How much does it cost to run a washing machine?
A washing machine with a typical power of 2,100 watts costs 55.3p an hour at the current price cap.
Uses Ofgem's price cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026: 26.32p per kWh, the average for Great Britain when paying by Direct Debit. Prices checked 13 November 2026.
Result
A washing machine (2,100 W) costs 55.3p an hour to run at the price cap rate of 26.32p per kWh.
an hour, to the nearest penny
| A day | 55.3p |
|---|---|
| A week | £3.87 |
| A month | £16.81 |
| A year | £201.74 |
| Electricity used in a year | 767 kWh |
That is 31% of the 2,500 kWh a typical home uses in a year.
Show the workings
| Step | Sum | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Turn watts into kilowatts | 2,100 W ÷ 1,000 | 2.1 kW |
| Cost of one hour | 2.1 kWh × 26.32p per kWh | 55.3p |
| Cost of one day's use | 55.3p × 1 hours | 55.3p |
| Cost of one week | 55.3p × 7 days | £3.87 |
| Cost of one year | £3.87 ÷ 7 × 365 days | £201.74 |
What this leaves out or assumes
- The standing charge is left out, because you pay it whether or not you use this appliance.
- A month is one twelfth of a year.
- The appliance draws its full power for the whole time it is on.
Where the figures come from
- Electricity unit rate, price cap, Great Britain average, Direct Debit: 26.32p per kWh. Source: Ofgem: Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges. Checked 13 November 2026.
- Typical yearly electricity use, medium user: 2,500 kWh a year. Source: Ofgem: Review of typical domestic consumption values, decision (Table 1). Checked 13 November 2026.
Typical power for a washing machine is from Centre for Sustainable Energy: How much electricity am I using?. Yours may differ: check its rating plate.
Cost by how long it runs
| Running for | Electricity used | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 5 minutes | 0.175 kWh | 4.6p |
| 10 minutes | 0.35 kWh | 9.2p |
| 30 minutes | 1.05 kWh | 27.6p |
| 1 hour | 2.1 kWh | 55.3p |
| 2 hours | 4.2 kWh | £1.11 |
| 4 hours | 8.4 kWh | £2.21 |
| 8 hours | 16.8 kWh | £4.42 |
| 24 hours | 50.4 kWh | £13.27 |
Cost over a month and a year
If you used it this much every day:
| Used for | A month | A year |
|---|---|---|
| 30 minutes a day | £8.41 | £100.87 |
| 1 hour a day | £16.81 | £201.74 |
| 2 hours a day | £33.62 | £403.49 |
| 4 hours a day | £67.25 | £806.97 |
| 8 hours a day | £134.50 | £1,614 |
| All day, every day | £403.49 | £4,842 |
How much electricity does a washing machine use?
A washing machine rated at 2,100 watts uses 2.1 kWh of electricity for every hour it draws full power. Used for 1 hour every day, that is 767 kWh a year, 31% of the 2,500 kWh a typical home uses.
Cost in your region
The price cap is different in each region. Running a washing machine for an hour costs 53.3p in East Midlands, the cheapest region, and 58.5p in Merseyside and Northern Wales, the dearest.
| Region | Price per kWh | Cost for an hour |
|---|---|---|
| East Midlands | 25.36p | 53.3p |
| Eastern England | 26.61p | 55.9p |
| London | 26.60p | 55.9p |
| Merseyside and Northern Wales | 27.86p | 58.5p |
| North Eastern England | 25.46p | 53.5p |
| North Western England | 26.49p | 55.6p |
| Northern Scotland | 26.35p | 55.3p |
| South Eastern England | 26.88p | 56.4p |
| South Western England | 26.58p | 55.8p |
| Southern England | 26.47p | 55.6p |
| Southern Scotland | 26.11p | 54.8p |
| Southern Wales | 26.55p | 55.8p |
| West Midlands | 25.60p | 53.8p |
| Yorkshire | 25.60p | 53.8p |
Paying by Direct Debit. Prices for other ways of paying.
How it compares
| Appliance | Typical power | An hour |
|---|---|---|
| Tumble dryer | 2,500 W | 65.8p |
| Washing machine | 2,100 W | 55.3p |
| Iron | 1,500 W | 39.5p |
| Vacuum cleaner | 900 W | 23.7p |
Running costs of every appliance
Checking your own washing machine
2,100 watts is a typical figure. Yours may be higher or lower. Look for the rating plate on the back or underside, find the number followed by W or kW, and put it in the calculator above.
Typical power is from Centre for Sustainable Energy: How much electricity am I using?, checked 13 November 2026. Prices are from Ofgem: Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges. The costs are our own sums.