Washing machine electricity use: front load against top load
Washing machine electricity use: the median certified washer uses 110 kWh a year. Enter your state: the tool shows the median for the washers that fit your space, and its cost.
Example for a 28 in wide, 32 in deep space — change any figure to see your own result
Washers that fit (all three sizes published)
40
of 91 with height and depth on the list; 257 more fit the width but publish no height or depth
| Typical energy use of those that fit | 110 kWh a year |
| Running cost at the U.S. average price | $20 a year |
| Typical water use | 2,713 gallons a year |
| Typical drum capacity | 2.3 cu ft |
Depth on the list is the cabinet; add the door and the hoses behind (several inches) before you buy.
| Model | W × H × D | Drum | kWh a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| GE GFW655S*V*** | 28.0 × 39.8 × 32.0 in | 5.0 cu ft | 158 |
| Maytag MFW7020R** | 27.0 × 39.0 × 32.0 in | 5.0 cu ft | 140 |
| Whirlpool WFW6720R** | 27.0 × 39.0 × 32.0 in | 5.0 cu ft | 140 |
| GE GFW550S*R*** | 28.0 × 39.8 × 32.0 in | 4.8 cu ft | 158 |
| GE GFW350S*Y*** | 28.0 × 39.8 × 32.0 in | 4.6 cu ft | 150 |
Compiled by Radif Partners · How the figures are built
Washing machine electricity use is small next to a refrigerator or a dryer, and it depends mostly on the water a washer heats. The ENERGY STAR list of November 12, 2026 gives a yearly kWh for each of 367 certified washers sold in the United States: a median 110 kWh, from 39 to 311. The figure includes the energy to heat the water, as the federal test counts it, for a fixed number of loads a year. Front-load washers use a median 103 kWh and 3,893 gallons of water a year. Top-load washers use 145 kWh and 6,292 gallons. At the U.S. average home price of August 2026, the median front-load washer's electricity costs $19 a year and the median top-load washer's $26. If your water heater burns gas, part of that energy is gas on your bill rather than electricity. Per load, under the newer test's 234 loads a year, the median certified washer uses about 0.47 kWh.
Washing machine electricity use by type
The table gives the median yearly kWh and water of each type, and the cost of that electricity at the U.S. average price. It counts every certified washer, including the many that publish only their width.
| Type | Models | Typical kWh a year | Range | Typical water a year | Cost a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Front load | 250 | 103 | 39 to 180 | 3,893 gal | $19 |
| Top load | 117 | 145 | 60 to 311 | 6,292 gal | $26 |
Where the energy goes
The federal test procedure (10 CFR 430, subpart B) adds the machine's own electricity to the energy needed to heat the water it draws, and both end up in the yearly kWh. That is why a washer that uses less water scores less energy. Washing in cold water cuts the heating part at home; the yearly figure on the label assumes the mix of temperatures of the test. A higher spin speed takes more water out of the clothes, which saves energy in the dryer, a much bigger user.
Typical energy of the washers that fit your space
Example for a 28 in wide, 32 in deep space — change any figure to see your own result
Washers that fit (all three sizes published)
40
of 91 with height and depth on the list; 257 more fit the width but publish no height or depth
| Typical energy use of those that fit | 110 kWh a year |
| Running cost at the U.S. average price | $20 a year |
| Typical water use | 2,713 gallons a year |
| Typical drum capacity | 2.3 cu ft |
The dryer is the larger bill
The median certified electric dryer uses 607 kWh a year according to its list, several times a washer. If you compare laundry costs, start there: the dryer electricity page compares vented and ventless models.
Cost by state
At the prices of August 2026, the median front-load washer's electricity costs $31 a year in California and $17 in Missouri; the median top-load washer $43 and $23. Sizes are on the front-load and top-load pages.
The figures on the list are measured, not estimated by this site, and they are published per model. Two washers of the same size can differ in energy and water, so comparing the yearly kWh and gallons of the models that fit your space is more useful than comparing types in general. The tool does this for the width, height and depth you enter.