What a clothes washer costs to run per year

Updated 2026-11-01 · ENERGY STAR data retrieved 2026-10-30 · Rate: 18.19¢/kWh, US average (EIA)

Bottom line

A typical ENERGY STAR clothes washer costs about $14–$36 a year to run at the US average electricity price (middle 80% of 418 certified models; median $20).

Size and type matter more than brand: the median runs from $18 (Front load, under 3.0 cu ft) to $27 (Top load).

Within one group, the spread is widest for Top load: about $18 a year between the more efficient and less efficient models (10th vs 90th percentile).

Bar chart: median annual running cost of ENERGY STAR clothes washers by load type and tub size, from $18 to $27 a year at 18.19 cents per kWh. — Bars: median annual cost. Lines: middle 80% of models (10th–90th percentile). Residential models.

Typical cost by load type and tub size

Load type and tub size	Models	Median kWh/yr	Median $/yr	Middle 80% $/yr
Front load, under 3.0 cu ft	101	100	$18	$7–$21
Front load, 3.0 cu ft and up	179	105	$19	$15–$27
Top load	138	150	$27	$22–$40

418 of 418 models fall in the groups above (groups with too few models are left out of this table but counted in the bottom line).

Lowest-energy certified models

The 51 models below have the lowest rated annual energy use in their group. Model numbers with * cover a family of variants (color, trim). Listed by rated kWh, not reviewed or tested by us.

Front load, under 3.0 cu ft

Brand	Model	Water (gal/yr)	Tub	kWh/yr	$/yr	Amazon
Crown	CRNWM280W00	2,615	2.8 cu ft	39	$7	Check on Amazon
Hisense	WF5S2845BB	2,615	2.8 cu ft	39	$7	Check on Amazon
Hisense	WF5S2845BT	2,615	2.8 cu ft	39	$7	Check on Amazon
Hisense	WF5S2845BW	2,615	2.8 cu ft	39	$7	Check on Amazon
Premium Levella	PWMF280HB	2,615	2.8 cu ft	39	$7	Check on Amazon
Premium Levella	PWMF280HT	2,615	2.8 cu ft	39	$7	Check on Amazon
Premium Levella	PWMF280HW	2,615	2.8 cu ft	39	$7	Check on Amazon
Premium Levella	PWMF286HS	2,615	2.8 cu ft	39	$7	Check on Amazon
Premium Levella	PWMF287HB	2,615	2.8 cu ft	39	$7	Check on Amazon
TRUARCTIC	TWF3124HSB	2,615	2.8 cu ft	39	$7	Check on Amazon
TRUARCTIC	TWF3124HST	2,615	2.8 cu ft	39	$7	Check on Amazon
TRUARCTIC	TWF3124HSW	2,615	2.8 cu ft	39	$7	Check on Amazon
Midea	MLH25N7BWW	2,360	2.5 cu ft	65	$12	Check on Amazon
Midea	MLH27N4AWWC	2,388	2.5 cu ft	65	$12	Check on Amazon
Bosch	WGA12400**	2,325	2.1 cu ft	70	$13	Check on Amazon
TRUARCTIC	TAFW2422W	2,267	2.3 cu ft	70	$13	Check on Amazon
Beko	BWM242300SWW	2,510	2.3 cu ft	73	$13	Check on Amazon

Front load, 3.0 cu ft and up

Brand	Model	Water (gal/yr)	Tub	kWh/yr	$/yr	Amazon
Electrolux	ELFW7337***	4,154	4.4 cu ft	50	$9	Check on Amazon
Electrolux	ELTE7300*** -	4,135	4.4 cu ft	50	$9	Check on Amazon
Electrolux	ELTE730C*** -	4,135	4.4 cu ft	50	$9	Check on Amazon
Electrolux	ELTG7300*** -	4,135	4.4 cu ft	50	$9	Check on Amazon
Frigidaire	FWFX22D4EW	4,154	4.4 cu ft	50	$9	Check on Amazon
Electrolux	ELFW7738***	3,452	4.5 cu ft	74	$13	Check on Amazon
Hisense	WFU34633B*	4,342	4.6 cu ft	75	$14	Check on Amazon
Hisense	WFU34633B*1	4,342	4.6 cu ft	75	$14	Check on Amazon
Hisense	WFU34633BW	4,342	4.6 cu ft	75	$14	Check on Amazon
Hisense	WFU54635B*	4,342	4.6 cu ft	75	$14	Check on Amazon
Hisense	WFU54635B*1	4,342	4.6 cu ft	75	$14	Check on Amazon
Hisense	WFU54635B*2	4,342	4.6 cu ft	75	$14	Check on Amazon
Maytag	MHW8150E**	4,239	4.5 cu ft	79	$14	Check on Amazon
LG	WM3420C*	3,858	4.5 cu ft	80	$15	Check on Amazon
LG	WM3455C*	3,858	4.5 cu ft	80	$15	Check on Amazon
Electrolux	ELFW7437***	4,248	4.5 cu ft	85	$15	Check on Amazon
Electrolux	ELFW7537***	4,248	4.5 cu ft	85	$15	Check on Amazon

Top load

Brand	Model	Water (gal/yr)	Tub	kWh/yr	$/yr	Amazon
Speed Queen	LWN6ZR116T*	4,072	3.2 cu ft	60	$11	Check on Amazon
Speed Queen	LWN6ZR119T*	4,072	3.2 cu ft	60	$11	Check on Amazon
LG	WT7250C*	4,720	5.0 cu ft	110	$20	Check on Amazon
LG	WT7300C*	4,720	5.0 cu ft	110	$20	Check on Amazon
LG	WT8200C*	6,330	5.0 cu ft	120	$22	Check on Amazon
LG	WT8205C*	6,076	4.8 cu ft	120	$22	Check on Amazon
LG	WT8300C*	6,330	5.0 cu ft	120	$22	Check on Amazon
LG	WT8400C*	5,164	5.5 cu ft	120	$22	Check on Amazon
LG	WT8480C*	5,164	5.5 cu ft	120	$22	Check on Amazon
LG	WT8600C*	5,164	5.5 cu ft	120	$22	Check on Amazon
LG	WT8700C*	5,164	5.5 cu ft	120	$22	Check on Amazon
Samsung	WA49B5205A*	6,165	4.9 cu ft	120	$22	Check on Amazon
Samsung	WA50A54*A	6,292	5.0 cu ft	120	$22	Check on Amazon
Samsung	WA50R52*A	6,292	5.0 cu ft	120	$22	Check on Amazon
Samsung	WA50R54*A	6,292	5.0 cu ft	120	$22	Check on Amazon
Samsung	WA50T53*A	6,292	5.0 cu ft	120	$22	Check on Amazon
Samsung	WA51A5505A*	6,419	5.1 cu ft	120	$22	Check on Amazon

Notes

The kWh figure is the rated annual energy from the federal test (a fixed number of loads per year). Water costs are not included in the dollar figures.
The dryer usually uses far more electricity than the washer. A washer that spins more water out saves dryer time, which this figure does not show.
Residential models.

Work it out for your rate

Annual kWh ÷ 5.5 ≈ dollars per year

At the US average price of 18.19¢ per kWh, every 5.5 kWh costs about $1 (1 ÷ 0.1819 = 5.50). A refrigerator rated at 550 kWh a year costs about $100 a year to run.

Multiply the kWh figure by your own price per kWh from your bill. Your state's price may be far from the average: see rates by state.

Source: ENERGY STAR certified clothes washers (dataset bghd-e2wd), retrieved 2026-10-30. Rate: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.B, residential, January-August 2026 year-to-date (released 2026-10-23). How we calculate.