Model
Samsung WF50R85**A*
Rank #116 means 115 of the 388 washing machine models we track cost less to run each year; the 84th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 84% of those models.
What does the Samsung WF50R85**A* cost to run per year?
The Samsung WF50R85**A* is a relatively cheap runner for its class: about $19 a year, rank #116 of 388. Once capacity is factored in, it outperforms 84% of the washing machine models we track on efficiency, not just on headline running cost. At a IMEF of 2.92, 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 Samsung WF50A88**A* at $19/yr runs a little cheaper and the Summit LBW241 at $19/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 Samsung WF50R85**A*'s $19/yr adds up to roughly $190 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Samsung WF50A88**A*.
By the numbers
The Samsung WF50R85**A* 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 $19/yr, here is what the Samsung WF50R85**A* adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Samsung WF50R85**A* costs about $190. That is roughly $10 less than the class median, which would run closer to $200 over the same ten years.
How the Samsung WF50R85**A* compares
The washing machine class we track runs from $7 to $58 a year. At $19/yr, it runs about $1 a year cheaper than the class median of $20, and it is about $12 a year more than the cheapest washing machine to run at $7.
What drives its running cost
At 5 cu ft, the Samsung WF50R85**A* is a mid-size washing machine for its class, which spans 1.9 to 6 cu ft with a median of 4.5 cu ft, right in the middle of the capacity range, so capacity is roughly a wash compared with the rest of the class. Its IMEF of 2.92, above the class median of 2.76, reflects integrated modified energy factor: a higher figure means it wrings more useful work out of every kilowatt-hour, so it is the efficiency lever to weigh against raw size.
- 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 Samsung WF50R85**A* cheap to run?
Yes, relatively. At $19 a year it ranks #116 of 388 washing machine models we track, in the cheaper part of its class to run.
How much does the Samsung WF50R85**A* cost per month?
Roughly $1.55/mo, spreading the $19/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 100 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $19 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Samsung WF50R85**A* for its size?
84th percentile once size is factored in, a fairly typical result for the class.
Cheaper to run in the same class
| Rank | Model | Cost/yr |
|---|---|---|
| 116 | Samsung WF50A88**A*5 cu ft | $19 |
| 115 | Samsung WF45K65**A*4.5 cu ft | $19 |
| 114 | Lg WM3670H*A4.5 cu ft | $19 |
| 113 | Lg WM3505C*4.5 cu ft | $19 |
| 112 | Lg WM3500C*4.5 cu ft | $19 |
Source
ES_1023593_WF50R85**A*_07112019020132_80009393View certified washing machine listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Samsung and WF50R85**A* 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.