Energy label explained · Washing machines
How to read the washing machine energy label
The washing machine label describes a single programme, eco 40-60, and gives its energy per 100 washes, water per wash, duration, spin-drying class and spin noise. The A–G class compares that energy with a reference for a drum of the same size, as set out in Regulation (EU) 2019/2014.
Which programme does the label describe?
Every figure on the label belongs to the eco 40-60 programme and nothing else. The regulation defines it as the programme declared able to clean normally soiled cotton laundry marked washable at 40 °C or 60 °C, mixed in one cycle, and it is tested at the highest spin speed eco 40-60 offers. Cotton 60, quick or synthetics programmes do not appear on the label.
What does each pictogram stand for?
Each pictogram stands for one result of the eco 40-60 programme: capacity, duration, water, spin-drying class and spin noise.
| On the label | What it means |
|---|---|
| XYZ kWh / circle with 100 | Weighted energy use for 100 eco 40-60 cycles, rounded to whole kWh |
| Laundry basket, kg | Rated capacity: the largest load of dry cotton for eco 40-60, in 0.5 kg steps |
| Clock, h:min | Duration of eco 40-60 at full rated load |
| Tap, litres | Weighted water use per cycle, rounded to whole litres |
| Dripping shirt, A–G | Spin-drying class: how much water is left in the laundry after spinning |
| Loudspeaker, dB and A–D | Noise of the spinning phase as sound power, with noise class |
| 2019/2014 | The regulation that defines the label and its test |
How is the figure per 100 cycles calculated?
The machine runs eco 40-60 with a full, a half and a quarter load, and the three results are weighted and multiplied by 100. The weights depend on the rated capacity: for an 8 kg machine the full load counts 38 %, the half load 27 % and the quarter load 35 %; for a 10 kg machine the quarter load counts 45 %. Water is weighted the same way, while the duration on the label is the full-load time only.
For a yearly figure, divide by 100 and multiply by your number of washes. Our default is 220 a year, the figure the pre-2021 label used; you can change it on our washing machine pages.
How is the energy class set?
The class comes from the energy efficiency index: the weighted energy per cycle as a percentage of a standard cycle energy calculated from the rated capacity. The standard rises with drum size, but more slowly than the capacity, so a bigger machine may use more energy per wash and less per kilogram.
| Class | Index (energy as % of standard) |
|---|---|
| A | 52 or less |
| B | over 52 to 60 |
| C | over 60 to 69 |
| D | over 69 to 80 |
| E | over 80 to 91 |
| F | over 91 to 102 |
| G | over 102 |
Worked through the formula, class A means at most about 47 kWh per 100 cycles for an 8 kg machine and about 51 kWh for a 10 kg one. The distribution below shows how the registered models spread across the classes.
A: 61% · B: 11% · C: 8% · D: 14% · E: 5% · F: 1% · G: 0%
What does the spin-drying class mean?
It grades the remaining moisture after spinning, weighted over the same three loads: the less water left in the laundry, the better the class. This matters most if you use a tumble dryer, which has to evaporate every litre left in the clothes.
| Class | Remaining moisture |
|---|---|
| A | below 45 % |
| B | 45 to under 54 % |
| C | 54 to under 63 % |
| D | 63 to under 72 % |
| E | 72 to under 81 % |
| F | 81 to under 90 % |
| G | 90 % or more |
How loud is a washing machine according to the label?
The label gives only the noise of the spinning phase of eco 40-60 at full rated load, as sound power in dB(A); the washing phase is not shown. The classes are A below 73 dB, B from 73 to under 77 dB, C from 77 to under 81 dB and D from 81 dB. Our list of the quietest washing machines sorts by this value.
What does the washing machine label leave out?
It leaves out how well the machine washes and rinses; both are only in the product information sheet behind the QR code.
- Spin speed, the maximum temperature reached in the laundry and the durations at half and quarter load.
- Energy and water on any programme other than eco 40-60.
- Power drawn in standby, off mode and delay start.
Our washing machine buying guide covers drum sizes, the most efficient washing machines are ranked by the label figure, and the general label explainer explains why class A is still scarce.
Questions
How do I turn kWh per 100 cycles into a yearly figure?
Divide the label value by 100 and multiply by the number of washes you do in a year. A machine rated at 50 kWh per 100 cycles uses about 100 kWh over 200 eco 40-60 washes. Hotter or quicker programmes use more than the label figure.
Can I compare the class of a 7 kg and a 10 kg washing machine?
Only partly. The class is relative to a reference that grows with drum size, so a 10 kg machine may use more energy per wash in the same class. If you rarely fill a large drum, compare the kWh per 100 cycles of the size you actually need.
What is a good spin-drying class?
Class A means less than 45 % of the dry laundry weight is left as water after spinning, class B less than 54 %. If you use a tumble dryer, a better spin class saves drying energy; if you hang laundry up, it mainly shortens drying time.
Which regulation defines the washing machine energy label?
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2014, applying since 1 March 2021 and amended by Regulation (EU) 2021/340. It covers household washing machines and washer-dryers; machines below 2 kg rated capacity are excluded. Its number appears vertically at the bottom right of the label.