How much electricity does a refrigerator use?

Prefer annual kWh when it is available

An EnergyGuide or manufacturer specification may provide annual kWh. Divide by 12 for a rough monthly energy figure, then multiply by your actual price per kWh.

A plug-in meter sees cycling

A compressor can start, stop, defrost, and idle. A short reading may catch one phase only, so measure a full day or longer if you want to compare it with a bill.

Small checks improve the comparison

Door seals, temperature settings, ventilation around the cabinet, and the age of the unit all affect use. Compare like-for-like capacity and features before calling a replacement a saving.

Use a real rate: the electricity price on your bill can include delivery, supply, tiers, or time-of-use rules. The calculator accepts the rate you choose; it does not look up your tariff.

Turning the label into dollars

An EnergyGuide label reading 450 kWh a year becomes a yearly cost as soon as you apply your own rate.

450 kWh ÷ 12 = 37.5 kWh a month. At an illustrative $0.16 per kWh that is $6.00 a month, or $72 a year.

A meter reading works the same way. If a plug-in meter shows 1.3 kWh over 24 hours, that is about 475 kWh over a year, or about $76 at the same rate. Measure over at least a full day so the reading includes defrost cycles and door openings.

Pricing an older or second refrigerator

ENERGY STAR’s Flip Your Fridge calculator compares what an existing refrigerator costs to run with a new certified model of similar size.

You enter the type, size, and age of the old unit and your electricity rate, and it returns an estimated annual cost for each. If you do not have your bill to hand, it offers state average rates, although your own bill’s price per kWh is the better input.

When an old refrigerator is replaced or retired, ENERGY STAR encourages recycling it properly rather than moving it to another room, which is how a household ends up paying to run two.