What does a wash cost on spot electricity?
A single wash costs cents, but it adds up over a year. The calculator shows the cost of a wash and the cheapest start today or tomorrow.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
A washing machine’s electricity use depends on the programme and the machine. The energy label gives the eco 40–60 programme’s use per 100 cycles, so divide it by 100 for one wash. The calculator’s default is 0.8 kWh and a 3-hour programme; replace them with your machine’s figures. In Helsinki, on Helen Sähköverkko’s general transfer and a spot contract with a 0.51 c/kWh margin, a wash costs €0.08 today at the cheapest start (04:30) and €0.10 at the dearest (15:15). At the day’s average price it costs €0.09. Four washes a week come to about €19 a year, and washing every load in the cheapest hour would save about €3 a year at today’s prices. The saving is small compared with an electric car or sauna, but timing costs nothing if the machine has a timer.
Washing machine: cheapest run today
€0.08
0.80 kWh over 3.00 h
| Cheapest start 04:30 | €0.08 |
| Dearest start 15:15 | €0.10 |
| At the day’s average price | €0.09 |
| Per year, 4 times a week at average price | €19 |
Exchange prices published for 17 October 2026, FI bidding zone, source Nord Pool.
Assumptions
Energy is spread evenly over the quarters of the run. Price = spot + margin (or fixed price) + transfer fee + electricity tax, all incl. 25.5% VAT. Real use varies with the appliance, programme and temperature. Method and sources
The cost of a wash in two networks
| Network | Cheapest start | At average price | Dearest start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helen, general transfer | €0.08 (04:30) | €0.09 | €0.10 (15:15) |
| Caruna, general transfer | €0.08 (04:30) | €0.09 | €0.11 (15:15) |
In Caruna’s area the same wash costs more because the transfer fee is higher. The gap does not depend on the time of day, since general transfer costs the same around the clock in both networks.
The energy label tells you the consumption
On the EU energy label a washing machine’s use is given in kilowatt-hours per 100 eco 40–60 cycles. If the label says 52, one eco wash uses about 0.52 kWh. Other programmes may use more or less. Motiva’s appliance advice recommends comparing energy labels when buying and choosing a capacity that fits how often you wash.
Washing and drying in the same cheap window
If you tumble-dry, drying usually uses more electricity than washing, so schedule both back to back in a cheap window. The tumble dryer calculator shows the cost of drying. Line-drying is cheapest of all. Typical cheap hours are covered in the cheapest time guide.