A full-size ENERGY STAR refrigerator costs about $7 a month to run at the US average residential rate of 18.31¢ per kWh (EIA, July 2026). That comes from the ENERGY STAR certified-refrigerator list, where the median full-size model is rated at 457 kWh a year, or about $84 a year (our arithmetic). Models range from 114 to 805 kWh, so the real spread is roughly $21 to $147 a year before your state’s rate. This guide breaks that spread down by type, shows what pushes a model to the expensive end and works out when an old unit is worth replacing. It is part of our appliance electricity cost guide.
Cost by Refrigerator Type
We pulled ENERGY STAR’s certified-refrigerator dataset (data.energystar.gov, retrieved October 2026) and computed the median annual energy use for each type. The list includes models certified from 2014 to 2026, most from the last three years. Costs are our arithmetic at 18.31¢.
| Type | Models listed | Median kWh a year | Range (kWh) | Cost a month | Cost a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compact refrigerator | 1,742 | 246 | 106 to 470 | $3.75 | $45.04 |
| Freezerless or single door | 294 | 288 | 124 to 370 | $4.39 | $52.73 |
| Top freezer | 838 | 363 | 121 to 506 | $5.54 | $66.47 |
| Bottom freezer | 1,667 | 556 | 200 to 799 | $8.48 | $101.80 |
| Side-by-side | 123 | 640 | 420 to 805 | $9.77 | $117.18 |
| All full-size models | 2,976 | 457 | 114 to 805 | $6.97 | $83.68 |
Each of these models is rated about 10% below the federal energy standard at the median. ENERGY STAR describes certified refrigerators as about 9% more efficient than models meeting the federal minimum, which matches the dataset. The type matters more than the badge: a side-by-side costs about $51 a year more than a top-freezer model.
What Pushes the Bill Up
Features and size explain most of the spread. Using the same ENERGY STAR data, the median full-size model with an ice maker is rated at 588 kWh a year, against 362 kWh without one, a gap of 226 kWh or about $41 a year. A through-the-door dispenser shows 702 kWh at the median against 427 kWh without, about $50 a year apart. These are medians across different sizes, so some of the gap reflects bigger refrigerators carrying more features. Size is a real cost driver too, but the pattern holds inside a type: top-freezer models median 450 kWh with an ice maker against 360 without, about $16 a year.
If you are buying, read the EnergyGuide label or the ENERGY STAR product finder and compare kWh a year for the specific model, since two refrigerators of the same size can differ by more than 200 kWh.
Why Old Wattage Tables Overstate It
A widely copied wattage table from Virginia Tech Cooperative Extension (publication 2901-9014) lists a 16 cubic foot frost-free refrigerator at 725 W and says to divide plugged-in time by three, since the compressor cycles. Do that for a year and you get about 2,117 kWh, or about $388 at 18.31¢ (our arithmetic). That is 4.6 times the ENERGY STAR median. The table reflects older refrigerators, and modern compressors, insulation and controls use far less. If you see a “725 watts” figure online, treat it as a worst case for a very old unit, not a guide for a unit you can buy today.
What It Costs in Your State
Using the 457 kWh median and EIA’s July 2026 state rates (our arithmetic):
| State (rate) | Cost a year | Cost a month |
|---|---|---|
| Louisiana (12.72¢) | $58.13 | $4.84 |
| Texas (15.88¢) | $72.57 | $6.05 |
| US average (18.31¢) | $83.68 | $6.97 |
| New York (29.90¢) | $136.64 | $11.39 |
| California (33.61¢) | $153.60 | $12.80 |
| Hawaii (48.00¢) | $219.36 | $18.28 |
Find your own rate in our state-by-state electric bill guide, then use the electric bill estimator to see where a refrigerator sits in your total.
Should You Replace an Old Refrigerator?
The honest answer depends on a number you can measure. ENERGY STAR estimates that properly recycling an old refrigerator and replacing it with a certified model saves about $150 over the 12-year lifetime of the new unit, which is modest. A true energy hog saves more. Plug your refrigerator into a power meter (about $25, our estimate) for 24 hours, multiply by 365, and compare against the table above. Suppose a measured old unit used 1,000 kWh a year (a hypothetical); a replacement at the 457 kWh median saves 543 kWh, or about $99 a year at 18.31¢.
That saving rarely pays for a new refrigerator by itself. If the old unit still works, use the number as a tiebreaker. If it needs a costly repair, our refrigerator repair or replace guide has the cost thresholds, and the energy saving belongs on the replace side of the ledger. A struggling compressor can also run far more than it should, which is one reason a bill can jump with no change in habits; see why your electric bill is so high.
Second Refrigerators and Freezers
A spare unit in the garage or basement is the most common avoidable cost. ENERGY STAR’s certified upright freezers have a median of 438 kWh a year, about $80 at 18.31¢, and certified compact refrigerators 246 kWh, about $45. Older spare units are likely higher. If a second refrigerator holds a few drinks, unplugging it is the cheapest saving in the house. Our standby power guide covers other always-on loads.
Cheap Ways to Trim the Cost
- Keep the right temperature. The FDA recommends 40°F or below in the refrigerator and 0°F in the freezer; colder than that costs energy for no food-safety benefit.
- Check the door seal. A gasket that does not close lets warm air in and keeps the compressor running longer.
- Give the coils room. Dust on condenser coils and a refrigerator pushed hard against the wall make the compressor work harder.
- Skip the ice maker and dispenser if you do not use them, or pick a model without them: the median difference above is about $41 to $50 a year.
- Follow the broader list in our guide to lowering your electric bill.
The Bottom Line
A refrigerator is one of the cheaper major appliances to run: about $7 a month for the median ENERGY STAR full-size model at 18.31¢ per kWh, from $2 to $12 across models. Type and features decide the cost, with side-by-side and ice-maker models at the high end, and your state’s rate scales it from about $58 a year in Louisiana to $219 in Hawaii. Replace a working unit for energy reasons only if a meter shows it far above 450 kWh a year.
FAQ
How many kWh does a refrigerator use per day?
The median ENERGY STAR full-size model uses about 1.25 kWh a day (457 kWh ÷ 365, our arithmetic). Compact models use about 0.7 kWh and side-by-side models about 1.75 kWh a day at their medians.
How much does it cost to run a refrigerator per month?
About $7 for a median full-size ENERGY STAR refrigerator at the 18.31¢ US average, $3.75 for a compact model and $9.77 for a side-by-side (our arithmetic from ENERGY STAR’s list).
How many watts does a refrigerator use?
The compressor draws a few hundred watts while it runs but cycles on and off, so the average is far lower. 457 kWh a year works out to an average of about 52 W (our arithmetic). Use the annual kWh on the label rather than a nameplate wattage.
Is an old refrigerator expensive to run?
Often, but measure before you assume. A plug-in meter over 24 hours gives kWh a day; multiply by 365 and by your rate. Anything above about 800 kWh a year is worth replacing; the highest-use certified models today reach 805 kWh.
Does a full refrigerator use more electricity?
Not meaningfully for the compressor in normal use, and we have no sourced figure either way. The bigger factors are door openings, ambient temperature, the ice maker and the model’s rating.