How Much Does It Cost to Run a dishwasher?
A typical dishwasher uses about 1,200 watts, which costs about $0.22 per hour. Used 1 hour a day, that is $0.22 per day, $7 per month and about $79 per year at the US average of about 18 cents per kWh. Change the numbers below for your own model and rate.
Typical estimate: about one cycle a day, averaging roughly 1.2 kWh per cycle with the heated dry and booster heater. These are typical estimates – check your own label or use a plug-in meter for exact figures.
Dishwasher running cost by electricity rate
Rates vary widely across the country. $0.12 is typical of low-cost areas, $0.18 is about the national average, and $0.25–$0.35 or more is common in high-cost areas such as parts of California, New England and Hawaii.
| Rate per kWh | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $0.12 | $0.144 | $0.14 | $4.38 | $53 |
| $0.18 | $0.216 | $0.22 | $6.57 | $79 |
| $0.25 | $0.300 | $0.30 | $9.13 | $110 |
| $0.35 | $0.420 | $0.42 | $12.78 | $153 |
Based on 1,200 W for 1 h/day; month = 30.42 days.
Cost by hours of use per day
| Hours per day | kWh per month | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 h | 18 | $0.11 | $3.29 | $39 |
| 1 h | 37 | $0.22 | $6.57 | $79 |
| 2 h | 73 | $0.43 | $13.14 | $158 |
At 18 cents per kWh and 1,200 W.
Low, typical and high wattage
Most of the energy goes into heating water and the drying element, not the pump motor. If your water heater is electric, that heating is billed separately.
| Case | Watts | Per hour | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low | 800 | $0.144 | $4.38 | $53 |
| Typical | 1,200 | $0.216 | $6.57 | $79 |
| High | 1,800 | $0.324 | $9.86 | $118 |
At 1 h/day and 18 cents per kWh.
How it is calculated
1,200 W × 1 h ÷ 1,000 = 1.2 kWh per day
1.2 kWh × $0.18 = $0.22 per day
$0.22 × 30.42 days = $6.57 per month
How to cut the cost of running a dishwasher
- Turn off heated dry or open the door after the final rinse – the drying element is a big share of the electricity per cycle.
- Run full loads only, and skip the pre-rinse; modern machines sense soil and scraping is enough.
- Use the eco or normal cycle rather than heavy or sanitize, which runs the booster heater longer.
- Use delay-start to run it overnight if your utility has time-of-use rates.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run a dishwasher per month?
At 18 cents per kWh, a typical 1,200 W dishwasher used 1 hours a day costs about $6.57 per month (37 kWh). That is about $79 a year.
How much does it cost to run a dishwasher per hour?
About $0.216 per hour at 18 cents per kWh, or $0.420 per hour if you pay 35 cents per kWh. Multiply by your hours of use to estimate any day.
Why does the cost of a dishwasher vary so much?
Wattage varies by model and setting – from 800 W to 1,800 W here. At the same 1 hours a day and 18 cents per kWh, that is $4 to $10 per month. Your electricity rate matters just as much: at 35 cents per kWh the typical unit costs $13 per month.