Energy labels explained: what A to G actually costs you
The 2021 rescale reset everything. Here is how to read the label now, and when it should change your decision.
If you remember A+++ ratings, forget them. In 2021 the EU and UK rescaled the energy label so that the best machines then available sat at B or C, leaving A for future improvements. A machine that was A+++ under the old scheme is now typically a C or D. Nothing about the machine changed; the ruler did.
What the letter means
The label is calculated per 100 cycles for washers and dishwashers, and per year for fridges. That's the number to read, not the letter. Two machines with the same letter can differ by 20 percent; two adjacent letters can differ by less.
Where it matters
Fridge freezers run continuously. The difference between a D and an F on a 300-litre model is on the order of £30 a year, so over a ten-year life that's a real chunk of the purchase price. Pay for the better rating.
Tumble dryers are the other big one, and the label mostly tracks the heat-pump-versus-condenser divide. The letter is a proxy for the technology.
Washing machines used five times a week cost £25 to £45 a year. The gap between an A and a C is under £10 a year. Buy on drum size, spin and noise, not the letter.
Dishwashers are similar: the rating is a tiebreaker, not a decider.
Televisions got a label too, and it's the least useful of all, because it's measured in a standard mode that nobody watches in.
The number under the letter
Every label carries a kWh figure. Multiply it by your electricity unit rate (around 25p per kWh on a standard tariff in 2026) and you have the annual cost in pounds. That's the comparison that means something. The letter is a summary of it.
PriceDrop UK editorial · published 13 September 2026 · prices referenced were checked 19 Oct 2026
