WASHING machines are an essential household appliance, but you could be racking up a sky high bill if you use the wrong one.
We reveal the best models on the market and how to work out the cost of using your washing machine.
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Bills rocketed at the beginning of the month when the energy price cap came into effect.
This saw the average energy bill jump by £693 a year to £1,971 – a whopping 54% increase.
And while households are encouraged to be more conscious of their energy consumption, there are some things that just can’t be avoided – like washing your clothes.
But certain washing machines are more energy-hungry than others and can push up costs without you realising.
Which washing machine do I need?
If you don’t do many heavy washes, you won’t need a machine with a big drum.
Alternatively, if you do a lot of washing regularly, you may end up wasting money if you have a smaller drum because the machine won’t hold as much and you’ll have to use it more often.
Large washing machines are considered to carry loads of 10kg and over and fit roughly 50 t-shirts, while medium ones carry between 6-9kg and can fit around 25 t-shirts.
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So make sure you’re buying the correct sized appliance for your needs to pinch some pennies from the offset.
A typical UK household does a mammoth 270 loads of washing a year.
But this number goes up for bigger families or households who need to do more loads – so it makes sense to do some sums before buying a new appliance.
How do I work out the cost of my machine?
Each appliance is labelled from A to G to determine how energy efficient it is, with A being the most, and G the least.
You can check the information pack that the item came with, or search for the model online to find it’s rating.
You should also look out for the number of kilowatt hours (kWh) the appliance uses a year to work out exactly how much it costs to run.
A kWh of electricity currently costs 28p a unit, so multiply the annual kWh usage figure by 0.28 to get the cost of energy consumption.
For example, if your washing machine uses 150kWh a year, you multiply 150 by 0.28 to get 42 – so the machine costs £42 a year to run.
Here are 10 of the best washing machine models on the market – from the most to the least cost efficient.
Hoover HWB510AMC washing machine 10kg
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- Energy efficiency rating: A
- Energy use: 79.56 kWh a year
- Annual cost to run: £22.27
- Upfront price: £299 – buy now
With an energy efficiency rating of A, this machine is the cheapest to run per year, costing £22.27 if the machine is run three times per week, despite holding a 10kg load.
For the average family of four running the machine 468 times a year, it would cost £66.83 using this machine instead of the average cost of £126.36 – saving families £59.53 a year.
Customers who purchase this can also get free delivery, and it has racked up 14 five star reviews online.
One said: “It’s very stylish. There’s multiple options to clean including rapid washes for busy households, and the appliance is quiet and easy to use.”
Hotpoint NSWM 1044C W UK N washing machine 10kg
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- Energy efficiency rating: C
- Energy use: 106 kWh a year
- Annual cost to run: £29.68
- Upfront price: £299 – buy now
Marks Electrical slashed the price of this large machine from £379.99 to £299, meaning customers can save £80.99 in total.
It is also the second cheapest machine to run, costing £29.68 a year.
One person left a five star review online, writing: “Really pleased with the machine.”
HOTPOINT NSWR 743U WK UK N 7kg 1400 spin washing machine
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- Energy efficiency rating: D
- Energy use: 108 kWh a year
- Annual cost to run: £30.24
- Upfront price: £269 – buy now
At Currys, this Hotpoint medium sized machine is £269.
It’s the third cheapest to run out of this selection, as it only uses 108 kWh annually, costing £30.24 to run.
Indesit EcoTime IWC71252W 7kg washing machine
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- Energy efficiency rating: E
- Energy use: 120 kWh a year
- Annual cost to run: £33.60
- Upfront price: £200 – buy now
At Argos, this medium sized appliance costs £200.
It has over a thousand five star reviews online, with one saying: “Most modern washing machines have too many options making them confusing to use.
“This model has enough programmes and is simple to use even for a non technical person like me.”
Samsung Series 5 ecobubble™ WW90TA046AX 9kg washing machine with 1400 rpm
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- Energy efficiency rating: A
- Energy use: 130 kWh a year
- Annual cost to run: £36.40
- Upfront price: £429 – buy now
For more money, you can grab this machine for £429 with an A-class efficiency rating.
Holding 9kg a load, this appliance is classed as medium-sized and would better suit a smaller family.
It’s racked up 2,487 five star reviews online, with one person saying: “This is the best machine we’ve had for a long time – nice and quiet and flexible in use.”
Candy 10kg 1600rpm freestanding washing machine
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- Energy efficiency rating: A
- Energy use: 143 kWh a year
- Annual cost to run: £40.04
- Upfront price: £429.97 – buy now
Appliances Direct is selling this large Candy machine for £429.97, which costs £40.04 to run.
This makes it cheaper to run than some smaller washing machines.
Although this machine is yet to have any online reviews, it comes with a 10 year parts guarantee to reassure any qualms.
LOGIK LIW714W20 Integrated 7kg 1400 Spin washing machine
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- Energy efficiency rating: B
- Energy use: 157 kWh a year
- Annual cost to run: £43.96
- Upfront price: £259 – buy now
You can grab this from Currys for £259, a more mid-ranged price tag for a medium-sized machine.
It was previously priced at £299, but Currys has reduced this by £40.
Although it has an energy efficiency rating of B, it’s still not the cheapest one to run out of the bunch.
It averages a rating of 8.4 stars out of 10 online, and one customer said: “It’s very quiet and great for a quick wash. It has a great spin speed – clothes are almost dry when they come out, so therefore save on drying times.”
Electra W1449CF2WE 7kg washing machine with 1400 rpm
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- Energy efficiency rating: D
- Energy use: 172 kWh a year
- Annual cost to run: £48
- Upfront price: £209 – buy now
Electra’s medium-sized washing machine boasts an allergy cycle to get rid of dust and pollen for sensitive skin.
While it might help with hayfever, though, it would add £25.73 more to your energy bill than the Hoover HWB510AMC model.
It has an average rating of 4.7 stars out of five from customers who have bought it.
Bush WMSAE812EW 8kg 1200 spin washing machine
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- Energy efficiency rating: D
- Energy use: 219 kWh a year
- Annual cost to run: £61.32
- Upfront price: £190 – buy now
You can grab this medium sized machine from Argos for £190.
Although it’s the cheapest washing machine to buy up front out of all our picks, it’s the second most expensive to run over the course of a year, costing £61.32.
It offers a range of washing programmes, from cotton and wool to delicates, synthetic and more.
Hoover H-Wash 300 H3W4102DE freestanding washing machine, 10kg load, 1400rpm spin
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- Energy efficiency rating: E
- Energy use: 239 kWh a year
- Annual cost to run: £66.92
- Upfront price: £279 – buy now
This large sized machine is the most expensive to run at £66.92 a year with a much lower energy efficiency rating of E.
Though John Lewis offers a two year guarantee on this item, should you have any issues with it.
It has three five star reviews online, and one person said: “I have purchased many washing machines and find Hoover good value for money and reliability – I don’t have any dislikes.”
And washing machines aren’t the only appliances we compare.
Here’s the cheapest and best fridge freezers alongside how much each costs to run.
Plus, ‘vampire appliances’ could be adding £500 to your bills – check now.
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