Dishwasher cost calculator
Work out how much it costs to run a dishwasher, from its average cycle power, cycle length and how often you use it.
Result
Cost per year
Cost per cycle
How to use this calculator
- Check your dishwasher's energy label for a typical cycle's average power — an eco cycle uses less than an intensive one.
- Enter the cycle length and how many cycles you run per week.
- Enter your electricity price per kWh.
- Read the cost per cycle and per year.
Assumptions
- Uses an average power draw across the cycle — water heating dominates total energy use, so an eco/lower-temperature cycle costs meaningfully less than an intensive one even at a similar length.
Technical details: what the fields mean
- Average power during cycle
powerWatts - Average power drawn across a full cycle — most energy goes into heating the water.
- Hours per cycle
hoursPerUse - Typical cycle length — an eco cycle often runs longer at a lower temperature than an intensive cycle.
- Cycles per week
usesPerWeek - How many dishwasher cycles you run per week.
- Electricity price
pricePerKwh - Your electricity price per kWh.
Methodology
Energy per cycle = average power (kW) × cycle length. Cost per cycle = energy × price per kWh. Cost per year = cost per cycle × cycles per week × 52.
Worked example
1200W average, 2-hour cycle, 5 cycles/week, 27p/kWh
Inputs: powerWatts=1200, hoursPerUse=2, usesPerWeek=5, pricePerKwh=0.27
Result: £0.65/cycle, £169.00/year
Practical guidance
- Running only full loads is more energy-efficient per item washed than frequent half-loads.
- An eco cycle usually costs less overall despite running longer, since it uses a lower water temperature.
Common mistakes
- Assuming a shorter intensive cycle is always cheaper than a longer eco cycle — the eco cycle's lower temperature often makes it the cheaper option despite taking longer.
FAQs
How much does it cost to run a dishwasher per cycle?
For a typical 1200W-average cycle at 27p/kWh, about 65p per cycle.