How much does it cost to run a washing machine (40°C cycle)? (2026 price cap)

Typical rating and how we worked this out

This page uses a typical rating of 2.1kW for a washing machine (40°C cycle); published figures for this appliance range from 1.2kW to 3kW. 40°C is the most common everyday wash temperature in the UK; the water heating roughly doubles the energy of an equivalent 30°C cycle. The running cost follows the same formula used across this site: watts ÷ 1,000 × hours × unit rate. Typical use is modelled as 5 loads a week, averaging 0.75kWh each, which is how the per-day, per-week and per-year figures above were calculated — see the cost-to-run calculator to change the wattage, hours or region yourself.

Rate used: Ofgem price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026, GB average electricity — 26.32p/kWh (excl. VAT, removed 1 Oct 2026–31 Mar 2027).

Cost by region

Same appliance, same use — ranked most to least expensive by region under the price cap:

East Midlands is cheapest at £49.45 a year; Merseyside and Northern Wales is most expensive at £54.33 a year — a gap of £4.88 for identical use.

How a washing machine (40°C cycle) compares with similar appliances

Ranked by typical annual cost in laundry, GB average:

• washing machine (40°C cycle) — £51.32 a year (this page)
• heat pump tumble dryer — £53.38 a year
• iron — £48.03 a year
• washing machine (60°C cycle) — £32.85 a year
• washing machine (30°C cycle) — £30.79 a year
• condenser tumble dryer — £127 a year

Three practical ways to cut the cost

1. Reserve 40°C for towels, bedding and genuinely dirty loads rather than everyday lightly-soiled clothes
2. Use the machine's eco-40 programme if fitted — a lower average temperature over more time
3. Fill the drum to the recommended maximum rather than running part-loads

FAQs

How much does it cost to run a washing machine (40°C cycle) for an hour?

55p at the GB-average rate (26.32p/kWh, 2.1kW). One typical use — 5 loads a week, averaging 0.75kWh each — costs closer to 20p.

How much does a washing machine (40°C cycle) cost to run per year?

Around £51.32 a year at the GB-average rate, assuming 5 loads a week, averaging 0.75kWh each — about 99p a week.

Which UK region is cheapest to run a washing machine (40°C cycle) in?

East Midlands, at £49.45 a year, against £54.33 in Merseyside and Northern Wales — £4.88 apart for identical use, purely from the regional rate.

Does the exact wattage of my washing machine (40°C cycle) change the cost much?

Yes — ratings range 1.2kW–3kW, so the top of that range costs about 2.5x the bottom. This page uses 2.1kW; check your own rating plate.

Does the October 2026 price cap affect this figure?

Yes — figures use the Ofgem cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026. Electricity excludes VAT (removed 1 Oct 2026–31 Mar 2027); gas includes 5%. See the price cap page for the full breakdown.

Sources

• Which?-sourced appliance running-cost table (tumble dryer types, dishwasher, washing machine) — wattage and usage figures for this appliance.
• Ofgem — Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges (regional tables, read 12 September 2026).

Related

• Cost-to-run calculator and full A–Z — check any appliance or enter a custom wattage.
• Energy price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026 — every region, every payment method.
• Back-billing calculator — if a bill for this or any appliance looks like it covers too many months.
• Free bill audit — if your overall energy costs look high regardless of any one appliance.