How much does it cost to run a refrigerator?
We've pre-filled a typical refrigerator below. Set your electricity rate and adjust the hours to match how you use yours — the cost updates instantly.
Typical power 150W
Usual range 100–250W
Category Kitchen
A refrigerator never turns off, which makes people assume it's a huge cost — but it's actually modest, because the compressor only kicks on about a third of the time to hold temperature. That's why this estimate uses a part-day run time rather than a full 24 hours: a typical fridge uses somewhere around 1 to 2 kWh a day.
It's a steady background cost rather than a spike, but because it runs every single day of the year, an old, inefficient unit can quietly cost real money over twelve months.
What drives the cost of running a refrigerator
- Age is the big one — a fridge from the 2000s can use two to three times a modern Energy Star model.
- A second fridge or chest freezer in a hot garage runs much harder than one in a cool kitchen.
- Worn door seals, packed-in airflow and a warm room all push the compressor to run longer.
How to cut it
- Keep it set to ~37°F (fridge) and 0°F (freezer) — colder than that just wastes power.
- Vacuum the coils and check the door seal so it isn't working against itself.
- Retire the spare garage beer-fridge if you don't really need it — it's often a top hidden cost.
- When you replace it, the Energy Star number on the label is real annual money.