Running cost for the GE GTW490ACJ7WS
ENERGY STAR certifies the GE GTW490ACJ7WS at 133 kWh/yr, more expensive than most models in its category to run for its category.
That $25 is priced at 18.8¢/kWh, the average of all 51 state rates this site tracks. Your own state's rate is one click away.
Efficient, or not, for a washing machine
The category average is 123 kWh/yr; this model runs 8.1% above it, ranking 280 of 398 washing machines tracked here for running cost. That average is drawn from all 398 washing machines ENERGY STAR currently certifies, not an outside number, a $2/year gap from this model at the national rate. Full sourcing is in the sourcing notes.
Right next to it on the list
A rank or two either side of the GE GTW490ACJ7WS: GE GTW490ACJ6WS ($25/yr, 133 kWh/yr), then LG WT5680H*A ($25/yr, 135 kWh/yr).
Comparing GE's own models
Ranked 7 of GE's 41 certified washing machines, this sits between the GFW148S*M*** ($18/yr, the brand's cheapest) and the GTW540A*P*** ($33/yr, its priciest).
Cost over its typical lifespan
Over the 10-year service life NAHB reports for this category, running the GE GTW490ACJ7WS costs roughly $250 in electricity, separate from the purchase price.
Is it worth replacing?
Running above the category average, $25/year is exactly the kind of number that makes a newer, more efficient model pay for itself faster.
Worth comparing a few current certified models before deciding.
If you're keeping it
A washing machine like the GE GTW490ACJ7WS is a real household expense whether or not it needs replacing yet; a protection plan is one way to budget for a repair rather than a full replacement.
Where this number comes from
Two sourced numbers, nothing modeled: ENERGY STAR's certified kWh/yr for this exact model, and EIA's published state electricity rate. Ranked 280 of 398, the GE GTW490ACJ7WS sits in the middle of the washing machine category, see the guide to why your state changes this number for the other half of the math.