Setting your dishwasher to run overnight on Octopus Agile can save £65 to £80 per year. A standard cycle at evening peak rates costs around 57p. The same cycle overnight at 4p/kWh costs 6p. That is a 51p saving every single day, just from pressing a different button before bed. The full breakdown is in the complete dishwasher timing guide.

This article covers the exact steps for each brand. Jump to yours below.

Bosch: clock button plus programme plus start

Bosch is the most common dishwasher brand in UK kitchens. The delay start function appears on virtually all models sold since 2015.

Step-by-step for Bosch Series 2 to Series 8:

  1. Close the dishwasher door fully.
  2. Press the On/Off button to switch the machine on.
  3. Select your programme using the programme selector (turn the dial or press the programme button until your chosen cycle is highlighted).
  4. Press the Delay Start button. It is usually marked with a clock icon or the word "Delay." Each press increases the delay by one hour. The display shows the delay time (for example, "3h" means the machine will start in 3 hours).
  5. Continue pressing until you reach your desired delay. Most Bosch models allow delays from 1 to 24 hours.
  6. Press the Start button to confirm. The door must be closed and the Start button held for about 3 seconds on some models.

The display will show a countdown once confirmed. An hourglass or clock icon remains lit to indicate delay mode is active. Do not open the door after pressing Start; this cancels the programme on most Bosch models.

Bosch models with Half Load: Select Half Load before setting the delay if you are running less than a full load. Note that half loads use the same energy per cycle, so a full load is always better value.

Bosch Serie 6 and 8 with Home Connect: These models can be scheduled via the Bosch Home Connect app, which lets you set a precise start time rather than a delay in hours. This works well for hitting a specific overnight price trough identified on the AgileAlert dashboard.

AEG and Electrolux: Delay Start button sequence

AEG and Electrolux dishwashers share the same underlying platform. The delay function is consistent across both brands.

Step-by-step:

  1. Press the On button.
  2. Select your wash programme using the programme button or dial.
  3. Locate the Delay Start button. On most AEG models this is marked with a clock symbol and sits between the programme selector and the Start button.
  4. Press the Delay Start button repeatedly. Each press adds one hour to the delay. The display shows the delay countdown.
  5. On AEG models with a digital display, you may also see plus and minus buttons to adjust the delay up or down.
  6. Press and hold Start for 3 seconds to confirm. The machine enters standby until the delay expires.

AEG models from the 7000 series onward may also have a My Favourite function that saves your preferred programme and delay combination. Set it once and recall it with a single button press each evening.

Miele: Start/Stop single press plus rotor setting

Miele dishwashers differ from most other brands in one important way: they typically use a finish time rather than a start delay. You tell the machine what time you want the wash to be complete, not what time you want it to start.

Step-by-step for Miele G4000 to G7000 series:

  1. Turn the programme selector dial to your chosen programme.
  2. Press the Start/Stop button once. The machine does not start; this confirms the programme selection.
  3. Turn the selector dial to the delay position (usually marked with a clock or finish time icon). Some models label this "Delayed Start" in the menu.
  4. Use the rotor or plus/minus buttons to set the desired finish time. For example, if it is 10pm and you want dishes ready by 7am, set the finish time to 07:00.
  5. Press Start/Stop once more to confirm. The display shows the finish time.

Miele's finish-time approach is actually more useful for Agile users than a start delay. You can set the finish time to match the end of the cheapest overnight window identified on the live price dashboard, and the machine calculates when to start automatically based on the cycle length.

Samsung: delay function on touchpad models

Samsung dishwashers use a touchpad interface on most models sold since 2018. The delay function is straightforward.

Step-by-step:

  1. Touch the Power button to switch on.
  2. Select your programme by touching the programme button until the desired cycle appears on the display.
  3. Touch the Delay button (marked with a clock or the word "Delay"). The display shows "1h" or a similar delay indicator.
  4. Touch the Delay button repeatedly to increase the delay. Samsung models typically offer delays from 1 to 24 hours in one-hour increments.
  5. Touch Start to confirm the delayed start. The display shows a countdown.

Samsung's SmartThings-connected models allow scheduling from the app. You can set a precise start time and receive a notification when the cycle completes.

Hotpoint and Indesit: combined delay and timer approach

Hotpoint and Indesit are sister brands under Whirlpool. Their dishwasher controls are similar, though the button labelling varies between model ranges.

Step-by-step:

  1. Press On to power up the machine.
  2. Select your programme using the programme knob or button.
  3. Press the Delay button. It is often marked with a clock or labelled "Delay" and sits alongside the option buttons at the top of the door panel.
  4. Each press of the Delay button increases the start delay by one hour. Hotpoint models typically offer 1 to 9 hours; some Indesit models go up to 19 hours.
  5. Press Start to confirm. On some models you hold Start for 2 seconds.

Older Hotpoint models (pre-2018) may have a rotary timer rather than a digital delay. Turn the timer dial to the desired hour. The machine starts when the dial reaches the "On" position.

Beko: delay function location and sequence

Beko is a value-oriented brand that nonetheless includes delay start on most of its dishwasher range.

Step-by-step:

  1. Press the On/Off button.
  2. Select your programme by pressing the programme button or turning the selector until the desired cycle is active.
  3. Press the Delay button. On Beko models this is usually marked with a clock icon and found on the right side of the control panel.
  4. Press the Delay button repeatedly to set the number of hours. Beko models typically allow 1 to 19 hours of delay.
  5. Press Start. The indicator light for Delay will flash or stay lit to confirm the delay is active.

Beko's ProSmart WiFi models (available from 2023) include app scheduling. Set a specific start time rather than a countdown, useful for pinpointing cheap overnight Agile slots.

What to do if yours has none of these options

Some older or budget dishwashers lack a delay start function. If your control panel has no clock icon, no Delay button, and no timer dial, you have three options:

Option 1: Smart plug with timer

A smart plug (from around £10 to £15) can schedule any appliance. Set the plug to switch on at your target overnight time. The dishwasher will start when power is restored, provided it was left in a powered-on state with a programme selected. Important: test this first. Some dishwashers resume automatically when power returns; others require a button press. Never leave a dishwasher running in a way that bypasses its safety systems.

Option 2: Mechanical plug-in timer

A mechanical timer plug (around £5) uses a rotating dial to schedule power on and off. Less flexible than a smart plug but works reliably for a fixed overnight schedule.

Option 3: Upgrade the appliance

If your dishwasher is more than 8 to 10 years old, upgrading to a modern A-rated model with delay start pays back in energy and water savings. A new efficient dishwasher combined with overnight Agile timing costs around £16/year to run compared to £50 or more for an old model at standard rates.

For the full annual running cost comparison by model and tariff, read how much does a dishwasher cost to run per year?

Frequently asked questions

How do I set delay start on my Bosch dishwasher?
Press On, select your programme, then press the Delay button (clock icon) repeatedly until you reach the desired delay in hours. Press and hold Start to confirm. The display shows a countdown. The machine starts automatically when the delay expires. Do not open the door after confirming.
What time should I set my dishwasher to finish?
Aim for the cycle to finish between 6am and 7am. This lets you empty it in the morning before work while ensuring the machine runs through the cheapest overnight Agile window. Check the live price dashboard to confirm the exact overnight trough for tonight. A standard cycle takes 60 to 90 minutes, so set the delay accordingly.
Does every dishwasher brand have delay start?
Most dishwashers made after 2015 include delay start as standard. Budget models from Beko, Candy, and Indesit include it. Very old models (pre-2010) and some entry-level machines may not. If yours has no delay function, a smart plug timer is a low-cost workaround. Test it manually first to confirm your machine restarts automatically when power is restored.
Will setting a delay start void my warranty?
No. Delay start is a designed-in feature and using it as intended does not affect any manufacturer warranty. It is in the manual and specifically intended for off-peak scheduling.