Sharing is caring!
follow me previous post related The cost of running various equipment. I’ve been researching the cost of running a washing machine.
These are more difficult to calculate than the cost of general use. With your refrigerator and freezer running all the time, charges will vary based on ambient temperature, how often you open the door, etc.
For a washing machine, this obviously depends on how many washes you do per day or week, and what settings you use. My washing machine consumes less than 1w when not in use.
I also only have one washing machine, not likely my two refrigerators.
after i was too expensive Smart Samsung WW9000 Washing Machine Crashed, I bought a more affordable LG F4J6VY2W about 3 years ago.
All my calculations are based on the current variable rate of about 0.28p per kilowatt.
cold water wash
Traditionally, we’ve always been told to do laundry at 40 degrees. Most of the energy consumption figures provided on the website assume an absurd 60 degree wash.
While this advice may have been relevant more than 10 years ago, when warm water was needed to activate the enzymes in detergents to clean our clothes and kill bacteria, today it’s no longer accurate, depending on the detergent you’re using.
Back in 2003, Procter & Gamble conducted an assessment of its energy footprint and, based on that assessment, reformulated its detergents to be more effective when used with cold water. Tide Coldwater was launched in 2005.
Of course, you’ll still want to wash some things in a warm temperature, sheets and underwear are obvious examples, and warm temperatures do a great job of keeping white cottons shiny.
The true cost of washing machine running costs
My LG F4J6VY2W freestanding washer is now discontinued, so it doesn’t have one of the new modern energy efficiency ratings. It is A+++, and the annual energy consumption is 160kWh.
At 160kWh, the annual cost of operation is £44.8.
It looks like the official cycle data is:
- 60°C cotton (full load) 0.84 kW
- 60 °C cotton (half load) 0.65 kW
- 40 °C cotton (half load) 0.65 kW
For comparison, their current cheapest 9KG machine is and has an energy efficiency class of B.
This is expressed as using 58kwh every 100 cycles, the official cycle data is:
- Eco 40-60 (full load): 1.011 kW
- Eco 40-60 (half load): 0.500 kw
- Eco 40-60 (quarter load): 0.242 kW
I used the quick wash in most of my tests because it took less time. However, the length of wash time does not seem to have as much effect as heating water. You might be better off sticking to one of the cooler but longer wash cycles (if it’s an option on your machine).
- Quick wash: 30 minutes @ 30 degrees
- Max draw 2500w, total usage 0.23kw
- Express Wash – 30 minutes @ cold water
- 40 degree cotton
Energy use based on official data
One of my electrical samples was not very good. Unlike refrigerators, not all washing machines state average energy consumption, depending on the website you use.
Curry’s and John Lewis list energy consumption per cycle. Curry didn’t say what option was used, but I think it’s the same as John Lewis. John Lewis used the ridiculous setting of a 60ºC cotton cycle. I guess the logic behind this is that this is the worst case scenario.
AO.com is based on 220 washes per year, but if we divide by 220, that number is still high, so I’m assuming they are also using 60 degree washes.
I’m assuming most people won’t use 60 degrees in most washes. Therefore, the numbers below are not very accurate.
- Logitech L712WM20
- Water consumption per cycle: 45 liters
- Energy consumption per cycle: 0.69 kWh
- Beko WTK82011W
- Water consumption per cycle: 41 liters
- Energy consumption per cycle: 0.62 kWh
- Logic LIW714W20
- Water consumption per cycle: 45 liters
- Energy consumption per cycle: 0.52 kWh
- Hoover H-Wash 300 (H3W 68TME)
- Same price as Logik but bigger capacity
- Water consumption per cycle: 44 liters
- Energy consumption per cycle: 0.55 kWh
- cheapest grade A
- Water consumption per cycle: 44 liters
- Energy consumption per cycle: 0.47 kWh
Using the above data, if you do 200 washes per year, the cheapest LOGIK L712WM20 will use 138kWh and cost £38.64. The official annual figure is 195 kWh or £54.60.
The HOOVER H-WASH 300 H3WS68TAMCE will use 94kWh and cost £26.32. Alternatively, the official annual consumption is 118 kWh or £33.04.
If you do most of your washing at lower temperatures, these numbers will be smaller.
So if you’re looking for a new washer purely based on overall cost (and not all other features), there’s no reason to go for a more efficient but more expensive washer.
