Model
Ge GTW490ACJ4WS
Rank #267 means 266 of the 388 washing machine models we track cost less to run each year; the 44th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 44% of those models.
What does the Ge GTW490ACJ4WS cost to run per year?
Ranking #267 of 388, the Ge GTW490ACJ4WS sits in the pricier half of its class to run, at about $25 a year. Adjusted for size, it is more efficient than 44% of washing machine models we track, a middling result. Its IMEF of 2.07 reflects integrated modified energy factor, one of the class's core efficiency levers.
Immediately around it on the leaderboard, the Ge GTW490ACJ3WS at $25/yr runs a little cheaper and the Ge GTW490ACJ5WS at $25/yr runs a little more, a sense of how tightly models are packed at this point in the ranking. A washing machine typically stays in service for somewhere around 10 years; over that span, the Ge GTW490ACJ4WS's $25/yr adds up to roughly $250 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Ge GTW490ACJ2WS.
By the numbers
The Ge GTW490ACJ4WS normalized against its whole class, so each figure means something.
What it costs you over time
Running cost is an every-year number, so it compounds. At $25/yr, here is what the Ge GTW490ACJ4WS adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Ge GTW490ACJ4WS costs about $250. That is roughly $50 more than the class median, which would run closer to $200 over the same ten years.
How the Ge GTW490ACJ4WS compares
The washing machine class we track runs from $7 to $58 a year. At $25/yr, it runs about $5 a year above the class median of $20, and it is about $18 a year more than the cheapest washing machine to run at $7.
What drives its running cost
At 4.4 cu ft, the Ge GTW490ACJ4WS is a small washing machine for its class, which spans 1.9 to 6 cu ft with a median of 4.5 cu ft, and smaller washing machine models generally cost less to run for the same job, all else being equal. Beyond size, its IMEF of 2.07, below the class median of 2.76, is the class's own efficiency yardstick, integrated modified energy factor, and it is what separates two similarly sized models with different running costs.
- Spin and wash efficiency (IMEF). A higher Integrated Modified Energy Factor means the machine wrings more useful washing (and a drier spin) out of every kilowatt-hour and gallon it uses.
- Drum volume. Drum volume sets the ceiling on how much a single cycle can wash, and it is usually the first driver of a washer's per-cycle energy use.
- Water heating. Cycle temperature, more than drum size, is usually what separates a cheap wash cycle from an expensive one on models with an internal water heater.
Common questions
Is the Ge GTW490ACJ4WS cheap to run?
Not especially. At $25 a year it ranks #267 of 388 washing machine models we track, in the pricier part of its class to run, though its size and features may still justify that for your needs.
How much does the Ge GTW490ACJ4WS cost per month?
Roughly $2.06/mo, spreading the $25/yr estimate evenly across twelve months at $0.1856/kWh. Actual monthly bills swing with your rate and usage pattern.
How is this running-cost figure calculated?
We take the model's published annual energy use of 133 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $25 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Ge GTW490ACJ4WS for its size?
44th percentile once size is factored in. That means its size-adjusted efficiency is not the main reason for the running-cost figure above; its capacity plays a large role too.
Cheaper to run in the same class
| Rank | Model | Cost/yr |
|---|---|---|
| 268 | Ge GTW490ACJ3WS4.4 cu ft | $25 |
| 267 | Ge GTW490ACJ2WS4.4 cu ft | $25 |
| 266 | Whirlpool WFW5605M**4.5 cu ft | $24 |
| 265 | Samsung WF56H91**C*5.6 cu ft | $24 |
| 264 | Lg WT7850H*A5.2 cu ft | $24 |
Source
ES_1123206_GTW490ACJ4WS_07172017153609_5769395View certified washing machine listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Ge and GTW490ACJ4WS are used here for identification only and are not endorsements. Figures are computed by WattWise Labs from public ENERGY STAR data, not measured in our own lab.