How much does a dishwasher cost to run?
At the current price cap, a dishwasher costs about 26.3p per cycle, or around £54.90 a year with typical use.
Dishwasher
- An hour
- 13.2p
- A day used
- 26.3p
- A week
- £1.05
- A month
- £4.57
- Energy a year
- 209 kWh
500 W for 2 hours a day, 4 days a week, at 26.32p per kWh.
Excludes the daily standing charge, which you pay whatever you use.
How it compares
Yearly cost with typical use, at your unit rate.
Dishwasher running costs
At 26.32p per kWh, with typical use of 2 hours a day, 4 days a week.
| Period | Energy | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Per cycle | 1 kWh | 26.3p |
| Per hour in use | 0.5 kWh | 13.2p |
| Per week | 4 kWh | £1.05 |
| Per month | 17.4 kWh | £4.57 |
| Per year | 209 kWh | £54.90 |
How the cost varies
Eco programmes to intensive hot washes, per cycle.
| Energy use | Per cycle | Per year (typical use) |
|---|---|---|
| Lower | 13.2p | £27.45 |
| Typical | 26.3p | £54.90 |
| Higher | 39.5p | £82.34 |
Kitchen appliances compared
Yearly cost with typical use, at 26.32p per kWh.
| Appliance | Per hour | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Fridge freezer | 0.8p | £69.17 |
| Dishwasher (this page) | 13.2p | £54.90 |
| Kettle | 79p | £28.82 |
| Bean-to-cup coffee machine | 38.2p | £13.93 |
| Toaster | 23.7p | £4.32 |
Ways to spend less
- Use the eco programme. It takes longer but uses less energy, because it washes at a lower temperature.
- Run it only when it’s full.
- Scrape plates instead of rinsing them under a hot tap, which can use more energy than the dishwasher itself.
How we calculate this
We take a typical dishwasher at 500 watts (an average, as it switches on and off while running), used 2 hours a day, 4 days a week, and multiply the energy it uses by the Ofgem price cap unit rate of 26.32p per kWh.
One cycle uses about 1 kWh. Use the calculator above with your own appliance’s power and how you use it for a closer figure.
Questions people ask
How much does a dishwasher cost to run a year?
With typical use (2 hours a day, 4 days a week), about £54.90 a year at the current price cap, or £4.57 a month.
Is a dishwasher cheaper than washing by hand?
Often, if you run it full on eco. Washing by hand with lots of hot running water can use more energy and water than a full eco cycle.
Why does the eco setting take so long?
It saves energy by heating the water less and soaking for longer. Longer programmes can still use less electricity in total.
Does this include the standing charge?
No. The standing charge (54.83p a day under the current cap, about £200.13 a year) is a fixed daily cost for being connected. It does not change with how much you use any appliance.
Related calculators
- Kettle running costCosts per use and per year.
- Toaster running costCosts per use and per year.
- Bean-to-cup coffee machine running costCosts per use and per year.
- Fridge freezer running costCosts per use and per year.
- Appliance running cost calculatorCompare any appliance, at your own rate.
- Energy bill calculatorYour whole yearly bill at the price cap.