How much electricity a refrigerator uses
A refrigerator's compressor runs on and off all day, so its wattage tells you little. The useful number is the annual energy on the yellow EnergyGuide label, measured on the federal test: kWh per year × your price per kWh = yearly cost.
Example: a French-door model at the ENERGY STAR average of 557 kWh a year, at the U.S. average of 18.19¢/kWh, costs $101 a year — $8.44 a month, or about $0.28 a day.
Average energy use and cost by type
| Type | kWh / year | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| French-door / bottom-freezer refrigerator | 557 | $8.44 | $101 |
| Top-freezer refrigerator | 366 | $5.55 | $66.58 |
| Side-by-side refrigerator | 636 | $9.64 | $116 |
| Full-size freezerless (all-refrigerator) | 284 | $4.30 | $51.66 |
| Compact / mini fridge | 257 | $3.90 | $46.75 |
| Beverage / wine cooler | 178 | $2.70 | $32.38 |
| Chest freezer (manual defrost) | 263 | $3.99 | $47.84 |
| Upright freezer | 450 | $6.82 | $81.86 |
| Compact freezer | 259 | $3.93 | $47.11 |
Averages of ENERGY STAR certified models at the U.S. average price for Jan–Aug 2026. Side-by-sides use the most per cubic foot; top-freezer models the least among full-size styles. The chest-freezer figure comes from a small sample of certified models.
Don't trust the label's dollar figure
EnergyGuide labels since January 2023 convert kWh to dollars at a national 14¢/kWh, and older labels used even lower prices — one compact refrigerator label still on a retailer's site is priced at a 2001 average of 8.29¢. With electricity averaging 18.19¢ in 2026, multiply the kWh by your own rate instead; the calculator shows both.
Is your old refrigerator worth replacing?
The ENERGY STAR averages describe new models. A refrigerator that is 15 or 20 years old, has worn door seals or lives in a hot garage can use a great deal more. Measure before you decide: plug it into a meter (a Kill A Watt-type meter handles up to 15 A) for two or three days of normal use, divide the kWh by the days and enter it in the calculator's Plug-in meter mode. It shows the yearly cost difference against a new model of the same style, which you can weigh against the price of a replacement.
Common mistakes
- Using a nameplate wattage × 24 hours. Old tables list refrigerators at 725 W; that would be over 6,000 kWh a year, more than ten times what a new model uses.
- Forgetting the second fridge. A garage refrigerator or chest freezer runs all year — set the quantity to count it.
- Measuring for an hour. Defrost cycles and door openings vary; measure over days, not minutes.
Price every other appliance in your kitchen with the electricity cost calculator, or see your state's price per kWh.