The short answer
A stated dishwasher cycle costs its kWh per cycle multiplied by your electricity price. Divide a per-100-cycle label by 100 first. The documented 0.543 kWh eco-cycle example costs £0.15204 at an illustrative £0.28/kWh. Water, detergent and other programmes need separate inputs.
Multiply cycle kWh by your electricity price
Electricity cost per cycle = compatible kWh per cycle × price per kWh. If the label gives kWh per 100 cycles, divide that energy figure by 100 first. There is no single per-wash cost for every dishwasher or programme.
The EU label uses the eco programme. For a measurement or a US annual estimate, check the stated task and energy boundary before applying the formula. The label guide explains the different units.
A documented cycle at three illustrative rates
Bosch’s SMD6YCX01G product information sheet, dated 27 August 2026, states 0.543 kWh per eco cycle with cold-water fill. This GB manufacturer document supplies a traceable example, not an independent measurement or a model recommendation.
| Entered electricity price | Cost of the stated 0.543 kWh cycle |
|---|---|
| £0.28/kWh | £0.15204, displayed as £0.15 |
| $0.20/kWh | $0.1086, displayed as $0.11 |
| €0.30/kWh | €0.1629, displayed as €0.16 |
The rates are illustrative examples. The dollar calculation demonstrates repricing; it does not establish that this GB model’s document is a US EnergyGuide label. Use your exact model, market and programme.
Apply your weekly routine without early rounding
For the product-sheet figure and an illustrative £0.28/kWh:
| Cycles each week | Cycles across 52 weeks | Annual kWh | Annual electricity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 156 | 84.708 | £23.72 |
| 5 | 260 | 141.18 | £39.53 |
| 7 | 364 | 197.652 | £55.34 |
At five cycles/week, the monthly annual average is £3.29. It is not a forecast for every calendar month. The frequency counts completed cycles, not meals, plates or household members.
The £39.53 annual result uses the full energy and tariff. Multiplying the rounded £0.15 cycle display by 260 would instead give £39.00. Keep precision until the final money display.
Load the example below into the dishwasher calculator and replace the assumed rate and frequency.
Choose either the label or product-sheet precision
The same model’s label displays 54 kWh/100 cycles. That becomes 0.54 kWh/cycle, giving 140.4 kWh/year and £39.31/year at five cycles/week and £0.28/kWh.
The approximately £0.22/year difference from the product-sheet scenario comes from using these differently rounded source quantities. Keep one basis throughout a comparison; rounding does not explain every possible difference between documents.
Enter 0.543 with kWh/cycle for the sheet or 54 with kWh/100 cycles for the label. Do not divide an already per-cycle input by 100 again.
Other programmes need their own energy figure
The eco value is not a measurement of quick, intensive or half-load programmes. A shorter duration or smaller dish load does not prove proportionately lower energy.
Use programme-specific documentation or a complete-cycle measurement. If your routine mixes tasks, put non-overlapping groups in the household planner. The eco-programme guide explains why duration alone cannot price a wash.
Keep other costs and hot-water scope separate
This result covers electricity on the chosen source basis. Water, wastewater, detergent and purchase price need separate inputs. It does not estimate handwashing costs or prove a saving against an unmeasured alternative.
The same product sheet declares 14 place settings, 9.5 litres of eco-cycle water and a 4 hour 55 minute eco duration. Duration describes the programme; multiplying its entire duration by a nameplate wattage would not reproduce the declared cycle energy.
To see the boundary, assume a metered consumption-related water plus wastewater price of £4 per cubic metre. That is an illustrative input, not a supplier quote or a UK average:
| Variable cost component | Calculation | Per stated cycle |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity | 0.543 kWh × £0.28/kWh | £0.15204 |
| Water and wastewater | 9.5 litres ÷ 1,000 × £4/m³ | £0.038 |
| Those two components combined | Unrounded sum | £0.19004 |
At five cycles/week, the two components total £49.41/year. The electricity calculator still correctly shows £39.53/year, because it prices electricity alone. Detergent and fixed household fees remain excluded. With an unmetered or differently structured water bill, do not treat £0.038 as an avoidable per-cycle charge.
US dishwasher metrics can include operation, water heating and drying. A socket-only measurement may have a different boundary. Do not add external hot-water energy twice if the selected source already includes it.
A household fixed fee belongs in a complete tariff comparison. Avoiding one cycle does not normally remove that fee. Use the tariff guide to choose a consistent consumption-related rate.
The documented appliance examples keep the model and source version alongside the energy input. Use your own model’s complete-cycle measurement for programmes the eco declaration does not cover.