Freezers consume between 200 and 1,200 kWh of electricity each year, costing between $24 and $144 yearly (based on an average electricity cost of 12 cents per kWh). Your freezer’s energy consumption is determined by its size, age, and whether it’s a chest or upright freezer. Larger freezers (those that hold more than 15 cubic feet) consume more energy than smaller freezers, while upright freezers consume more energy than chest freezers. Freezers from before the year 2000 consume more energy than modern models.
Even if it’s a huge freezer, if it has the ENERGY STAR label, it will use less than 400 kWh per year and cost less than $5 per month to run.
What does it cost to keep an antique freezer running?
A freezer costs $4.56 per month to operate, with an annual cost of $54.78 on average.
The most frequent freezer operating costs are $0.16 per day, $4.92 per month, and $59.10 per year.
The table below shows how much a freezer costs each hour, day, month, and year.
The type and efficiency of freezers have an impact on how much power they consume and, as a result, their operating expenses.
Check our Freezer Wattage Results for more information on freezer power consumption. Check read this post to make sure we’re all on the same page when it comes to freezer definitions (for example, what’s the difference between a chest freezer and a deep freezer?).
Let’s look at how much it costs to run the most energy efficient freezers on the market before we look at running costs by freezer type.
Cost to run the most energy efficient freezer
The most energy efficient freezer costs $4.33 per month to run. This equates to $0.14 per day, $0.006 per hour, and $51.90 annually.
This is a little less than the typical expense of keeping a freezer running. The GE FCM22DLWW, on the other hand, has a large 21.7 ft3 capacity.
This chest freezer is the most energy efficient freezer on the market, with the lowest power usage per cubic foot capacity.
Check it out (and get the most up-to-date prices) at Best Buy, Home Depot, or Lowe’s.
It’s worth mentioning that the smallest freezer that meets your demands and has the lowest power usage within that size range will usually be the most energy efficient model for you (if it’s ENERGY STAR certified). Source.
As previously stated, the type of freezer has an impact on operating costs. Because certain varieties are more energy efficient than others, this is the case.
Let’s look at the costs of running the most energy efficient freezer by type next.
Running costs of the most efficient freezers (by type)
The cost of running the most energy efficient chest, compact chest, deep, upright, and compact upright freezers is listed in the table below.
Freezers that use the least amount of electricity are also featured in these categories.
In a testing of 354 refrigerators, these freezers outperformed all other ENERGY STAR certified freezers.
But how do they stack up against the average annual operating costs of each freezer type?
Cost to run a chest freezer
A chest freezer costs $36.60 per year to operate. This equals $3.05 per month or $0.0042 per hour.
A modern chest freezer costs between $30.15 and $51.90 per year, $2.51 to $4.32 per month, and $0.08 to $0.14 per day to run.
The table below depicts the average, most common, highest, and lowest costs of operating a chest freezer over various time periods.
As previously stated, these expenditures are based on a $0.15 per kWh unit rate, which is the average in the United States.
Because “deep freezer” is a subjective phrase, make sure we’re on the same page by reading What Is A Deep Freezer.
How much does it cost to run a deep freezer
On average, it costs $32.73 per year, $2.73 per month, and $0.0038 per hour to run a deep freezer.
The most common deep freezer operating cost is lower than the national average for freezers.
Deep freezers typically cost $29.40 per year, $2.45 per month, $0.08 per day, and $0.0033 per hour to operate.
Overall, the cost to run a deep freezer ranges from $25.80 to $51.90 annually, $2.15 to $4.32 monthly, $0.07 to $0.14 daily and $0.0030 to $0.0059 hourly.
Deep freezers have a lower operating cost than chest freezers. This is because huge compact chest freezers fall into this category, and because of their smaller size, they are less expensive to run.
Compact freezer running costs
On average, a compact freezer costs $35.13 per year, $0.096 per day, and $0.0041 per hour to run.
The table below illustrates the average, most common, highest, and lowest annual, monthly, daily, and hourly costs of running a compact freezer.
This is because compact freezers come in two varieties: compact chest and compact upright.
When we compare compact upright and compact chest freezers, we can see that the more power-hungry compact upright freezer type significantly raises the average.
The following are the operating expenses for compact upright and compact chest freezers:
- On average, compact upright freezers cost $39.30 per year to operate. This equals $3.27 every month, $1.11 per day, and $0.004 each hour.
- On average, compact chest freezers cost $29.47 per year to operate, which breaks down to $2.46 per month, $0.08 per day, and $0.003 per hour.
Compact upright freezers, with the exception of larger upright freezers, are more expensive to run.
Continue reading to view a table that ranks each freezer’s operating costs from lowest to highest.
How much does it cost to run an upright freezer
An upright freezer costs $66.83 per year, $5.57 per month, and $0.008 per hour to operate.
The most frequent operating costs for an upright freezer are $59.10 per year, $4.92 per month, $0.16 per day, and $0.007 per hour.
A modern upright freezer costs $37.05 to $97.35 per year, $3.09 to $8.11 per month, $0.10 to $0.27 per day, and $0.004 to $0.011 per hour to operate.
As a result, upright freezers and small upright freezers are the most expensive to operate.
Freezer running cost ranked by type
The average annual cost of operating various freezer types is shown in the table below, ranked from lowest to highest.
A deep freezer is the second most cost-effective form of freezer to operate, followed by larger chest freezers in third place.
Compact upright freezers are the fourth cheapest to operate and the second most expensive. Upright freezers, which are larger, are the most expensive to operate.
When compared to a compact chest freezer, an upright freezer costs twice as much to operate.
Cost to run by freezer brand
The average and lowest operating costs for freezers are listed in the table below per brand. The table is ordered from lowest to greatest annual average cost.
Avanti, on the other hand, makes the freezer with the lowest annual operating cost. You can find the model on Amazon or Walmart.
A different freezer type may be more suitable for your needs, so be sure to check out the “Running costs of the most efficient freezers (by type)” section above for links to the most energy efficient freezers by type.
Let’s put the costs of running a freezer into context now that we know how much it costs to run one.
Are freezers expensive to run
The average cost of running a freezer is $54.78 per year. Some may not perceive this to be costly. However, this is pricey when compared to the operating costs of other household equipment.
What is the energy consumption of a 20-year-old freezer?
Like refrigerators and washing machines, freezer efficiency has improved dramatically over the last few decades: modern models consume less than half the amount of electricity per year as models from the late 1990s…which may be the last time you bought one.
So, if you have an old, bulky freezer that you’d like to replace but don’t want to spend the money on a new one, consider this: a chest freezer that is 20 years old and is in the most common size range If you reside in a city with average power prices** like Philadelphia or Baltimore, acquiring a modern version of that size freezer (which uses just 361 kWh) can save you roughly $50 a year on your electricity bill.
Both cities also provide rebates: in Philadelphia, the local utility will pay you $35 to truck away your old freezer and appropriately recycle it, while Baltimore Gas & Electric will pay you $75 toward a new efficient freezer. Our appliance search function will tell you if a rebate program is available in your area, so you can factor in those extra savings when deciding which freezer to buy rebates are normally only available for EnergyStar certified models.
Furthermore, there is a significant difference between the two fundamental types of freezers: the chest freezers stated above consume significantly less electricity than upright versions with an outward-opening door. In our size range, the typical EnergyStar upright freezer uses 565 kWh per year, whereas the average chest freezer uses only 361 kWh. This is primarily due to the fact that upright varieties are more common “Trays, moveable shelves, and sometimes automatic defrost functions and icemakers are examples of “fancy” features that enhance the freezer’s overall energy demand.
Chest-type freezers are also substantially less expensive due to their relative simplicity of design: upright units with automatic defrost and ice makers cost well over $1000, whilst a plain chest-type freezer of the same volume costs less than $800. To compare costs, use our appliance search tool.
The judgment is that if you want the best, here is the place to go “To get the most bang for your money, invest in a new EnergyStar freezer (and see if you qualify for a rebate), and make sure it’s the chest variety. All you have to do now is choose which ice cream flavors to fill it with!
*According to the US Energy Information Agency, most installed freezers have sizes of 14-19 cubic feet, thus our samples compare devices in that size range. The historical freezer consumption comes from the US Environmental Protection Agency, and the electricity consumption estimates are based on currently available models.
How much power does a freezer use on a daily basis?
Throughout the day, modern standup freezers utilize between 28.2W and 74.09W on average.
When all freezer types are combined, the average amount of watts used by an upright freezer is higher than the average.
How many watts does a chest freezer use
This is significantly more than the average number of watts used by chest freezers, which is 22.95W.
As you can see, chest freezers use fewer watts than upright freezers, according to this survey of 354 freezers.
See the definition of a deep freezer above to be sure we’re on the same page.
How many watts does a deep freezer use
The table below shows how many watts deep freezers consume on a daily basis.
Deep freezers consume fewer watts than chest freezers, as you can see. This is because we’ve added enormous compact chest freezers to the mix, which are also classified as deep freezers.
Before we look at how many watts small freezers use, it’s a good idea to review the freezer definitions above to make sure we’re all on the same page.
How many watts does a compact freezer use
The average wattage used by a compact chest freezer is 22.43W, which is lower than the average wattage used by a compact upright freezer, which is 29.9W.
Let’s look at how much electricity freezers use over extended periods of time in kilowatt-hours (kWh).
How much electricity does a freezer use (kWh)
On average, freezers use 365.2 kWh per year, 30.43 kWh per month, 1 kWh per day, and 0.042 kWh every hour.
Freezers use an average of 394 kWh per year, 32.83 kWh per month, 1.08 kWh per day, and 0.045 kWh per hour of power.
Freezers use between 137 and 649 kWh of electricity per year, 11.42 to 54.08 kWh per month, 0.38 to 1.78 kWh per day, and 0.016 to 0.074 kWh per hour.
The table above includes upright, chest, and compact freezers (and hence deep freezers).
How much electricity an upright freezer uses
On average, upright freezers use 445.5 kWh per year, 37.12 kWh per month, 1.22 kWh per day, and 0.051 kWh per hour.
The average amount of energy used by upright freezers is 394 kWh per year, 32.83 kWh per month, and 1.08 kWh per day.
Overall, upright freezers use between 247 and 649 kWh of electricity per year, 20.58 to 54.08 kWh per month, and 0.68 to 1.78 kWh each day.
The table below displays the annual, monthly, daily, and hourly electricity consumption of standup freezers.
Upright freezers require more watts than chest freezers, as we’ve already shown. Let’s look at how much the difference in kWh changes over time.
How much electricity a chest freezer uses
On average, chest freezers use 244 kWh of electricity per year, 20.33 kWh per month, 0.67 kWh per day, and 0.028 kWh per hour.
201 kWh, 16.75 kWh, 0.55 kWh, and 0.023 kWh are the most typical amounts of power consumed by chest freezers every year, month, day, and hour, respectively.
The table below shows how much power chest freezers use over different time periods.
Compact chest freezers have a different power consumption than regular chest freezers see below for more information on compact freezers. See the freezer definitions above for further information on how the freezers are classified.
As you can see, chest freezers consume significantly less electricity than upright freezers on average. And as time passes, the disparity grows more pronounced.
How much electricity a deep freezer uses
Deep freezers consume an average of 218.19 kWh per year, 18.18 kWh per month, 0.6 kWh per day, and 0.025 kWh per hour.
Overall, modern deep freezers consume between 172 and 346 kWh of electricity per year, 14.33 to 28.83 kWh per month, and 0.47 to 0.95 kWh each day.
Deep freezers use an average of 196 kWh each year, 16.33 kWh per month, 0.54 kWh per day, and 0.022 kWh every hour of power.
Deep freezers use a lot of electricity. The table below shows how much they use per year, month, day, and hour.
Because tiny chest freezers come into the deep freezer category, deep freezers utilize less electricity than regular sized chest freezers.
Next, since we’re on the subject of compact chest freezers, let’s have a look at the power consumption of compact chest freezers, as well as compact freezers in general.
How much electricity a compact freezer uses
Compact freezers use an average of 234.22 kWh of power each year. This equates to 19.52 kWh every month, 0.64 kWh per day, and 0.027 kWh each hour.
Compact freezers typically consume 240 kWh per year, 20 kWh per month, and 0.66 kWh per day of power.
The table below depicts how much electricity compact freezers consume over time.
The higher power consumption of upright compact freezers raises the average electricity consumption of compact freezers. Compact freezers, as a result, consume more electricity than chest and deep freezers.
When we compare the power usage of a compact chest and a compact upright over the course of a year, we can see that the difference is rather significant.
Compact chest freezers use an average of 196.49 kWh per year, 16.37 kWh per month, 0.54 kWh per day, and 0.022 kWh per hour.
Compact upright freezers use an average of 261.99 kWh per year, 21.83 kWh per month, 0.72 kWh per day, and 0.03 kWh per hour.
Compact upright freezers use more than 65 kWh of electricity per year on average than compact chest freezers.
According to this survey of 354 different refrigerators, compact chest freezers use the least amount of electricity on average.
But, before we get into which freezers consume the least amount of electricity, it’s important to put freezer power usage into context.
Do freezers use a lot of electricity
Freezers require a significant amount of electricity, however not as much as electrical guzzlers like showers, dryers, and heaters.
Let’s compare the average freezer power usage to the average consumption of other popular household appliances to get a sense of scale.
On average, freezers use 30.43 kWh of power each month. That’s the same as:
What is the wattage of an ancient freezer?
Depending on the size and model year, a freezer consumes 300 to 700 watts. A 13 cubic foot frost-free freezer, for example, uses roughly 300 watts, whereas a 20 cubic foot chest freezer uses 350 watts. A freezer that is older will use more energy than one that is newer.
- Which method saves the most electricity? It’s impossible to say whether a freezer saves more energy than a refrigerator because it depends on how you use your appliance and the size of your freezer or refrigerator. In general, whichever serves you best will save you more electricity in the long run because it is the most appropriate size for the job.
- Where can you find a freezer’s wattage information? When you buy a freezer, refrigerator, or any other appliance, it will come with a power rating tag. There are estimates for its wattage and power consumption. Alternatively, you can look for the nameplate on your freezer. It’s stamped on the back or bottom of the freezer, and the maximum wattage output is displayed there.
- Is it true that a freezer always uses the watts stated on the label? The power consumption mentioned on a freezer’s label is not always used. Keep in mind that a freezer provides customization options like high, medium, and low cold. Others may even have temperature control capabilities. Your overall wattage and power consumption will be affected by the settings you select.
What in a house consumes the most electricity?
The breakdown of energy use in a typical home is depicted in today’s infographic from Connect4Climate.
It displays the average annual cost of various appliances as well as the appliances that consume the most energy over the course of the year.
Modern convenience comes at a cost, and keeping all those air conditioners, freezers, chargers, and water heaters running is the third-largest energy demand in the US.
One of the simplest ways to save energy and money is to eliminate waste. Turn off “vampire electronics,” or devices that continue to draw power even when switched off. DVRs, laptop computers, printers, DVD players, central heating furnaces, routers and modems, phones, gaming consoles, televisions, and microwaves are all examples.
A penny saved is a cent earned, and being more energy efficient is excellent for both your wallet and the environment, as Warren Buffett would undoubtedly agree.
Is it true that older refrigerators consume more energy?
Refrigerators are one of the most energy-intensive items in your home. According to Home Energy Checklist, older refrigerators use more electricity than newer models. When a refrigerator breaks down, it will require more electricity as it tries to maintain a cool temperature despite a broken compressor, a worn motor, and leaking seals. Families that replace their old refrigerators save money on their energy bills right away.
Should I replace my refrigerator, which is 20 years old?
A normal refrigerator has a lifespan of 10 to 20 years. According to The Money Pit, the longer you have your refrigerator, the higher the possible repair cost. Consider repairing the refrigerator if it is less than eight years old. Consider replacing the refrigerator if it is more than 15 years old. If the refrigerator is between the ages of eight and fifteen, you must consider other criteria such as the type of refrigerator and its environmental efficiency.
What is the wattage of an ancient refrigerator?
For your wattage calculator, you must multiply volts by amps. These numbers can be found on a label on the refrigerator’s internal wall, on the manufacturer’s nameplate below the door, behind the front kick plate, or on the rear of the refrigerator. Older refrigerators typically operate at 115 volts and 7 amps, resulting in a power consumption of 805 watts. Refrigerators with a beginning wattage of 800-1200 watt-hours/day and a running wattage of roughly 150 watt-hours/day are the most common.
Is a freezer more energy efficient than a refrigerator?
Refrigerators with top-mounted freezers consume less energy than those with side-mounted or bottom-mounted freezers in general. On average, an ENERGY STAR certified top-freezer refrigerator needs 360 kWh or $45 per year to run.