Appliance Wattage & Running Cost
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How many watts does a dishwasher use? (1,200 W)

A dishwasher uses about 1,200 W
Typical range 1,200–1,500 watts, plus ~1 W on standby.

Running cost calculator

Per hour
Per day
Per month
Per year
Energy/mo

Most of a dishwasher's energy goes to heating water and the drying cycle, not the pump that sprays it.

Dishwasher power specs

Typical running power1,200 W
Typical range1,200–1,500 W
Standby draw1 W
Energy use1.20 kWh/day · 36.0 kWh/mo

What affects the wattage

Running cost at $0.17/kWh

Electricity ratePer dayPer monthPer year
$0.10/kWh$0.12$3.60$43.80
$0.15/kWh$0.18$5.40$65.70
$0.20/kWh$0.24$7.20$87.60
$0.25/kWh$0.30$9.00$109.50
$0.30/kWh$0.36$10.80$131.40
$0.40/kWh$0.48$14.40$175.20

See the full breakdown of what it costs to run a dishwasher, or what size power station runs a dishwasher.

FAQ

How many watts does a dishwasher use?

About 1200-1500 watts, mostly for heating water and the heated dry cycle.

How can I cut dishwasher running costs?

Use eco mode and air-dry instead of heated dry to skip the most power-hungry step.