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Dishwasher power consumption and electricity cost

The electricity usage of a dishwasher may vary considerably depending on the efficiency and age of the appliance. 

If you already have a dishwasher at home or are considering buying one, it is worth spending a little time determining the electricity usage and cost.

How much power does a dishwasher use

A dishwasher uses between 1200 and 2400 Watts of power, with an average of around 1800 Watts.

The electricity usage, or the power consumption, should be displayed at the appliance itself or easily accessible online.

We have chosen a random dishwasher and searched for its ‘datasheet.’ Out of the results, we have been able to find its power consumption both at Amazon and at the manufacturer’s website.

Dishwasher Datasheet search

Still, this is not always the case. 

PRO TIP: Generally if the electricity consumption is low, the power consumption details are easy to find. And the opposite is the electricity usage is higher than other similar dishwashers, the power consumption details may be a bit hidden.

For the dishwasher displayed on the picture below, the specifications state that it consumes 237 Kilowatts hour (kWh) per year. 

dishwasher power consumption

How to calculate power from voltage and current

If you only know the voltage and current of your dishwasher, you can calculate the power consumption, in Watts, using the calculator below.

 

For more information about Power, Voltage, and Current, scroll down to the ‘Electricity Measurement Units’ section.

Dishwasher electricity cost calculator

Once we know the yearly power consumption, the calculator below can be used to estimate the power and cost consumption of the dishwasher.

You need to adjust the values in the PARAMETERS section to your requirements, and the calculator will automatically display the RESULTS section.

 

For example:

> If your dishwasher has a yearly power usage of 237 kWh

> If you are paying 0,2 euros (or dollars, or pounds, or …) per every kWh you consume 

You will be paying around 47 euros (or dollars, pounds, or…) per year in electricity costs.

How much does electricity cost

If you don’t know how much you are paying per kWh, you should be able to find the cost per kWh on your electricity contract or in one of the electricity bills.

how much does electricity cost

Alternatively, if you don’t have access to your contract or electricity bills, this website shows the electricity cost per country.

Home appliances and devices electricity calculators

Here are a few other examples from our ‘Electricity usage and electricity cost calculators‘ page that may be of your interest:

Dishwasher electricity usage monitor

Suppose you want to know the exact electricity usage of a dishwasher. In that case, your best option is to use a plug in power meter to measure the exact power consumption and electricity cost. 

Clicking on the image below will redirect you to the Amazon page where you can look at the specifications of the power meter we use for our measurements.

plug in power meter

All of our house appliances and devices like the washing machine, the dishwasher, the TV or the printer are plugged to a wall socket. 

So, with a power consumption meter we can determine how much electricity our appliances or devices are using, and, more importantly, we can measure the electricity usage over time.

Have a look to this YouTube video for more information.

Plug in power meter

For example, on our dishwasher, we always used the Auto cycle to wash our dishes. 

Once we measured the power consumption using a plug-in power meter, we discovered that the Eco cycle is much more economical.

Since then, we have been using the Eco cycle all the time, saving us a lot of money. 

The lesson is, if you have a smart appliance, use it smartly.

For more details, have a look to this YouTube video.

Dishwasher electricity and water usage

How to lower the electricity bill of a dishwasher

If you think that your dishwasher it is using too much electricity, here there are three simple ways to reduce the power consumption of a dishwasher:

1.- Use the energy saving mode

If your dishwasher has an ECO or energy saving mode, use it. It will probably save you a lot of electricity and water and decrease your bills.

2.- Fill it up… and do it correctly

Maybe this tip it is an obvious one, but it is worth mentioning it. Fill up your dishwasher by neatly stacking the dishes, cups, glasses, cutlery in their designated trays.

3.- Buy an energy efficient model

Buying a newer, more efficient model may be worth it if you have an old dishwasher. 

But be careful, do not spend too much money on a mega efficient dishwasher because it may be worthless. In case of doubt, look at this post explaining how to calculate the payback period.

Dishwasher electricity usage FAQ

How much electricity does a dishwasher use per month

You can use the calculator from the ‘Electricity cost calculator’ to estimate the electricity usage of a dishwasher per month.

Still, note that this is only an estimation and the electricity usage may vary depending on factors like adequate maintenance or correct dishwasher usage.

How much electricity does a dishwasher use per cycle

You can use the calculator from the ‘Electricity cost calculator’ section to estimate the electricity usage of a dishwasher per day.

On the calculator we are assuming that the dishwasher is used once a day. This is, the daily electricity cost correspond to the price per cycle.

Still, note that this is only an estimation, and the electricity usage may vary depending on factors like adequate maintenance, the correct dishwasher usage, or the cycle settings.

Our dishwasher at home has the following power consumption per cycle.

Dishwasher cycles

How much electricity does a dishwasher use per load

Look at the answer we have given to the ‘How much electricity does a dishwasher use per cycle.’

Cycle and load are similar terms but not precisely the same.

The electricity usage for the same dishwasher load will vary depending on the chosen cycle settings.

How many watts does a dishwasher use

It very much depends on the model.

If you own a dishwasher, it must have a specifications label describing the power usage in Watts.

If you plan to buy a dishwasher in a shop, you can find the power usage in Watts by checking the specifications label or asking shop assistance for support.

If you plan to buy a dishwasher online, the website you visit should display the power usage in Watts in the description or technical specifications section.

Electricity measurement units

Not everybody is familiar with terms like Watts, Kilowatts, or Kilowatt hours, so if you would learn more about them, look at this YouTube video we have prepared about this topic.

What is a Kilowatt hour (kWh)

Electricity measurement units calculators

Or you can have a look to these electricity measurement units calculators to get a better understanding of:

> What is a Watt (W) and how to transform Watts into Kilowatts

> What is a Kilowatt (kW) and how to transform Kilowatts into Kilowatts hour

> What is a Kilowatt hour (kWh) and how to transform Kilowatts hours to other units

> What are Power (P), Voltage (V) and Current (I)

Watt (W)
Watt (W) wattage calculator
Kilowatt (kW)
Kilowatt (kW) calculator
Kilowatt hour (kWh)
Kilowatt hour (kWh) calculator
Power, voltage, current
Power, voltage, current calculator

Dishwashers and energy conservation

Energy conservation can be defined as the decision and the act of using less energy.

Energy conservation both benefit you and the environment

The act of saving and conserving electricity does help you because you will be paying less on your energy bills. 

And it also benefits the environment because conserving electricity prevents unnecessary waste of natural resources.

At the individual level, it may not look worth trying to save a few watts here or there. 

Still, every little count and if hundreds or thousands of us save a little every time, it will make an essential contribution towards conserving our natural resources.

Energy conservation calculator

If we could reduce the electricity usage of our dishwashers, even a very small amount, it would greatly impact preserving our natural resources.

 

For example, if 9000 households save as little as 10 Watts per day (0,01 kWh) in dishwasher electricity usage, that would add to 32850 Kilowatt hours (kWh) saved per year. 

9000 households x 0,01 kWh per day x 365 days per year 

32,850 kWh saved per year

That is a considerable amount of electricity, but let’s add additional perspectives for clarity:

> Assuming an average cost of 0,18 euros (or dollars, pounds, or any other currency) per kWh, we would collectively save nearly 6000 euros annually.

> To produce 32,850 kWh of electricity it is necessary to use around 17 metric tons of coal or 56 barrels of residual fuel oil.

Look at this page for more information about the number of resources needed to produce electricity.
 

In any case small energy savings do really count when looking into the bigger picture.

Proven ways to save electricity at home

If you want to save electricity ideas at home, watch this YouTube video where we provide useful tips to reduce electricity usage and decrease the electricity bill.

How to save electricity at home
How to save
How to save
How to earn
How to earn

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