At the Ofgem cap rate for 1 October to 31 December 2026, a washing machine rated 2100W costs about 38.7p a use and £98.85 a year when 2 hours a time, 5 times a week.
| Per hour of running | 19.3p |
|---|---|
| Per use | 38.7p |
| Per day | 27.1p |
| Per year | £98.85 (376 kWh) |
Calculated at 26.32p per kWh, the capped electricity unit rate for 1 October to 31 December 2026 on a standard variable tariff paid by direct debit. Electricity carries no VAT in that period, so this is the full unit price. The 54.83p daily standing charge is not included, because you pay that whether or not anything is switched on.
Two things worth knowing about that figure. The cap limits the unit rate, not your bill, so using more still costs more. And it is a Great Britain average: the actual capped rate is set per region, so your own rate could move these numbers either way. It is on your bill.
Washing machine has a thermostat, so the element or compressor switches off once it reaches temperature and back on when it drifts. The figures above assume it draws full power roughly 35% of the time it is on, which is typical.
This is where most running-cost figures online go wrong. Multiplying 2100W by the hours it is switched on would give £280.19 a year, which is roughly 2.9 times the real figure.
Figures for washing machine run from about 500W to 2200W. Almost all the electricity goes on heating the water, not turning the drum. That is why the temperature setting dominates the cost and the spin speed barely registers. A 40C wash costs roughly a third of a 60C wash, and a 20C or cold wash costs very little beyond the motor.
Wash at 30C or below unless something needs sanitising. Modern detergents are formulated for it. Run full loads: a half load does not use half the water or half the heat.
Assuming a longer cycle costs more. Eco cycles are longer precisely because they wash for longer at a lower temperature, which uses less energy overall.
Annual running cost against the appliances closest to it, on the same assumptions. The ordering surprises people: short bursts of very high wattage usually cost less than something modest left on for hours.
| Appliance | Per year |
|---|---|
| Dishwasher | £121.05 |
| Fridge freezer | £103.75 |
| Washing machine | £98.85 |
| Kettle | £72.05 |
| Electric oven | £67.25 |
Across a year, a washing machine on these assumptions is about 15.0% of a typical annual electricity bill of £658.00 at these rates.
The figures here use the capped rate. If you are on a fixed tariff, or you want to add several appliances together, put your own unit rate into the energy cost calculator on the homepage.