Which is more economical - hot and cold fill or cold fill?

In simple terms, a hot and cold fill washer is not automatically cheaper to run than a cold-fill-only one. It depends mainly on how your household hot water is produced.

1. If your hot water comes from a gas boiler A hot and cold fill machine can be more economical, because gas-heated water is usually cheaper than heating water inside the washing machine with electricity.

2. If your hot water comes from an immersion heater or direct electric cylinder There is often little or no saving, and it can even cost more. In that case the machine is effectively using electrically heated hot water anyway, just from a different source.

3. Heat losses matter Stored hot water in a cylinder loses heat over time, and hot water sitting in pipework cools between washes. A cold-fill machine only heats exactly what it needs, when it needs it.

4. Modern washing habits changed things Most washes now are 30°C or 40°C, and modern detergents are designed to work well at lower temperatures. A hot fill can sometimes bring in water that is hotter than ideal, so the machine has to dilute it or control the fill carefully.

5. Distance from the boiler/tank is important If the washing machine is a long way from the hot water source, quite a lot of hot water may never actually reach the machine during the fill. You pay to heat it, but it stays in the pipe.

So the old assumption that hot and cold fill is always more economical is no longer reliably true. It can be cheaper in some homes, but not all. The appliance design and your hot water system make the real difference.

If you want, I can also help compare the two using a real example with gas, immersion, or combi boiler costs.

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