How Much Does It Cost to Run a Refrigerator?

A fridge is switched on 24 hours a day, so its cost per hour is small but it adds up. Our typical figure is a full-size fridge-freezer that draws 150 W with the compressor on and runs about 35% of the time: 1.26 kWh a day, about 38 kWh a month and about 460 kWh a year.

At average household prices, that's about $6.96 a month in the US, £10.08 in the UK, €13.86 in Germany and €9.52 in France. Efficient new models often use less, while large side-by-side and French-door models and older fridges can use more.

The best guide to your own fridge is the yearly kWh figure on its energy label (the yellow EnergyGuide label in the US, or the energy label in the UK and EU). Divide it by 365 for a daily figure.

A fridge doesn't use power continuously. The compressor runs until the inside reaches the set temperature, then stops, and starts again as heat leaks in through the walls and door seals. That's the hum you hear coming and going. In a typical kitchen it runs roughly a third of the time.

Anything that lets in more heat makes it run longer: a hot kitchen or summer weather, a spot next to the oven or in direct sun, frequent or long door openings, warm food, worn door seals and dusty condenser coils. Frost-free models also run a defrost heater for short periods.

In hot climates, look for a fridge with a tropical (T) climate class, designed to keep food cold in room temperatures up to about 43°C (109°F), or subtropical (ST), rated up to about 38°C (100°F).

An inverter (variable-speed) compressor slows down instead of switching fully on and off. It runs for longer at lower power, which usually uses less energy overall and keeps the temperature steadier.

Chest freezers typically use less electricity than upright freezers of the same size. Cold air sinks, so less of it spills out when you open the lid, and they are usually well insulated. Most need manual defrosting; defrost when the ice is about 5 mm (1/4 inch) thick, as thick frost makes the freezer work harder.

A mini-fridge costs less per day than a full-size fridge but usually uses more energy per litre of space, so one efficient full-size fridge generally costs less to run than two small ones.

A fridge only runs part of the time, so running power isn't the whole story. For a yearly figure, use the kWh/year on its energy label. The calculator assumes the compressor runs about 35% of the time.

• Set the fridge to about 3–4°C (37–40°F) and the freezer to -18°C (0°F); colder settings use more power without keeping food any safer.
• Keep the fridge away from the oven, radiators and direct sun, and leave a few centimetres (an inch or two) of space around it for airflow.
• Clean dusty condenser coils at the back or underneath once or twice a year.
• Check the door seals: if a sheet of paper shut in the door slides out easily, the seal may need replacing.
• Let hot food cool before putting it in, and don't stand with the door open.
• If an old second fridge or freezer is barely used, consider unplugging it; older appliances often use more than a new one.

• Electric kettle
• Microwave
• Rice cooker
• Air fryer
• Bill analyzer