Cheapest time to run a washing machine or dishwasher
Independent site. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to Octopus Energy Ltd. This guide is based on Octopus's own public documentation and the live data shown, which we link below. Tariff terms change, so always check Octopus's current terms for your own situation. This is general information, not financial or energy-switching advice.
If you are on a half-hourly tariff such as Agile, running a washing machine or dishwasher in a cheap half hour costs less than running it at the 4pm to 7pm peak. But there is a safety catch: fire services advise against running these appliances overnight or while you are out.
Safety first: do not run them unattended
- Electrical Safety First advises: "Don't leave washing machines, tumble dryers or dishwashers running overnight or when you are out."
- London Fire Brigade's bedtime checklist says the same: do not leave the washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher on overnight and unattended.
- Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service says the safest time to use these appliances is when you are awake and at home. If you really cannot avoid using one at night, it advises working smoke alarms (and a heat alarm near the appliance, rather than a smoke alarm in a kitchen), closing the doors to the room, and keeping tumble dryer lint filters very clean.
So the useful question is not "what is the cheapest time overnight?" but "what is the cheapest time while I am awake and at home?". The tables below only look at 7am to 10pm for that reason. If a cheaper slot is at 3am, we suggest you do not chase it for these appliances. Charging a car or battery is a better use of overnight cheap slots (see when to charge an electric car).
Cheapest 2-hour window between 7am and 10pm
Enough for many washing machine or dishwasher cycles. Check the cycle length of the programme you use.
| Region | Cheapest 2-hour window | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern England A | 11:00–13:00 | -4.33p |
| East Midlands B | 11:00–13:00 | -4.29p |
| London C | 11:00–13:00 | -4.29p |
| Merseyside & North Wales D | 11:00–13:00 | -4.38p |
| West Midlands E | 11:00–13:00 | -4.33p |
| North East England F | 11:00–13:00 | -4.33p |
| North West England G | 11:00–13:00 | -4.33p |
| Southern England H | 11:00–13:00 | -4.33p |
| South East England J | 11:00–13:00 | -4.38p |
| South Wales K | 11:00–13:00 | -4.38p |
| South West England L | 11:00–13:00 | -4.43p |
| Yorkshire M | 11:00–13:00 | -4.29p |
| South Scotland N | 11:00–13:00 | -4.33p |
| North Scotland P | 11:00–13:00 | -4.48p |
Cheapest 3-hour window between 7am and 10pm
For longer eco programmes, or a wash followed by a dryer cycle.
| Region | Cheapest 3-hour window | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern England A | 10:00–13:00 | -4.35p |
| East Midlands B | 10:00–13:00 | -4.31p |
| London C | 10:00–13:00 | -4.31p |
| Merseyside & North Wales D | 10:00–13:00 | -4.40p |
| West Midlands E | 10:00–13:00 | -4.35p |
| North East England F | 10:00–13:00 | -4.35p |
| North West England G | 10:00–13:00 | -4.35p |
| Southern England H | 10:00–13:00 | -4.35p |
| South East England J | 10:00–13:00 | -4.40p |
| South Wales K | 10:00–13:00 | -4.40p |
| South West England L | 10:00–13:00 | -4.45p |
| Yorkshire M | 10:00–13:00 | -4.31p |
| South Scotland N | 10:00–13:00 | -4.35p |
| North Scotland P | 10:00–13:00 | -4.50p |
Live data as of 25 Oct, 02:29 GMT. Prices in pence per kWh including VAT where Octopus publishes it; standing charges are not included. Times are UK local time.
How to work out the saving
Cost per cycle is the energy the cycle uses in kWh multiplied by the price in pence, divided by 100. Your appliance's energy label or manual will give a figure, or a plug-in energy monitor can measure it. Because the price changes every half hour, a cycle that straddles a cheap and an expensive half hour costs somewhere in between. To estimate a saving, multiply the cycle's kWh by the difference between the two prices.
Other ways to cut the cost
- The Devon and Somerset fire service suggests only washing full loads, spot-cleaning rather than washing, and air-drying rather than using a tumble dryer. All of these also reduce how much electricity you use, whatever the price.
- Many machines have a delay-start function. Check yours: if it has one, you can load the machine and have it start in a cheap slot while you are home. Do not rely on it to start while you are asleep or out.
- On a flat-rate or Tracker tariff the price is the same all day, so timing makes no difference to the unit price.
Cheapest times in your region
More guides
- What is Octopus Agile and how does it work? – Half-hourly prices, the 4pm update, plunge pricing and who Agile actually suits.
- Octopus Tracker explained – One price a day, where it comes from, the formula, the cap and the 12-month term.
- Cheapest time to charge an electric car in the UK – Live cheapest 4-hour charging windows by region, and how to work out what a charge costs.
- What are negative electricity prices and why do they happen? – Why wholesale prices drop below zero, and where it is happening in today's data.
- Agile vs Tracker: which is cheaper? – An honest comparison, with today's Agile and Tracker prices side by side.
Sources
- Electrical Safety First: ways to avoid electrical fires
- London Fire Brigade: bedtime checks
- Devon & Somerset Fire and Rescue Service: why you shouldn't use washing machines and tumble dryers at night
- Octopus Energy public API: product data (tariff descriptions, price caps)
- Live prices: Octopus Energy public API, cached by this site and refreshed every 15 minutes.
Last reviewed 2026-10-24. Found something out of date? Octopus's tariff terms and prices change, so treat their own pages as the final word.