BUYING GUIDE
A washing machine costs more than its price tag.
Compare capacity, everyday fit and electricity costs with a calculator you can adjust to your household.
THE SHORT ANSWER
Compare the same job: a drum that fits your loads, a machine that fits your space, and energy use at your own tariff. A higher purchase price does not automatically pay for itself.
1. Start with your laundry and your space
Think about the loads you actually wash rather than automatically choosing the largest drum. Measure the installation space and the route to it. Allow for the door, hoses and the clearances in the installation manual. If the machine sits near a living area, compare the stated spin noise and consider when you normally run it.
2. Read the number as well as the letter
The EU washing-machine label gives electricity consumption in kWh per 100 cycles for the eco 40–60 programme. Use that number when calculating energy costs. It also provides capacity, water use, programme duration and spin noise. Values describe the labelled programme under standardised conditions; your quick or hot wash can use a different amount. The European Commission explains the label in the source below.
3. Put a saving into household terms
Illustrative example: a difference of 15 kWh per 100 cycles, at four washes a week, saves 31.2 kWh a year. At an assumed €0.30/kWh that is €9.36 a year, or €74.88 over eight years. If the more efficient machine costs €100 extra, electricity savings alone do not recover the difference in that scenario. Your tariff and usage can change the outcome. Use the calculator below to compare your own numbers.
4. Compare the delivered, usable machine
Check delivery, installation, old-appliance collection and any accessories you need. Read the service arrangements and available repair information. These can matter more than a small difference in the calculated electricity cost. The calculator is deliberately limited to purchase and electricity: add other known costs separately and avoid treating the result as a prediction of lifetime cost.
What will each washing machine cost?
Enter two models and your own usage. The starting numbers are examples, not live offers or average energy tariffs.
Estimate only: purchase price + (kWh per 100 cycles ÷ 100 × washes per week × 52 × €/kWh × years). Excludes water, detergent, delivery, repairs, financing and resale value. Actual programmes and loads change consumption. Years are your scenario, not a lifespan prediction.
Before you buy
Sources & further reading
This is buying guidance, not a hands-on product test. Examples are illustrative; check the exact model and current retailer information.
