United Kingdom Kitchen
How much does it cost to run a dishwasher?
A dishwasher is rated 1,200 to 2,400 watts, but what matters is energy per cycle: most of it goes into heating water and the drying element. A normal cycle on a modern machine uses about 0.8 to 1.8 kWh.
One load of a dishwasher uses about 1.2 kWh and costs about 32p in Great Britain at 26.32 pence per kWh. At 1 load a day that is about 32p a day, £9.61 a month and £115.36 a year.
- Price: Ofgem cap, Oct to Dec 2026
- Wattage range with its source
- Checked 26 October 2026
Uses 1.2 kWh a day, 37 kWh a month, at 26.32 pence per kWh (Great Britain (price cap average)).
The dial places the daily cost between a 50 watt fan and a 4.5 kW water heater on 2.5 hours a day.
One load of a dishwasher uses about 1.2 kWh and costs about 32p in Great Britain at 26.32 pence per kWh. At 1 load a day that is about 32p a day, £9.61 a month and £115.36 a year.
What this assumes
The default is 1.2 kWh per load, 1 load a day. Published figures for one load run from 0.8 to 1.8 kWh depending on the model and the setting. The energy label on the machine, or its manual, gives the figure for your model.
The price is the Ofgem price cap unit rate for 1 October to 31 December 2026, average for England, Scotland and Wales, paying by Direct Debit. The cap for 1 January to 31 March 2027 is announced in late November 2026. A fixed tariff, a time-of-use plan or a different payment method changes the rate, which is why the rate field is editable.
Cost per load by energy used, at the price cap rate
At 26.32p per kWh. The energy label or manual gives the figure for your model and programme.
| Energy per load | Per load | 1 a day, per week | 1 a day, per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.80 kWh | 21p | £1.47 | £6.41 |
| 1.1 kWh | 28p | £1.93 | £8.41 |
| 1.2 kWh | 32p | £2.21 | £9.61 |
| 1.3 kWh | 34p | £2.40 | £10.41 |
| 1.6 kWh | 41p | £2.86 | £12.42 |
| 1.8 kWh | 47p | £3.32 | £14.42 |
How a dishwasher uses electricity
Eco cycles run longer at lower temperatures and use the least energy. Heavy and sanitize cycles use the most. Heated dry adds 0.3 to 0.5 kWh, air dry adds nothing.
In the US, if the machine is connected to a hot water supply, part of the heating cost moves to your water heater (gas or electric) and does not show up here.
Ways to cut the cost
- Run full loads on eco.
- Skip heated dry and crack the door open at the end.
- Scrape, do not pre-rinse.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to run a dishwasher per load?
About 1.2 kWh on a normal cycle. At 18 cents that is about 22 cents a load, at 26p about 32p a load.
Is a dishwasher cheaper than washing by hand?
Usually, yes, when run full. A modern dishwasher uses 10 to 15 litres of water a cycle. Washing the same dishes under a running hot tap uses several times that, and heating that water costs more than the machine does.
Other kitchen costs
More in the UK
Sources
The electricity price on this page is read from the data file that also lists the release it came from. The wattage range is a published typical range, not a measurement of your appliance.