Model
Lg WM1388H*
Rank #218 means 217 of the 388 washing machine models we track cost less to run each year; the 2nd efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 2% of those models.
What does the Lg WM1388H* cost to run per year?
The Lg WM1388H* costs about $22 a year to run, a middle-of-the-pack figure at rank #218 of 388. Once capacity is factored in, its efficiency percentile of 2 is the lowest kind of result this ranking shows. At a IMEF of 2.07, its integrated modified energy factor is the single figure that best explains how it earns its running-cost number.
Immediately around it on the leaderboard, the Lg WM1385H* at $22/yr runs a little cheaper and the Lg WM1399H*A at $22/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 Lg WM1388H*'s $22/yr adds up to roughly $220 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Lg WM1385H*.
By the numbers
The Lg WM1388H* 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 $22/yr, here is what the Lg WM1388H* adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Lg WM1388H* costs about $220. That is roughly $20 more than the class median, which would run closer to $200 over the same ten years.
How the Lg WM1388H* compares
The washing machine class we track runs from $7 to $58 a year. At $22/yr, it runs about $2 a year above the class median of $20, and it is about $15 a year more than the cheapest washing machine to run at $7.
What drives its running cost
At 2.3 cu ft, the Lg WM1388H* is a small washing machine for its class, which spans 1.9 to 6 cu ft with a median of 4.5 cu ft, less capacity to service is usually the first reason a running-cost figure lands on the low side, before efficiency even enters the picture. 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 Lg WM1388H* cheap to run?
It is about average. At $22 a year it ranks #218 of 388 washing machine models we track, close to the middle of its class on running cost.
How much does the Lg WM1388H* cost per month?
Roughly $1.86/mo, spreading the $22/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 120 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $22 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Lg WM1388H* for its size?
2nd percentile once size is factored in, a fairly typical result for the class.
Cheaper to run in the same class
| Rank | Model | Cost/yr |
|---|---|---|
| 218 | Lg WM1385H*2.3 cu ft | $22 |
| 217 | Miele WXR9602.3 cu ft | $22 |
| 216 | Miele WXR8602.3 cu ft | $22 |
| 215 | Miele WXI8602.3 cu ft | $22 |
| 214 | Miele WXF9602.3 cu ft | $22 |
Source
ES_1118034_WM1388H*_02092018060252_70172585View certified washing machine listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Lg and WM1388H* 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.