Dishwasher electricity cost calculator
In this example, a dishwasher at 1200W and 50% duty cycle costs $0.109 per scheduled hour. At 1.00 hour per day, that is $3.32 per 30.44 use days, using the August 2026 US average of 18.16¢/kWh. Adjust the calculator for your appliance and electricity bill.
Dishwasher electricity cost calculator
Use watts and running time, or enter energy from a label, meter or completed load. Your inputs stay on this device.
Enter a number within each field’s limits to calculate your cost.
Your estimated energy cost
219 kWh across 365 use days per year
Power mode includes your selected duty cycle. The monthly figure assumes 30.44 use days; the annual total uses your selected use days. These are estimates at the entered rate.
Energy charges only. Fixed utility fees, purchase, installation and maintenance are excluded. See the calculation method and sources.
Running cost at different usage times
These examples hold 1200W, 50% duty cycle and 18.16¢/kWh constant. They illustrate the arithmetic, not recommended schedules. Follow the manufacturer’s operating instructions.
| Hours per use day | kWh per day | Cost per day | 30.44 use days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 | 0.300 kWh | $0.05 | $1.66 |
| 1 | 0.600 kWh | $0.11 | $3.32 |
| 4 | 2.400 kWh | $0.44 | $13.27 |
| 8 | 4.800 kWh | $0.87 | $26.53 |
How to estimate your dishwasher electricity use
For electricity cost per load, multiply complete-cycle kWh by your price in dollars per kWh. An illustrative 0.9 kWh cycle at $0.20/kWh costs $0.18. This is an arithmetic example, not a typical dishwasher measurement. Use the same programme, drying options and measurement boundary when comparing loads.
Choose the right dishwasher energy reading
- For a finished wash and dry, use Energy per use / load. Enter the kWh recorded over that complete programme, loads per active week and active weeks per year. Include drying and any extra rinse you are comparing; a rinse-only reading is not a finished-load measurement.
- For an EnergyGuide estimate, use Annual energy (kWh). Enter the annual electricity figure printed for your exact model and reprice it using your tariff. Keep the label's use and water-heating assumptions; an annual test figure is not a measurement of each programme you might select.
- For a dedicated reading over several days, use Metered energy (kWh). Subtract a cumulative meter's start from its end and enter the full elapsed days. That reading includes the powered modes inside its boundary, so do not add the same standby or cycle energy again.
- Check the hot-water boundary. A measurement of the dishwasher's own electrical supply covers its internal electrical use, including any powered heating and drying during that measurement. It does not measure electricity or gas used by a separate water heater supplying hot water. Add that energy separately only when the original figure excludes it.
Enter your readings in the calculator →
| Item | Example |
|---|---|
| Model families printed on the label | Whirlpool WDPS8024S*** and WDTS8024S*** |
| Estimated yearly electricity use | 270 kWh |
| Use stated in the label notes | Four wash loads a week |
| Printed cost with an electric water heater | $38/year, using the label's 14 cents/kWh |
| Printed cost with a natural gas water heater | $27/year, using the label's electricity and gas prices |
| Electric-water-heater illustration at 20 cents/kWh | 270 kWh × $0.20 = $54/year, or $4.50/month |
Source: Whirlpool label W11750679A, US page, linked below. Its gas-price assumption is $1.21 per therm. The 20-cent rate is our illustration, not a current national average. In Annual energy mode, enter 270 and a rate of 20 to reproduce $54/year. This retains the label assumptions; it is not a measured result for your home or the 0.9 kWh cycle example above. Do not treat the printed $27 gas-water-heater estimate as an electricity-only amount.
Comparing wash cycles and drying options
This calculator prices the electricity you enter. Water and sewer charges, detergent, purchase, installation, repairs and separately supplied fuel are additional costs. A lower-energy setting still needs to meet the cleaning requirements for your load.
- A shorter programme is not automatically cheaper. Whirlpool's cycle guide explains that quick washes can use more water, energy and heat to finish sooner. Compare complete-cycle kWh for the same cleaning task and drying result; cycle names and available options vary by model.
- Compare equivalent loads and soil levels using programmes suitable for the dishes. Sensor cycles can adjust operation to the load. ENERGY STAR recommends running full loads when possible and scraping food rather than pre-rinsing; do not convert that advice into a fixed saving for every household.
- Include the selected drying option in each measurement. Do not assume that a programme called air dry has no electrical use anywhere in the wash or drying process. Follow the model instructions for its drying and door-opening features.
- Annual ratings retain standardized cycle and standby assumptions. Dividing annual kWh by a guessed number of loads does not establish the energy of a particular eco, quick or intensive programme. For a measured cycle input, do not apply another duty-cycle discount.
- If only using watts and hours, use representative electrical input over the selected period. The heating element's maximum watts multiplied by the entire programme duration assumes that draw continues throughout; it is not a complete-cycle measurement.
Calculation and data sources
Daily kWh = watts ÷ 1,000 × hours × duty cycle ÷ 100. Multiply kWh by your rate in dollars per kWh to get cost. The wattage, hours and duty cycle above are editable example assumptions, not EIA measurements of this appliance.
The US and state average prices come from the EIA for August 2026. A state average is a starting point; your bill is the better source for your tariff.
- EIA: US average electricity prices by sector
- EIA: residential electricity prices by state
- ENERGY STAR: dishwasher cycles, loading and energy-label guidance
- ENERGY STAR: dishwasher energy metrics and test assumptions
- Whirlpool: wash cycles and drying options
- Whirlpool WDPS8024S / WDTS8024S EnergyGuide, W11750679A (PDF, page 1)
- Our assumptions and calculation method
Electricity running cost by state
Sorted by average electricity price. These reference figures use 1.00 hours per day at 50% duty cycle, for 30.44 days per month and 365 days per year. Seasonal use will cost less than this year-round scenario. Click a state to load its rate.
| State | Rate /kWh | Per month | Per year | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 12.72¢ | $2.32 | $27.86 | |
| Louisiana | 12.87¢ | $2.35 | $28.19 | |
| Utah | 13.31¢ | $2.43 | $29.15 | |
| North Dakota | 13.31¢ | $2.43 | $29.15 | |
| Idaho | 13.37¢ | $2.44 | $29.28 | |
| Tennessee | 13.42¢ | $2.45 | $29.39 | |
| Nebraska | 13.54¢ | $2.47 | $29.65 | |
| Kentucky | 13.80¢ | $2.52 | $30.22 | |
| Arkansas | 14.37¢ | $2.62 | $31.47 | |
| Wyoming | 14.43¢ | $2.64 | $31.60 | |
| Mississippi | 14.43¢ | $2.64 | $31.60 | |
| Washington | 14.63¢ | $2.67 | $32.04 | |
| Oklahoma | 14.82¢ | $2.71 | $32.46 | |
| North Carolina | 14.95¢ | $2.73 | $32.74 | |
| Florida | 14.99¢ | $2.74 | $32.83 | |
| Arizona | 15.05¢ | $2.75 | $32.96 | |
| South Dakota | 15.15¢ | $2.77 | $33.18 | |
| Kansas | 15.47¢ | $2.83 | $33.88 | |
| Montana | 15.57¢ | $2.84 | $34.10 | |
| South Carolina | 15.76¢ | $2.88 | $34.51 | |
| Georgia | 15.90¢ | $2.90 | $34.82 | |
| Texas | 15.91¢ | $2.91 | $34.84 | |
| Oregon | 15.92¢ | $2.91 | $34.86 | |
| Missouri | 16.02¢ | $2.93 | $35.08 | |
| West Virginia | 16.31¢ | $2.98 | $35.72 | |
| Alabama | 16.33¢ | $2.98 | $35.76 | |
| New Mexico | 16.51¢ | $3.02 | $36.16 | |
| Indiana | 17.02¢ | $3.11 | $37.27 | |
| Iowa | 17.06¢ | $3.12 | $37.36 | |
| Colorado | 17.17¢ | $3.14 | $37.60 | |
| Minnesota | 17.20¢ | $3.14 | $37.67 | |
| Virginia | 17.64¢ | $3.22 | $38.63 | |
| Delaware | 18.70¢ | $3.42 | $40.95 | |
| Illinois | 19.32¢ | $3.53 | $42.31 | |
| Ohio | 19.38¢ | $3.54 | $42.44 | |
| Wisconsin | 19.41¢ | $3.55 | $42.51 | |
| Maryland | 21.40¢ | $3.91 | $46.87 | |
| Pennsylvania | 21.77¢ | $3.98 | $47.68 | |
| Michigan | 22.99¢ | $4.20 | $50.35 | |
| Vermont | 23.84¢ | $4.35 | $52.21 | |
| Connecticut | 24.51¢ | $4.48 | $53.68 | |
| New Jersey | 24.61¢ | $4.49 | $53.90 | |
| District of Columbia | 25.98¢ | $4.74 | $56.90 | |
| New Hampshire | 27.64¢ | $5.05 | $60.53 | |
| Rhode Island | 28.18¢ | $5.15 | $61.71 | |
| New York | 28.65¢ | $5.23 | $62.74 | |
| Alaska | 29.41¢ | $5.37 | $64.41 | |
| California | 29.75¢ | $5.43 | $65.15 | |
| Massachusetts | 30.48¢ | $5.57 | $66.75 | |
| Maine | 32.11¢ | $5.86 | $70.32 | |
| Hawaii | 47.18¢ | $8.62 | $103 |
Common questions
How much electricity does a dishwasher use?
In this example, 1200 watts at a 50% duty cycle uses 0.600 kWh per scheduled hour. At 1.00 hours per day, that is 0.600 kWh per use day. Your model and operating conditions can differ.
How much does it cost to run a dishwasher for an hour?
The default example costs $0.109 per scheduled hour at the US average of 18.16¢/kWh for August 2026. This includes the selected duty cycle. Enter your watts, duty cycle and electricity price for your own estimate.
Does the annual cost assume I use it every day?
The reference tables use 365 days at their displayed watts-and-hours schedule; monthly figures use 30.44 days. They are illustrative schedules, not measured dishwasher loads. For complete-cycle energy, use Energy per use / load with your loads per active week and active weeks per year. Its monthly figure is annual cost divided by 12. Annual energy mode retains the assumptions behind your entered annual figure.
Why does electricity running cost vary by state?
For August 2026, the EIA state averages range from 12.72¢/kWh in Nevada to 47.18¢/kWh in Hawaii. Equal electricity use costs more at a higher rate. Your utility tariff can differ from the state average.
How much does a dishwasher cost per load?
Multiply the kWh for a complete wash and dry by your electricity price. For an illustrative 0.9 kWh at $0.20/kWh, the electricity is $0.18 per load. At four loads a week for 52 active weeks, that is $37.44 per year or $3.12 per average month. These example figures exclude any energy or costs outside the measurement.
Is a one-hour or eco wash always cheaper?
Programme duration and names alone cannot establish cost. Quick programmes can use more heat and energy to finish faster, and sensor programmes can vary with the load. Use your model's documented or measured complete-cycle kWh for comparable cleaning and drying, then multiply by the applicable tariff.
Does my dishwasher meter include hot-water heating?
A meter on the dishwasher's electrical supply records the appliance electricity inside that boundary. It does not measure a separate household water heater. Check any label or specification before adding water-heating energy, because a test-based estimate may already account for it.
Can I divide EnergyGuide annual kWh by my loads to get cycle kWh?
That calculation does not measure your chosen programme. Annual ratings use standardized operating and standby assumptions, while your wash, drying choices and load count may differ. Use the annual figure to reprice that annual estimate, or obtain a complete-cycle reading for a per-load estimate.
Is a dishwasher cheaper than washing by hand?
Compare the same amount of dishes cleaned to a suitable result. Count dishwasher electricity, separately supplied hot-water energy where excluded, and water charges for both methods. Handwashing technique and hot-water use matter; comparing dishwasher plug electricity with the sink's water use alone leaves out part of the cost.