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How much does it cost to run a dishwasher?

Running a typical dishwasher costs about 31p a cycle — roughly £81 a year if you run it five times a week — at the current price-cap electricity rate (about 26p a unit, GB average, Jul–Sep 2026). Heating the water is most of that, so the eco setting usually costs less.

• The typical numbers. A normal cycle uses around 1–1.5 kWh — call it a typical 1.2 kWh, about 31p a cycle at 26p a unit. Five runs a week is roughly £81 a year. Bigger or older machines use more.
• Where the energy goes. Almost all of it heats the water and (on some machines) dries the load at the end. That’s why the hot, fast programmes cost the most.
• Eco isn’t a gimmick. Eco cycles wash at a lower temperature for longer and typically use less energy overall — cheaper to run, even though they take more time.

How to cut it

• Use the eco programme. It’s usually the cheapest cycle on the machine for everyday loads.
• Only run it full. A half-full dishwasher costs almost the same as a full one, so waiting for a full load cuts the cost per item.
• Skip the heated dry. Turn off the drying phase and open the door at the end — the dishes air-dry for free.
• Scrape, don’t pre-rinse. A modern dishwasher handles scraped plates fine, so you save the hot water you’d use rinsing at the tap.

That’s one appliance. To see what’s really driving your whole bill — your rates against the price cap, your direct debit against your real usage — check it free in about 30 seconds, with nothing saved.