What It CostsKitchen & Laundry Running Costs
Five machines measured per cycle and one that never stops. This is where the surprises are.
Air fryer running cost
Cheaper than the oven — but not for the reason people say.
Dishwasher running cost
Cheaper than the sink, and the eco cycle is cheaper still.
Electric oven running cost
Two kilowatt-hours an hour — unless you use something smaller.
Fridge freezer running cost
Small draw, 8,760 hours a year — which is how it adds up.
Tumble dryer running cost
The most expensive thing you switch on in an ordinary week.
Washing machine running cost
Almost all of it is heating water. The rest is rounding.
Kitchen and laundry appliances are where intuition fails most reliably. People worry about the kettle, which costs about two cents a boil, and never think about the dryer, which costs fifteen times that per load and runs several times a week.
The reason is that these machines are measured in the wrong unit almost everywhere. A washing machine’s plate says 2,200 W, but it only draws that while it heats the water — perhaps ten minutes of a fifty-minute programme. The number that matters is kilowatt-hours per cycle, which is on the energy label, and every tool in this group takes it directly.
Frequently asked questions
Why are these measured per cycle instead of per hour?
Because their draw is not steady. A washing machine pulls 2,000 W heating the water for ten minutes, then 150 W tumbling for forty, then 500 W spinning. Multiplying a peak figure by the programme length overstates it two or three times over. The energy label gives kWh per cycle, which is the honest measurement, and that is what these tools take.
Which is the most expensive machine in the house?
The tumble dryer, per use, almost everywhere — a vented one is around 3.3 kWh a cycle, which is more than a fridge uses in a day. A heat pump dryer does the same job for about a third of that. The fridge takes the title for total annual use only because it never stops.
Does an eco programme actually save money?
On a dishwasher, yes — noticeably. Eco cycles use less hot water and run longer at a lower temperature, and heating water is nearly all of the energy. The trade-off is time, not cleanliness. On a washing machine, dropping from a hot wash to 30 °C usually halves the energy for the same result on ordinary laundry.
Is it cheaper to run a full load or two half loads?
One full load, every time. Most of the energy goes into heating water and turning the drum, and neither doubles when the drum is half empty. Two half loads are close to twice the cost of one full one for the same clothes.
How we calculate this
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