Data through April 2026
Category · 338 certified models
Clothes Washers: what they cost to run
A clothes washer's cost accrues per load, so the DOE certification bakes in a standard year of cycles (234). On that basis the 338 certified models here cost between $7.34 and $59 a year at the U.S. average rate — median $21.
Front-loaders extract more water per spin and use less hot water than top-loaders — the IMEF figure (higher is better) captures exactly this. Every figure on this page comes from ENERGY STAR's certified test data — the 39–311 kWh/yr range you see is measured, not estimated.
- Median cost
- $21/yr
- Cheapest model
- $7.34/yr
- Priciest model
- $59/yr
The 10 cheapest to run
| # | Model | kWh/yr | $/yr (US avg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hisense WF5S2845BB | 39 | $7.34 |
| 2 | Hisense WF5S2845BT | 39 | $7.34 |
| 3 | Hisense WF5S2845BW | 39 | $7.34 |
| 4 | Premium Levella PWMF280HB | 39 | $7.34 |
| 5 | Premium Levella PWMF280HT | 39 | $7.34 |
| 6 | Premium Levella PWMF280HW | 39 | $7.34 |
| 7 | Premium Levella PWMF286HS | 39 | $7.34 |
| 8 | Premium Levella PWMF287HB | 39 | $7.34 |
| 9 | Electrolux ELFW7337 | 50 | $9.41 |
| 10 | Electrolux ELTE7300 | 50 | $9.41 |
Typical cost by state
| State | Rate ¢/kWh | Median $/yr | Relative cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 17.4¢ | $19 | |
| Alaska | 27.4¢ | $30 | |
| Arizona | 15.5¢ | $17 | |
| Arkansas | 14.2¢ | $16 | |
| California | 35.3¢ | $39 | |
| Colorado | 16.5¢ | $18 | |
| Connecticut | 32.2¢ | $35 | |
| Delaware | 18.8¢ | $21 | |
| District of Columbia | 25.4¢ | $28 | |
| Florida | 15.4¢ | $17 | |
| Georgia | 15.4¢ | $17 | |
| Hawaiipriciest | 46.6¢ | $51 | |
| Idaho | 12.7¢ | $14 | |
| Illinois | 20.5¢ | $23 | |
| Indiana | 17.9¢ | $20 | |
| Iowa | 13.9¢ | $15 | |
| Kansas | 15.8¢ | $17 | |
| Kentucky | 15.0¢ | $17 | |
| Louisiana | 14.4¢ | $16 | |
| Maine | 28.4¢ | $31 | |
| Maryland | 22.1¢ | $24 | |
| Massachusetts | 29.4¢ | $32 | |
| Michigan | 21.4¢ | $24 | |
| Minnesota | 16.4¢ | $18 | |
| Mississippi | 16.8¢ | $18 | |
| Missouri | 14.0¢ | $15 | |
| Montana | 13.9¢ | $15 | |
| Nebraska | 13.3¢ | $15 | |
| Nevada | 14.3¢ | $16 | |
| New Hampshire | 27.2¢ | $30 | |
| New Jersey | 23.5¢ | $26 | |
| New Mexico | 15.2¢ | $17 | |
| New York | 29.4¢ | $32 | |
| North Carolina | 16.3¢ | $18 | |
| North Dakotacheapest | 12.3¢ | $14 | |
| Ohio | 19.5¢ | $21 | |
| Oklahoma | 13.3¢ | $15 | |
| Oregon | 15.8¢ | $17 | |
| Pennsylvania | 21.5¢ | $24 | |
| Rhode Island | 28.3¢ | $31 | |
| South Carolina | 17.1¢ | $19 | |
| South Dakota | 14.5¢ | $16 | |
| Tennessee | 14.9¢ | $16 | |
| Texas | 17.0¢ | $19 | |
| Utah | 13.3¢ | $15 | |
| Vermont | 24.6¢ | $27 | |
| Virginia | 17.4¢ | $19 | |
| Washington | 14.4¢ | $16 | |
| West Virginia | 16.1¢ | $18 | |
| Wisconsin | 19.2¢ | $21 | |
| Wyoming | 14.7¢ | $16 |
How to read these numbers
The certified annual kWh assumes 234 wash cycles per year (the DOE standard, about 4–5 loads a week) and includes water-heating energy. Full methodology and limitations →
Questions, answered with the data
- How much does a clothes washer cost to run per year?
- The median ENERGY STAR certified clothes washer costs about $21 a year at the U.S. average rate (18.8¢/kWh). Across all 338 certified models, costs range from $7.34 to $59.
- How much electricity does a clothes washer use?
- Certified models use between 39 and 311 kWh per year (median 110). The certified annual kWh assumes 234 wash cycles per year (the DOE standard, about 4–5 loads a week) and includes water-heating energy.
- Where is a clothes washer cheapest and most expensive to run?
- North Dakota has the lowest residential rate (12.3¢/kWh), putting the median clothes washer at $14 a year; Hawaii (46.6¢/kWh) is the most expensive at $51.
- What makes one clothes washer cheaper to run than another?
- Front-loaders extract more water per spin and use less hot water than top-loaders — the IMEF figure (higher is better) captures exactly this.