Washing machines: Washing machine energy costs

Washing a full load in your machine saves energy

It's not just the initial cost of a washing machine that has an impact on your bank balance, the energy it uses keeps on costing you through your electricity bill during the course of its lifetime, too. 

To help you cut your bills, Which? can help you choose a more efficient washing machine that still gets your whites bright and your washing spotless.

How Which? tests washing machine efficiency

Which? has tested hundreds of washing machines, and each one is scored on its energy and water use during a normal washing cycle. 

Each washing machine we test is awarded a star rating of one to five for its energy use and water use. To find a model with good washing machine efficiency, go to the compare features and prices page to check out those models with efficiency ratings of four stars or higher. You can also find out which washing machines were awarded the coveted Which? Best Buy status.

Energy Saver washing machines

Only Best Buy washing machines with outstanding energy efficiency are awarded our Which? Energy Saver logo.

Washing machines that combine excellent performance with exceptional energy efficiency in our in-depth tests are awarded Energy Saver logos. These logos are awarded to Best Buy washing machines that are also among the top 20% most energy efficient when tested on the 40°C cottons program - the setting most commonly used at home.

While there's not a great difference between the annual running costs of different washing machines, some cheap models can cost more than their initial purchase price to run over 10 years. An Energy Saver washing machine will typically cost around £15-£20 per year to run, compared with some that will add around £35 to your annual energy bill.

How washing machines compare on efficiency

Washing machine efficiency: energy

Washing machine energy efficiency has improved in recent years, but some washing machines remain more energy efficient than others. Use the compare features and prices page in this review to find washing machines with five-star ratings for energy efficiency to help you cut running costs and energy bills.

You could save up to 52 baths' worth of water

Washing machine efficiency: water

The average washing machine uses 9.5 litres of water for every kilogram of cotton clothes it washes. But during our washing machine testing, we found water usage varied between models, ranging from an 8kg machine that used just 5.5 litres of water per kilogram to an 6kg washer that consumed 22.7 litres of water per kilogram.

While the better performing washing machine would use 44 litres of water at maximum capacity, the less water efficient model - with a smaller capacity - would use 136.2 litres.

To put those figures into perspective, if you always washed at max capacity and did the average three 40ºC cotton washes a week for a year, the good machine would save you 4,203 litres less water – more than 52 baths of water.

Washing machine efficiency tips

• Wash a full load 40ºC cotton washes are designed to take a full drum’s worth of laundry, so always try to wash the maximum amount in each load to get the most value from the water and energy you’re using. If you find you're not able to fill the drum of your 8kg washing machine on a regular basis, it might be worth considering a washing machine with a smaller drum size
• Avoid using extra rinse If you have very sensitive skin you may find it necessary to use the extra-rinse function on your washing machine to remove more detergent from laundered clothes. Try not to use this function unless it's absolutely necessary, though - it's another water waster
• Switch to 30ºC Washing at 30ºC instead of 40ºC can save you around £9 a year. Cleaning results for our Best Buy laundry detergents designed for low temperatures during a 30ºC program were good, and helped use an average of 40% less electricity per wash

Energy labelling

All washing machines are awarded an official EU efficiency rating, from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient), to help you find the machines that are cheapest to run. 

The efficiency of washing machines has improved rapidly in recent years, so you'll find most washing machines on sale today are rated A or B. To help you differentiate between models at the upper end of the efficiency scale, the EU has set out plans to re-grade energy labels - adding 'beyond-A' ratings of A+, A++ and A+++. The more pluses the label has, the more efficient it is.

The new labels (pictured, right) are currently optional for manufacturers, but will become compulsory from the end of 2011.

The EU energy labelling scheme can help you choose a greener washing machine, but be aware that its washing machine labelling test is based on a 60ºC cotton cycle. Because of that, Which? has often found the energy label ratings on washing machines are inaccurate.

We use a different method from the energy labels to calculate energy efficiency in our tests. We test on 40ºC normal cotton and synthetic programs to reflect the way you use your washing machine. This helps us to collect more realistic energy and running costs data.

For more information on changes to EU energy labels and how to make the most of the information provided, have a look at our guide to energy labels explained.

More washing machine advice

For more advice, have a look at our guide to using your washing machine, which contains a video guide on how to be greener with your washing machine. We've also tested laundry detergent performance when washing at 30°C.