle duration: The length of a typical wash cycle, measured in hours.
- Loads per week: How many washing machine loads you run each week.
- Electricity rate: The price you pay per kilowatt-hour (kWh).
The calculator estimates energy use per load by multiplying average power by cycle duration and converting watts to kilowatt-hours. It then uses the number of loads per week to estimate monthly and yearly electricity costs.
These estimates cover electricity used by the washing machine only. They do not include water, detergent, or the cost of running a separate clothes dryer.
Example: How Much Does It Cost to Run a Washing Machine?
For example, let’s assume a washing machine averages 500 watts during a one-hour wash cycle. You run five loads per week, and your electricity rate is $0.16 per kWh.
The estimated electricity use is:
- 0.50 kWh per load
- 2.50 kWh per week
- 130 kWh per year
The estimated electricity cost would be:
- $0.08 per load
- $0.40 per week
- Approximately $1.73 per month
- $20.80 per year
These figures are illustrative estimates. Actual electricity consumption depends on the wash program, water temperature, load size, and machine efficiency.