For laundry, use kWh per completed programme and multiply by the number of loads. A motor's wattage or the machine's maximum input does not describe a whole wash or drying cycle. Water heating, programme temperature, load size and drying technology change the result.
Calculate one wash-and-dry routine
Suppose a measured wash uses 0.5 kWh and the drying cycle uses 2 kWh for the same load. Total energy is 2.5 kWh. At illustrative R3.50/kWh, the combined energy costs R8.75. Twelve identical loads would use 30 kWh and cost R105.
These are scenarios, not guaranteed averages. A cold programme, a hot programme, a heat-pump dryer and a resistance dryer can have different energy use. Compare the same load and a comparable finished result.
Read the label's unit and programme
Check whether the stated figure is per cycle, per set of cycles or per year under a specified test pattern. Convert the unit before comparing. An annual label figure is not the energy of a single load, and a water-use figure in litres is not electricity in kWh.
The South African label guide explains appliance labelling. Use the current model's own instructions and label when selecting a programme. Retain the basis next to the number in your budget.
Enter a daily equivalent
In the calculator, select measured daily kWh. If twelve loads use 30 kWh in a 30-day month, the equivalent is 1 kWh/day. Alternatively calculate each operating day separately and add the costs under an appropriate tariff calculation.
For blocks, combine laundry with the rest of the month's energy. Do not calculate the washer and dryer independently with zero household baseline and assume both receive the cheapest block. Use the tariff reference to distinguish energy from fixed charges.
Compare a change without hiding other differences
Record load size, programme, temperature, spin setting, drying result and any second cycle. A low displayed programme power does not prove low total kWh if it runs for longer. A programme that needs repeating should include the repeat in the comparison.
Following manufacturer guidance on load and maintenance can make a comparison more representative. Line drying avoids the dryer's electrical cycle, but a real household routine can include weather constraints and other equipment. State what the comparison includes rather than promising one universal saving.
Measure complete cycles
Where the installation and appliance permit, use an appropriately rated energy meter over a completed cycle. Include any automatic finish or standby period you want to assess. Avoid unplugging equipment mid-programme merely to read a meter.
Whole-house readings can include geyser reheating and other loads at the same time. If they cannot be separated, describe the result as household energy for that period. Keep purchase receipts separate from consumption measurements.
Laundry electricity questions
Does washing in cold water always use the same energy?
No. Motor operation, programme length, load and appliance design also matter. Use the programme's specified or measured kWh.
Is a long eco programme necessarily more expensive?
Time alone is insufficient. Compare total kWh for equivalent loads and results.
References reviewed 1 November 2026: label guidance above and Eskom household energy guidance. Numerical examples are illustrative.