Show the formula and working
This dishwasher running cost calculator works out what each dishwasher cycle costs in electricity, and the weekly and yearly totals, for households in the UK, Ireland and Europe. Enter the figure from your energy label or a plug-in energy monitor, how many cycles you run and your unit rate, in pounds or euros, and it shows the answer with the working.
Quick answer: A dishwasher running cost calculator multiplies the kWh per cycle by your unit rate. A dishwasher rated 75 kWh per 100 cycles uses 0.75 kWh per Eco cycle, which costs 19.74p at the October to December 2026 price cap rate of 26.32p per kWh. Five cycles a week cost about £51 a year.
What Is a Dishwasher Running Cost Calculator?
A dishwasher running cost calculator is a tool that converts the electricity a dishwasher uses per cycle into a cost per cycle, per week and per year. In plain words: kWh per cycle multiplied by your unit rate gives the cost per cycle, and the cost per cycle multiplied by cycles per week and by 52 weeks gives the yearly cost.
The kWh per cycle comes from the energy label, which shows energy consumption in kWh per 100 cycles of the Eco programme, so you divide it by 100. The general appliance formula, watts multiplied by hours, divided by 1,000, multiplied by the price per kWh, also works and is what the electricity cost calculator uses. For a dishwasher it overstates the cost, because the heater runs only for part of the cycle, so a label or meter figure is the better starting point.
How Do You Use the Dishwasher Running Cost Calculator?
- Enter the Energy label kWh per 100 cycles from your dishwasher’s label or product sheet, for example 75.
- If you have measured a cycle with a plug-in energy monitor, enter it in Measured kWh per cycle. It replaces the label figure.
- Enter your Cycles per week.
- Check the Electricity unit rate. It starts at the Ofgem price cap rate, so replace it with the rate on your bill and choose pounds or euros.
- If your water is metered, enter the Water per cycle from the label and the Water and sewerage price per cubic metre from your water bill. Leave the price at 0 to skip it.
- Read the cost per cycle and the yearly cost, then open “Show the formula and working” to check each step.
How Much Does It Cost to Run a Dishwasher per Cycle?
A dishwasher Eco cycle costs between about 13p and 29p at 26.32p per kWh, for models rated 50 to 110 kWh per 100 cycles. Larger machines with more place settings tend to use more per cycle, and intensive or hot programmes use more than the Eco figure on the label. Your own cost depends on the label, the programme you choose and your tariff, which is why the calculator lets you change all three.
Where Do You Find a Dishwasher’s Energy Use?
A dishwasher’s energy use is printed on its energy label as kWh per 100 cycles of the Eco programme, so divide it by 100 to get the kWh per cycle. The label also shows the number of place settings, water use per cycle and programme time, as the Bosch energy label guide sets out. If the label is missing, look up the model’s product information sheet, or run one cycle on a plug-in energy monitor.
How Can You Cut Dishwasher Running Costs?
The simplest saving is to run the dishwasher only when it is full, which the Energy Saving Trust says saves about £10 a year in Great Britain if it cuts one run a week. Using the Eco programme also helps, because the label figure is measured on it. Scrape plates rather than rinsing them under a hot tap, and clean the filter so the machine washes well first time.
Is It Cheaper to Run a Dishwasher at Night?
A dishwasher is only cheaper to run at night if your tariff charges less overnight, such as Economy 7 or a smart time of use tariff. On a single rate tariff the cost is the same at any time. If you have a night rate, enter it as the Electricity unit rate, or use the Economy 7 calculator to compare day and night use. Many dishwashers have a delay start for this.
Dishwasher Cost per Cycle Table
| Energy label (kWh per 100 cycles) | Cost per cycle | Per year at 3 cycles a week | Per year at 5 cycles a week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 13.16p | £20.53 | £34.22 |
| 60 | 15.79p | £24.64 | £41.06 |
| 75 | 19.74p | £30.79 | £51.32 |
| 90 | 23.69p | £36.95 | £61.59 |
| 110 | 28.95p | £45.17 | £75.28 |
Costs use 26.32p per kWh, the Ofgem price cap average for October to December 2026, and 52 weeks a year. Electricity only, water not included.
Worked Example: Five Cycles a Week
Example: a dishwasher label shows 75 kWh per 100 cycles, and it runs 5 times a week at 26.32p per kWh. Enter 75 in Energy label kWh per 100 cycles, leave Measured kWh per cycle at 0, enter 5 Cycles per week and keep the unit rate. The calculator works out 75 / 100 = 0.75 kWh per cycle, then 0.75 x 26.32p = 19.74p per cycle. Over 260 cycles a year that is 195 kWh, so 19.74p x 5 x 52 = £51.32 a year, or £4.28 a month.
A reader in the Netherlands with the same model enters 30 cents per kWh and switches to euros. Each cycle costs 0.75 x 30c = 22.5c and five a week cost €58.50 a year. For the rest of the household, the electricity bill calculator and the other energy bill calculators show the bigger picture.
Dishwasher Running Cost Calculator FAQs
How many kWh does a dishwasher use per cycle?
Divide the label figure by 100. A dishwasher rated 75 kWh per 100 cycles uses 0.75 kWh per Eco cycle. Intensive programmes use more, so measure them with a plug-in energy monitor if you use them often.
How much does a dishwasher cost to run per year?
Multiply the cost per cycle by cycles per week and by 52. At 26.32p per kWh, a dishwasher using 0.75 kWh per cycle costs about £31 a year at 3 cycles a week and about £51 a year at 5 cycles a week.
Why does the Eco programme take so long?
The Eco programme heats the water less and lets the detergent work for longer, which uses less electricity even though the cycle lasts longer. It is the programme the energy label is measured on, so it matches the label figure most closely.
Can I use the wattage instead of the label?
You can, but wattage multiplied by programme time overstates the cost, because the heater is on for only part of the cycle. A label figure or a reading from a plug-in energy monitor gives a much closer estimate.
Does the calculator include water?
Yes, for metered water. Enter the water per cycle from the energy label and your water and sewerage price per cubic metre from your bill. The calculator adds the water cost to the electricity cost per cycle and per year.
Does running half loads cost less?
Unless your machine has a half load option, a half load costs about the same as a full one, because the machine still heats the water and runs the whole programme. Waiting until it is full means fewer cycles each week, which lowers the yearly cost.
Checked October 2026. Sources: Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges (Ofgem), Quick tips to save energy (Energy Saving Trust), Energy label information (Bosch).