How much electricity does a dishwasher use? ( 3 Variables)
In this brief guide, we will answer the question, ‘how much electricity does a dishwasher use?’. We will look at the factors that cause the electricity used by the dishwasher to vary. We will also look at the electricity used hourly and monthly as wattage.
How much electricity does a dishwasher use?
A dishwasher uses an average of 1.2 kWh of electricity to run. By itself, the dishwasher uses a nominal amount of electricity. However, most electricity goes into heating the water.
Let us look at how the dishwasher works together with an electric heater:
The machine uses around 1.5 kWh of electricity which goes into the pump and electronic components. The electricity consumption of a dishwasher is the same as a blow-dryer.
Sometimes, the dishwasher comes with a heater. In such a case, the power consumption of the dishwasher is far greater than the average. Otherwise, the dishwasher relies on the water heater to provide it with heated power.
In conclusion, the power consumption of dishwashers is deceiving. It draws heated water from your water heater, making you believe that you are using only 1.5 kWh of electricity. In actuality, it is consuming power from the water heater and adding up to the bill there instead. To heat water, an appliance uses a lot of electricity and power.
Let us study the power consumption of a dishwasher closely with examples:
In case your dishwasher consumes 1200 watts, it turns out to be 1.2 kWh. In such an instance, if you use the dishwasher daily, it uses 1.2 kWh per day.
In your area, assuming that electricity costs 10 cents per kWh, you will be paying 12 cents for an hour.
If you use the dishwasher 5 days a week for an hour, you will be paying 2.40 dollars for the electricity used up by the dishwasher.
How much water does a dishwasher need?
Not surprisingly, old and obsolete machines are heavy on the power and consequently the bill. The older models of any appliance, such as a dishwasher, will use more power and resources.
If your dishwasher was manufactured a long time ago, it uses a lot more water than modern-day washers.
The wattage required by older dishwashers also was higher compared to recent technology.
Dishwashers made before 1995 will use 10-15 gallons of water per load, while more recent ones use around 4-6 gallons.
Modern Day Dishwashers; in particular the New standard-sized Energy Star Dishwasher, uses fewer than 4 gallons of water. The lesser water the dishwasher needs, the more you save up on both your water and heater bills.
Let us look at the power consumption needed to heat water:
Older Energy Star dishwashers
The older Energy Star dishwasher, which uses 5 gallons for a one-hour load, will use 0.64 kWh or 6.4¢ an hour.
The operating cost of the dishwasher alone is around 12 cents which will then add up to the cost of hot water.
The cost adds up to $3.68 per month, considering that the dishwasher is used for 20 days per month.
New Energy Star dishwasher
The new Energy Star dishwasher, which uses 3.2 gallons for a one-hour load, will use 0.38 kWh or 3.8¢ per hour.
Here, the addition of operating cost added to hot water cost is $3.16 per month for 20 days.
Are there any variables that impact the amount of electricity used by the dishwasher?
Variables brought on by the dishwasher affect the amount of electricity it takes up. Let us explore some of them:
1.Model and manufacture Design
Some brands offer more efficient machines which significantly use less electricity. Technology also comes into play because recent designs and models are created to be more efficient than obsolete machines. The more modern your machine is, the lesser electricity it needs.
2.The Dishwasher Settings
Before you turn the dishwasher on, you need to select the desired cycle. The soil level determines the water pressure and amount of water, which will affect how much efficacy the dishwasher needs.
If you have a large and dirty load, the machine will have to work harder to clean the dishes.
Let us look at the power setting and power consumption as wattage:
At minimum load, at a temperature of 35 C, the energy usage lies as low as 0.72 kWh.
At the highest power, at a temperature of 70 C, the energy usage lies as low as 1.37 kWh.
3.Additional Dishwasher Features
Dishwashers also come with a drying feature. A person can opt for Heated Drying after the dishes are washed. To generate this hot air, the dishwasher needs extra electricity. If you use this particular feature of the dishwasher, expect the electricity consumption to be twice as much as before.
In this brief guide, we answered the question, ‘how much electricity does a dishwasher use?’. We looked at the factors that cause the electricity used by the dishwasher to vary. We also looked at the electricity used hourly and monthly as wattage.
