How Many Amps Does a Washing Machine Use?

A washing machine uses about 8.3 running amps at 120 volts (roughly 1,000 watts). Because it is a motor load, it surges to several times that for a moment at startup. To get your unit's exact draw, divide the nameplate watts by 120: amps = watts / volts. A washing machine draws about 8-10 running amps (the motor surges higher on spin-up) and the NEC requires the laundry area to have its own dedicated 20A circuit (210.11(C)(2)) that also needs GFCI protection under the 2023 code. A gas or electric dryer is a separate circuit; the washer does not share with it.

A washing machine belongs on a dedicated 20A / 120V circuit (NEC 210.11(C)(2), 210.8(A)). At 8.3 running amps it stays under the 80% continuous limit of that breaker, with headroom for the startup surge. Do not put it on a shared circuit with other large loads.

Divide the wattage on the nameplate by the voltage: amps = watts / volts. A washing machine at about 1,000 watts on 120V works out to 1,000 / 120 = 8.3 amps. Add a startup surge of several times that for a fraction of a second on the motor. The nameplate always governs over a typical value.

Same answer: washer is another name for a washing machine. It draws about 8.3 amps at 120V on a dedicated 20A circuit. A washing machine draws about 8-10 running amps (the motor surges higher on spin-up) and the NEC requires the laundry area to have its own dedicated 20A circuit (210.11(C)(2)) that also needs GFCI protection under the 2023 code. A gas or electric dryer is a separate circuit; the washer does not share with it.