Energy label explained · Dishwashers
How to read the dishwasher energy label
The dishwasher label describes the eco programme with a full load: energy per 100 cycles, number of place settings, water per cycle, programme duration and noise. The A–G class compares the energy with a reference for a machine of the same capacity and width, as set out in Regulation (EU) 2019/2017.
What is on the dishwasher label?
Apart from the brand, model, QR code and class, the label carries one energy figure and four pictograms, all measured on the eco programme at full load.
| On the label | What it means |
|---|---|
| XYZ kWh / circle with 100 | Energy for 100 eco cycles, rounded to whole kWh |
| Plates and glasses, number | Rated capacity in standard place settings: the tableware for one person, without serving dishes |
| Tap, litres | Water per eco cycle, given to one decimal place |
| Clock, h:min | Duration of the eco programme |
| Loudspeaker, dB and A–D | Noise as sound power in dB(A), with noise class |
| 2019/2017 | The regulation that defines the label and its test |
Unlike the label used before March 2021, the current one has no drying class. Drying and cleaning results are still measured, but they appear only in the product information sheet.
How is the eco programme tested?
The machine is filled to its rated number of place settings with soiled tableware and run on the eco programme, with energy, water, duration, cleaning and drying measured in the same runs. The regulation defines eco as the programme the manufacturer declares suitable for normally soiled tableware.
The energy figure is based on cold water fill. Cleaning and drying results are compared with a reference dishwasher and stated as indices in the product information sheet. Quick, intensive or half-load programmes are not on the label.
How is the energy class worked out?
The class comes from the energy efficiency index: the eco energy per cycle as a percentage of a standard energy calculated from the number of place settings. There are two formulas, one for machines with at least 10 place settings and a width over 50 cm, and one for smaller or narrower machines.
| Class | Index (energy as % of standard) |
|---|---|
| A | below 32 |
| B | 32 to under 38 |
| C | 38 to under 44 |
| D | 44 to under 50 |
| E | 50 to under 56 |
| F | 56 to under 62 |
| G | 62 or more |
Worked through the formulas, class A means under about 54 kWh per 100 cycles for a 60 cm machine with 13 place settings, and under about 40 kWh for a 45 cm machine with 9. A slimline model is therefore judged against its own, lower reference, which is why our dishwasher pages compare full-size, slimline and compact machines separately.
The distribution below shows how the registered models spread across the classes.
A: 12% · B: 11% · C: 19% · D: 24% · E: 30% · F: 4% · G: 1%
What does “per 100 cycles” mean for my bill?
It is the eco energy of one cycle multiplied by 100, so dividing by 100 gives the energy per run. Our yearly figures assume 280 eco cycles a year, the number the pre-2021 label used for its yearly consumption; set your own number on any model page. The most efficient dishwashers are ranked by this figure within each size.
What does the noise class mean?
The noise value is the sound power of the eco programme in dB(A), and the class follows fixed bands: A below 39 dB, B from 39 to under 45 dB, C from 45 to under 51 dB and D from 51 dB. Sound power is higher than the level you hear across the kitchen, but it is measured the same way for every model. See the quietest dishwashers for models with the lowest values.
What does the dishwasher label leave out?
It leaves out how clean and how dry the dishes come out, and everything about programmes other than eco.
- Cleaning and drying performance indices, both in the product information sheet.
- Height, width and depth, and whether the machine is built-in or freestanding.
- Power in standby, off mode and delay start.
- Your real consumption, which rises with quick or intensive programmes and with frequent half loads.
How to choose a width and capacity is covered in our dishwasher buying guide; why class A is still rare is explained in the general label explainer.
Questions
Why does the dishwasher label show energy per 100 cycles?
Since March 2021 the label gives energy per 100 eco cycles instead of per year, so it no longer builds in an assumed number of washes. Divide the figure by 100 for one cycle, then multiply by how often you run the machine. The old label assumed 280 cycles a year.
Does a slimline dishwasher get an easier energy class?
It gets a different reference. Machines with fewer than 10 place settings or a width of 50 cm or less are measured against their own formula, which allows less energy per cycle than a full-size machine. The class is therefore fair within each size, not across sizes.
Why is there no drying class on the new dishwasher label?
The A–G label introduced in March 2021 dropped the drying class of the old label. Drying and cleaning are still tested on the eco programme and stated as performance indices in the product information sheet, which you can open with the QR code.
Which regulation defines the dishwasher energy label?
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2017, applying since 1 March 2021 and amended by Regulation (EU) 2021/340. Its number appears vertically at the bottom right of every label.