Does washing machine eco setting use less electricity?

[Beanso]

Just that. Now that the energy prices have gone up I’m wondering if I put a full (family of 5) load in the wash is it cheaper to run the machine on a standard cycle or eco cycle which takes twice as long? I can adjust the temperature on both settings manually so if I run them both at 30 degrees does eco just save water? I don’t have a smart meter so can’t test this out myself.

According to my manual, it doesn't.

our washing machine has an app where I can check the energy usage of each wash.
the regular (1.5hr) mixed wash costs about 14p (at pre-October prices).
the eco wash (2.45 hrs) cost astonishingly 3p

As the eco wash does less ‘moving’ and more ‘soaking’ it takes longer but uses significantly less energy (and water apparently).

The eco setting will cost less as it uses less electricity. And yes, it takes longer.

@Crikeyblimey wow that’s quite a big saving! I better start using the eco setting then!

Depends on the model I think

Yes, counterintuitively, the longer cycles often use less energy, especially as the long cotton cycles allow you to fill the machine, but a lot of the fast cycles are only intended to be used for half loads, so a double saving as you can run fewer cycles. But worth checking for your own machine because they do differ.

Our dishwasher is the same. The Eco cycle takes nearly 5 hours, but uses about 70% of the energy and slightly less water than the 'normal' cycle.

Read the manual it’ll tell you in there

In most washing machines the eco setting is to save water, not electricity. An eco setting can cost more because machine is on for much much longer. However the best way to save money on clothes washing is cold or cooler washes, the cost is in heating the water.

Read the manual 🤣

Nobody here can tell you OP!

Depends on the machine.

The biggest difference with mine is the temperature. If I put a load on at 60c it uses way more electricity than 40c. But my kids swimming costumes still smell like chlorine.

That's not (generally) true. The eco setting uses less electricity. A poster up-thread explains why.

@Crikeyblimey : thanks for this, I will be using the eco setting more & maybe not hitting the ‘quick’ button so freely

My contribution to the thread: I used to wash sheets & towels at 60 or 90 but have dropped to 40 recently and this seems ok

Clothes at 30 are a bit hit and miss but I’m going to try 30 unless whiffs gym kit etc

I think if you use the 30 cycle and do the quick wash button it would be the cheapest way. If you have a quick wash button that is !

Quick wash settings use a lot of electricity due to their intensity, so they're not the cheap/eco option.

I used to wash at 40 but the last couple of months dropped the temperature to 30 and pressed eco - absolutely no idea if it helps reduce energy usage (don’t have One of those digital display things for our smart meter and can’t be arsed to go and find the meter!) but it must just be ‘better’. Haven’t noticed anything being smelly after washing and I’m a stickler for smelling clean.

I've measured mine (yes, yes, I'm very fun normally) and can confirm that on my machine

• always cheaper to have a longer wash on the same temp. The expense comes from heating the water. Slower heating = less electricity

• significantly cheaper to wash on colder washes, eg same cycle at 30 was 3rd to a half less electricity than 40 degrees.

• less spin = less electricity

• very cheap = delicates (more soak, less spin, less hot water used

• expensive = quick and / or hot

@AnyRandomName and @ReviewingTheSituation

Thank you for this. I will stop using the quick button now you have given me the facts!

Also occurs to me that if the slow cycles work by soaking more than agitation that should be less wear/bobbling so hopefully a win!

@AnyRandomName : I bet you are loads of fun as well as informative 😁

Our machine has a row of dot lights on the control panel. The more dots, the more electricity it is using. Eco washes are two or three dots whereas a quick wash is four or five.