Dishwasher Electricity Cost & Wattage
What a dishwasher costs to run: typical 1.1 kWh/cycle, about $49 a year. Adjust the figures to your own usage and electricity price.
Your Dishwasher running cost
Costs about
/ year
- Per cycle
- Per week
- Energy per year
Set energy per cycle to match your usual programme.
Typical wattage
| Energy per cycle | 1.1 kWh |
|---|---|
| Typical use | 5 cycles/week |
Like a washing machine, a dishwasher's cost is set by the programme you pick, not by how long the cycle runs, so it is measured per cycle rather than by watts and hours. Almost all of the energy goes into heating water — both the wash water and, on many machines, the hot-air drying at the end. A typical eco cycle uses around 1.0–1.3 kWh, while an intensive hot programme can use half as much again. Enter your machine's energy per cycle, how many times you run it each week and your electricity price to see the real yearly figure.
Dishwashers often get a bad reputation for energy use, but a full machine on an eco setting is usually more efficient than washing the same load by hand under a running hot tap, because it uses less hot water overall. The waste comes from running half-empty loads, using intensive programmes for lightly soiled dishes, and leaving the heated-dry option on when the dishes could air-dry just as well with the door cracked open.
The energy label is the quickest way to gauge a machine, but your own habits decide the real bill. Two identical dishwashers can cost very different amounts to run if one household always uses the intensive programme and the other lives on eco. Running the machine only when it is full, and choosing the longer low-temperature cycle for everyday loads, are the two changes that move the yearly figure most — the calculator above lets you test them against your own price per kWh.
How to cut dishwasher running costs
- Only run a full load — a half-empty cycle costs almost the same as a full one.
- Use the eco programme: it is longer but heats less water, which is where the money goes.
- Skip the heated-dry option and open the door at the end to let dishes air-dry.
- Scrape rather than pre-rinse under a hot tap; modern detergents handle the rest.
- Run it on an off-peak tariff overnight if you have one.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a dishwasher cost to run per cycle?
At about 1.1 kWh for an eco cycle and $0.17/kWh, roughly $0.19 per run. An intensive hot programme can cost noticeably more because it heats more water.
Is a dishwasher cheaper than washing by hand?
A full machine on eco usually is, because it uses less hot water than a running tap. Hand-washing wins only for a very small number of items.
Does the eco programme really save money if it takes longer?
Yes. It runs longer at a lower water temperature, and heating water is what costs money, so total energy is lower despite the extra time.