Washing alone does not describe the energy use of washing and drying. Compare capacity, energy, water, and duration for each mode separately, using the same load and final result.
Read the two functions on the spec sheet
A washer-dryer may list one limit for washing and another for the full cycle. The European label for combined units separates washing information from the full cycle; other markets use their own formats. Do not automatically add two figures together without checking what each one includes.
If the energy for the full cycle already includes washing, adding the washing energy again counts it twice. If drying has been measured separately, record the incoming moisture level so the comparison makes sense.
Include the necessary loads
When the drying limit requires splitting the load, the total cost includes all loads. The setup of an all-in-one unit can change availability times even when the energy for one stage is low.
Hypothetical example: a wash of 0.6 kWh followed by two drying cycles of 1.4 kWh each adds up to 3.4 kWh. At a variable rate of 0.25 monetary units/kWh, that is 0.85 monetary units. These are not data from a specific model or a typical performance.
Water and residual moisture
The drying system determines whether it can use water for condensation; this does not happen the same way in all washer-dryers. Record total water for the path taken.
The amount of water clothes retain after spinning affects the later heat work. Compare equivalent programs, load sizes, and drying levels. For the full pricing method, use energy and cost per cycle.
Count all the stages and loads needed to deliver the same laundry in the same final condition.