Refrigerator Electricity Cost Calculator
A standard 150-watt top-freezer refrigerator uses about 550 kWh a year — $7.33 a month, or $88 a year, at the 2024 US average of $0.16/kWh. The calculator opens on exactly that fridge: 150W of compressor, plugged in 24 hours a day, running 42% of the time. Change the wattage, the duty cycle or your state and the figures follow.
Fridge type
How hard the compressor works
Refrigerator cost per month
$7.36
46.0 kWh a month at $0.16/kWh — $88 a year (552 kWh).
Per day
$0.24
1.51 kWh a day
Per year
$88
552 kWh a year
Average draw
63 W
10.1 hours of compressor a day
150 W ÷ 1,000 × 24 hours plugged in × 42% duty cycle = 1.51 kWh a day × $0.16 = $0.24 a day. Spread over the whole day that is a steady 63 W, which is the number to use when you compare a fridge with anything else on your bill.
Wattage here is what the compressor pulls while it is running, not the average over the day — that is what the duty cycle is for. If you have the EnergyGuide sticker or the model's annual kWh instead, skip the wattage entirely and use the sticker table below. Not sure of your rate? Check average rates by state.
Want the cost for a different appliance or your exact utility rate? Use the appliance cost calculator or see how the fridge compares to other always-on loads on the efficiency rankings.
Why “Watts” on the Sticker Misleads You
A fridge's nameplate shows the power its compressor pulls while it is running — often 100-400W, and higher again at the moment it starts. But the compressor spends most of the day off. It cycles on, pulls the box temperature down, then shuts off until the temperature drifts back up.
Multiply the nameplate by 24 hours and you get a number that belongs to no real fridge: 150W around the clock would be 1,314 kWh a year, where the actual machine uses 550. The difference is the duty cycle — about 42% for a standard top-freezer, which is why the calculator above asks for it.
Cost per year = annual kWh × price per kWh
Worked example (550 kWh/year, $0.16/kWh): 550 × $0.16 = $88 per year — $7.33 a month, or a steady 63W averaged across every hour of the year.
Running Cost by Refrigerator Type
From a dorm fridge to the reach-in behind a bar, at $0.16/kWh. Read the compressor watts against the duty cycle before reading anything else: the commercial unit draws 4× the mini fridge's power but costs 7× as much to run, because it is also running most of the day rather than a quarter of it.
| Fridge type | Compressor watts | Duty cycle | Average draw | Annual kWh | Cost per month | Cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mini fridge (4-5 cu ft)Dorm, office or bar fridge. Small compressor, and a small box to keep cold. | 100W | 29% | 29W | 250 | $3.33 | $40 |
| Energy Star top-freezer (18-21 cu ft)The cheapest full-size fridge to run. Certification requires 9%+ below the federal cap. | 120W | 38% | 46W | 400 | $5.33 | $64 |
| Standard top-freezer (18-21 cu ft) — baselineThe typical installed American fridge, and the baseline for this page. | 150W | 42% | 63W | 550 | $7.33 | $88 |
| French-door / side-by-side (25+ cu ft)Bigger box, more door seal, and an ice maker and dispenser adding heat. | 200W | 43% | 86W | 750 | $10.00 | $120 |
| Pre-2010 full-size (18-21 cu ft)The classic garage second fridge. Bigger compressor, thinner insulation, longer runtime. | 250W | 50% | 126W | 1,100 | $14.67 | $176 |
| Commercial reach-in (single door, 20-25 cu ft)Behind a bar or in a small kitchen. Opened all day, in a hot room, so it barely rests. | 400W | 50% | 200W | 1,750 | $23.33 | $280 |
“Average draw” is the annual kWh spread across all 8,760 hours of the year — the number to use when you compare a fridge with anything else on your bill. The duty cycle column is what the two other columns imply, not a separate measurement: a 150W compressor reaching 550 kWh a year has to be running 42% of the time.
Monthly and Annual Cost at Five Electricity Rates
The same four fridges across the rates US households actually pay, from cheap hydro states at $0.10 to Hawaii and the upper California tiers at $0.30. Find your rate on your bill, then read across. Monthly cost is on top, annual underneath.
| Rate ($/kWh) | Mini fridge100W · 250 kWh/yr | Standard top-freezer150W · 550 kWh/yr | French-door / side-by-side200W · 750 kWh/yr | Commercial reach-in400W · 1,750 kWh/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $0.10 | $2.08/mo$25/yr | $4.58/mo$55/yr | $6.25/mo$75/yr | $14.58/mo$175/yr |
| $0.13 | $2.71/mo$33/yr | $5.96/mo$72/yr | $8.13/mo$98/yr | $18.96/mo$228/yr |
| $0.16 (US avg) | $3.33/mo$40/yr | $7.33/mo$88/yr | $10.00/mo$120/yr | $23.33/mo$280/yr |
| $0.20 | $4.17/mo$50/yr | $9.17/mo$110/yr | $12.50/mo$150/yr | $29.17/mo$350/yr |
| $0.30 | $6.25/mo$75/yr | $13.75/mo$165/yr | $18.75/mo$225/yr | $43.75/mo$525/yr |
The kilowatt-hours never change across this table: a standard top-freezer is 550 kWh a year whatever your utility charges for them, so the whole spread from $4.58 to $13.75 a month is your zip code, not your fridge. The two things you control are which machine is plugged in and how hard it has to work.
Cost by Your Fridge's EnergyGuide Number
If the yellow EnergyGuide sticker is still on your fridge — or you can find the model online — its “Estimated Yearly Energy Use” skips all the duty-cycle arithmetic. Look up the closest row at $0.16/kWh.
| Annual kWh | Average draw | Cost per day | Cost per month | Cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400 kWh (modern Energy Star) | 46W | $0.18 | $5.33 | $64 |
| 550 kWh | 63W | $0.24 | $7.33 | $88 |
| 700 kWh | 80W | $0.31 | $9.33 | $112 |
| 900 kWh (older / oversized) | 103W | $0.39 | $12.00 | $144 |
How a Fridge Compares to the Freezers Next to It
A fridge is rarely the only always-on cold appliance in the house. These three are priced from the same models the pages below use, so the numbers line up wherever you read them.
A chest freezer costs less than the fridge, not more
A 15 cu ft chest freezer uses about 350 kWh a year — $56 at $0.16/kWh, against $88 for the standard top-freezer fridge above. It runs far colder inside, but the lid keeps the cold air in when you open it and there is no defrost heater, so its effective draw is only 40W. Full figures by size on cost to run a chest freezer.
An upright freezer costs nearly as much as the fridge
Same 15 cu ft capacity as the chest, but a door instead of a lid: cold air spills out every time it opens, and most uprights add a frost-free defrost heater. That is 480 kWh a year, or $77 — roughly 37% more than the chest, and close enough to a full-size fridge that a second freezer is a real line on the bill rather than a rounding error. The chest-vs-upright arithmetic is on cost to run a standalone freezer.
Which is cheaper to run, a fridge or a freezer?
Colder does not mean costlier. A freezer holds 0°F against a fridge's 37°F, yet the chest freezer above still costs $56a year to the fridge's $88 — thicker insulation, a smaller door opening and no crisper full of warm groceries arriving every day. Side-by-side numbers, including what running both costs, on freezer vs. refrigerator cost.
Why Refrigerators Cost What They Do
They run 24/7/365 — but cycle
Unlike a dryer or AC, a fridge is never “off.” What changes is how much of the day the compressor actually runs — roughly 29% for a mini fridge with very little air to keep cold, 50% for a pre-2010 full-size one, and higher again for anything living in a hot garage. Modern inverter compressors run at lower power for longer; older fridges blast on at full power, then shut off.
Newer = dramatically cheaper
Federal efficiency standards have cut typical fridge energy use by more than half since the 1990s. A pre-2010 full-size fridge uses 1,100 kWh/year against 400 kWh/year for a current Energy Star top-freezer of the same size — $112 a year at the US average rate, every year the old one stays plugged in.
Bigger boxes cost more — but not linearly
A 25+ cu ft French-door uses 36% more electricity than an 18-21 cu ft top-freezer, even though the volume only goes up about 20%. Side-by-side and French-door designs have more door seal length and an ice and water dispenser adding heat. If running cost matters, top-freezer is the cheapest full-size format to own.
Tips to Lower Your Cost
Set the fridge to 37°F
Anything colder than 37°F has no food safety benefit. Lifting the setpoint a few degrees can cut compressor runtime 10-25%.
Vacuum the back coils twice a year
Dust on the condenser coils insulates them, forcing the compressor to run longer. A 2-minute clean saves 5-15%.
Unplug the second fridge
A pre-2010 garage fridge costs about $176a year at the US average rate. If you don't fill it regularly, unplug it.
Check the door seal
A worn gasket lets cold air leak out 24/7. Close a dollar bill in the door — if it pulls out easily, replace the seal. See our energy savings guide.
Recommended picks
Cheap Ways to Cut Fridge Costs
Because a fridge runs 24/7, even small efficiency improvements compound across the whole year. These categories cover the highest-ROI fixes — most cost less than $20.
Energy Star Refrigerator
20%+ less electricity
An Energy Star fridge uses at least 9% less than the federal standard and often 20-30% less than a pre-2010 model — typically $30-$80 a year saved.
Refrigerator Coil Cleaning Brush
$5 maintenance fix
Dusty condenser coils make the compressor run longer. A 2-minute clean every 6 months can lower fridge energy use by 5-15%.
Smart Plug Energy Monitor
Measure actual draw
Plug-in monitor or smart plug tracks how many kWh your fridge actually uses per day — far more accurate than guessing from the nameplate.
Refrigerator Thermometer
Avoid over-cooling
Setting your fridge to 37°F instead of 33°F can cut compressor runtime 10-25%. A $5 thermometer makes sure you're not running colder than needed.
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Related Guides
Refrigerator Cost Per Month (By Model Size)
Monthly cost broken down by mini, top-freezer, French door, side-by-side
Freezer vs. Refrigerator Cost
Which of the two always-on appliances costs more per year
Cost to Run a Chest Freezer
Annual kWh by size, plus garage-placement caveats
Cost to Run a Standalone Freezer
Chest vs. upright, by size and electricity rate
Cost to Run an Air Fryer
Per-use and monthly cost — the kitchen's cheapest way to cook
Cost to Run a TV
Daily and monthly cost by size and type, plus standby draw
Most Efficient Appliances
See which appliances cost the most to run
Electricity Rates by State
Find your state's average rate
How to Save on Energy Bills
Practical tips by room with savings
Energy Star Guide
Is upgrading worth the cost?
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to run a refrigerator?
A standard 150W top-freezer refrigerator runs its compressor about 42% of the day, which works out to 550 kWh a year. At the 2024 US average rate of $0.16/kWh that is $0.24 a day, $7.33 a month and $88 a year. An Energy Star top-freezer costs about $64 a year, a large French-door about $120, a mini fridge about $40, and a pre-2010 second fridge about $176.
Why does the fridge nameplate say 600W but it doesn't cost that much?
Two things inflate that number. A high nameplate figure is usually the total connected load — compressor, defrost heater, fans, ice maker and lights added together, even though they never all run at once — and it covers the surge at the moment the compressor starts. Then there is the duty cycle: the compressor is off most of the time, cycling on to pull the box temperature down and shutting off again. Take the 150W this page uses as a baseline. Multiplied out over 24 hours a day it would be 1,314 kWh a year, but the same fridge actually uses 550. The honest number for cost estimates is the EnergyGuide yellow sticker's annual kWh figure, not the nameplate watts.
How much do I save by replacing my old fridge?
A lot, if it's pre-2010. A 1990s fridge typically uses 1,100 kWh/year against 400 kWh/year for a new Energy Star top-freezer — at $0.16/kWh that is $112 a year saved. Over a 15-year fridge lifespan, that often exceeds the entire purchase price of a new one. Many utilities also offer $50-$100 recycling rebates for hauling away the old one.
Does my second fridge in the garage cost a lot?
Usually more than people realize, especially if it's an older unit. A pre-2010 fridge costs about $176 a year at the US average rate before any garage penalty, and an unconditioned garage that sits above 90°F in summer pushes the compressor's duty cycle higher still — which is exactly what the duty-cycle input in the calculator above is for. Many homeowners save the most by just not running a second fridge unless it's actually full and used.
Does setting the fridge colder cost more?
Yes — and there's no benefit below 37°F for food safety. The FDA recommends 40°F or below; 37°F is the sweet spot. Every degree colder than that means more compressor runtime. Going from 33°F (very cold) to 37°F can cut fridge energy use by 10-25% with no food safety impact.