Refrigerator Running Cost: How Much Per Year in 2026

A refrigerator’s annual running cost is its yearly electricity consumption multiplied by your local electricity rate—not its nameplate wattage multiplied by every hour of the year. In the assumed example below, a refrigerator drawing 150 W while running, with a 40% duty cycle and electricity at USD 0.17/kWh, costs USD 89.35 per year. For an existing refrigerator, measured energy use gives a more useful household estimate; for a replacement, start with the EnergyGuide label’s annual consumption and recalculate the cost using your own rate. The FTC cautions that the dollar amount printed on an EnergyGuide label reflects typical use and a national average energy price, not your actual bill.

Refrigerator Annual Running Cost at Different Energy-Use Levels

Refrigerator energy-use basis	Annual electricity use	Annual cost at USD 0.17/kWh	Annual cost at USD 0.1831/kWh	Conditions and limitations
ENERGY STAR top-freezer reference	Approximately 360 kWh	USD 61.20	USD 65.92	Reference from ENERGY STAR’s 2024 marketing toolkit; not a rating for every top-freezer refrigerator.
Worked old-refrigerator example	525.6 kWh	USD 89.35	USD 96.24	Assumed 150 W running draw, 40% duty cycle, and operation throughout a 365-day year.
Higher-consumption comparison scenario	1,000 kWh	USD 170.00	USD 183.10	Hypothetical annual consumption, not an official benchmark for old refrigerators.

All costs are in USD and illustrate U.S. electricity-cost calculations. USD 0.17/kWh is an assumed local rate. USD 0.1831/kWh represents EIA’s U.S. residential average revenue per kWh for July 2026, released September 24, 2026—the latest monthly release available as of October 12, 2026. It is a national reference point, not a local utility tariff or a full-year 2026 average.

The table shows why annual consumption matters more than refrigerator age alone. At a fixed rate, a unit using 1,000 kWh annually costs almost three times as much to operate as one using 360 kWh. Your refrigerator belongs in a particular row only when its label, measurements, or a clearly stated estimate supports that consumption.

Choose the Right Input: Annual kWh, Measured Use, or Running Watts

Refrigerators cycle their cooling equipment rather than drawing the same power continuously. ENERGY STAR’s operating guidance also identifies temperature settings, nearby heat sources, door seals, airflow, and door-opening time as factors worth controlling. These conditions help explain why a standardized label estimate and household consumption can differ.

Use annual kWh whenever you can. Watts describe power at a moment in time; kilowatt-hours describe accumulated energy—the quantity used for electricity-cost calculations.

Input method	Information to collect	Best use	Main limitation
EnergyGuide label	Exact model and estimated yearly consumption in kWh	Comparing refrigerators before purchase	Based on standardized testing; household use can differ.
Plug-in energy measurement	Accumulated kWh and measurement duration	Estimating an existing refrigerator’s consumption in its actual location	A short measurement may not represent seasonal conditions.
Running-power estimate	Running watts, duty cycle, and operating days	Screening an older refrigerator when annual consumption is unavailable	A simplified model may omit defrost, standby, and variable-speed operation.
ENERGY STAR age/type estimate	Refrigerator type, age, and electricity rate	Initial replacement or removal assessment	ENERGY STAR explicitly describes its result as an estimate, with actual savings dependent on use and upkeep.

Read the Nameplate Without Treating It as an Energy Meter

Record the refrigerator’s model number and use it to locate the manufacturer’s EnergyGuide label or technical information. A nameplate electrical rating is not a measurement of average annual consumption.

Do not automatically substitute a listed maximum wattage or an amps-times-volts calculation for measured running power. That shortcut can misrepresent what the refrigerator draws during normal operation, especially when the compressor, defrost heater, fans, and controls operate differently.

The original 30–50% duty-cycle range is useful for an assumed sensitivity calculation, but it should not be presented as a universal operating range. A duty cycle of 40% means the modeled running load operates for 40% of the elapsed time; it does not mean every refrigerator behaves that way.

Compare Capacity and Configuration Using Model-Specific Ratings

A cubic-foot-to-wattage table cannot establish the annual cost of a particular refrigerator. ENERGY STAR notes that larger refrigerators generally consume more energy and that top-freezer models tend to use less energy than bottom-freezer or side-by-side models. Those tendencies help narrow a comparison, but the exact model’s annual kWh remains the useful cost input.

Compare refrigerators with similar usable capacity and needed features, then compare their annual consumption. The ENERGY STAR Product Finder provides an official starting point for finding and comparing certified models.

Calculate Annual Refrigerator Running Cost

For a flat electricity rate:

[
\text{Annual cost in USD}
=
\text{Annual energy in kWh}
\times
\text{Electricity rate in USD/kWh}
]

The FTC’s EnergyGuide guidance recommends using annual consumption and your local electricity price to better judge operating cost.

1. Identify annual consumption. Use the exact model’s EnergyGuide rating, annualize a representative measurement, or document a running-power estimate.
2. Find your applicable electricity rate. Use your utility’s current tariff and bill, not a national average.
3. Convert cents to dollars. A rate of 17¢/kWh equals USD 0.17/kWh.
4. Multiply annual kWh by the rate. Keep the energy and price units visible so the calculation can be checked.
5. State what the result includes. A kWh-only calculation estimates electricity-related running cost, not purchase, repair, or disposal expenses.

Fixed monthly customer charges generally do not disappear when one refrigerator is removed, so allocating the entire bill to refrigerator consumption can overstate avoidable savings. Include applicable usage-based supply, delivery, and adjustment charges when determining the rate used for your calculation.

For time-of-use service, calculate energy in each price period separately:

[
\text{Annual energy cost}
=
\sum_i
\left(
\text{kWh in period }i
\times
\text{USD/kWh in period }i
\right)
]

Annual kWh alone cannot reveal how much consumption occurs during expensive hours. Likewise, a commercial bill with demand charges needs a separate assessment of the refrigerator’s contribution to billing demand; kWh multiplied by an energy rate does not calculate the complete commercial bill.

Worked Example: 150 W, 40% Duty Cycle, and 17¢/kWh

This is a hypothetical U.S. household example, not a measured refrigerator or an official efficiency benchmark.

Input	Assumed value	Meaning
Running power	150 W	Power assigned to the modeled running state
Duty cycle	40%, or 0.40	Fraction of time that running state operates
Daily elapsed time	24 hours	Refrigerator remains connected throughout the day
Annual operating period	365 days	A full non-leap year
Electricity rate	USD 0.17/kWh	Assumed flat local rate
Other operating modes	Not separately modeled	Defrost, standby, and other loads may change actual consumption

First, convert running power to kilowatts:

[
150\text{ W}\div1{,}000=0.150\text{ kW}
]

Then calculate equivalent running hours per day:

[
24\text{ h/day}\times0.40=9.6\text{ h/day}
]

Daily energy consumption is:

[
0.150\text{ kW}\times9.6\text{ h/day}
=
1.44\text{ kWh/day}
]

Annual energy consumption is:

[
1.44\text{ kWh/day}\times365\text{ days}
=
525.6\text{ kWh/year}
]

Finally, calculate annual cost:

[
525.6\text{ kWh/year}\times
0.17\text{ USD/kWh}
=
89.352\text{ USD/year}
]

Rounded to cents, the estimate is USD 89.35 per year, or USD 7.45 per month when the annual total is divided by 12. That monthly figure is an annualized average, not a prediction of each monthly bill.

See How the Duty-Cycle Assumption Changes the Result

Keeping the assumed 150 W running draw and USD 0.17/kWh rate unchanged:

Assumed duty cycle	Equivalent running hours per day	Annual energy	Annual electricity cost
30%	7.2 hours	394.2 kWh	USD 67.01
40%	9.6 hours	525.6 kWh	USD 89.35
50%	12.0 hours	657.0 kWh	USD 111.69

These are sensitivity scenarios, not published typical values. The spread shows why an unverified duty cycle can materially change an estimate.

Common pitfall: 150 W × 24 hours × 365 days assumes a continuous 150 W draw. That produces 1,314 kWh and USD 223.38 at USD 0.17/kWh—not the 40%-duty-cycle result. Conversely, applying a duty-cycle reduction to measured accumulated kWh would discount the cycling a second time.

Measure an Old Refrigerator Before Making a Replacement Decision

Measurement is especially useful when an older refrigerator has no accessible EnergyGuide label or operates in a garage, basement, or other location unlike its original test conditions. ENERGY STAR recommends keeping refrigerators away from heat sources, maintaining door seals, and following manufacturer guidance for airflow and coil cleaning.

1. Select an appropriate plug-in energy meter. Its voltage, current, and load ratings must suit the appliance; follow both the meter and refrigerator instructions.
2. Record a representative period. Measure accumulated kWh over several days, preferably a full week, while using the refrigerator normally.
3. Calculate average daily energy. Divide measured kWh by the elapsed days.
4. Annualize cautiously. Multiply daily kWh by 365, noting that seasonal temperatures and changes in use may alter the result.
5. Recheck after relevant changes. Compare equivalent measurement periods after correcting a seal problem or changing the installation conditions.

For example, suppose a refrigerator uses 10.5 kWh during a hypothetical seven-day measurement:

[
10.5\div7=1.5\text{ kWh/day}
]

[
1.5\times365=547.5\text{ kWh/year}
]

[
547.5\times0.17
=
93.075\text{ USD/year}
]

The annualized estimate is USD 93.08. It describes what that measured week implies if its average persists; it is not a guaranteed annual total. Do not apply another duty-cycle factor to the meter’s kWh reading.

Compare Keeping, Replacing, or Removing the Refrigerator

Use energy differences rather than a generic claim about savings from replacing an old refrigerator. ENERGY STAR’s Flip Your Fridge calculator supports both replacement and removal estimates, while warning that actual savings vary with use, upkeep, and other factors.

For replacement:

[
\text{Estimated annual savings}
=
(\text{Old annual kWh}-\text{New annual kWh})
\times
\text{Local USD/kWh}
]

If the old refrigerator is assumed to use 1,000 kWh/year and the proposed replacement is rated at 400 kWh/year, the difference at USD 0.17/kWh is:

[
(1{,}000-400)\times0.17
=
102\text{ USD/year}
]

That USD 102 estimate is an energy-cost comparison, not a guarantee that the replacement will reproduce its label consumption in your home. It also does not establish that replacement is financially preferable without considering purchase and installation costs.

Removing an unnecessary second refrigerator eliminates its consumption rather than merely reducing it. Buying a new primary refrigerator while leaving the old one running elsewhere means both units must be included in the household total.

Check Local Recycling and Rebate Programs

Use the ENERGY STAR Rebate Finder to search by ZIP code, then verify any offer with the utility or program administrator. The finder lists geographically specific offers; it does not establish that every refrigerator or household qualifies.

For disposal, check your utility, municipality, or appliance retailer’s current refrigerator-recycling arrangements. ENERGY STAR notes that many retailers offer pickup and recycling when a replacement is purchased, and its recycling guidance emphasizes proper handling of refrigerants and insulating foams.

Treat a verified recycling incentive as a separate one-time amount. It should not be added to annual electricity savings.

Refrigerator Running-Cost Self-Check

• I used annual kWh, measured accumulated energy, or a clearly labeled estimate.
• I matched the EnergyGuide label to the exact refrigerator model.
• I converted watts to kilowatts and cents to USD correctly.
• I treated the 30–50% duty-cycle figures as scenarios, not universal defaults.
• I did not apply a duty cycle to energy already measured in kWh.
• I used my applicable local electricity rate rather than a national average.
• I accounted for time-of-use pricing or assessed demand charges separately where applicable.
• I considered seasonal conditions before annualizing a short measurement.
• I kept purchase costs and recycling incentives separate from annual running cost.

For a repeatable calculation, enter your documented inputs in the site’s appliance-cost calculator. The calculation supports an operating-cost decision; it does not replace manufacturer instructions, applicable electrical requirements, or professional assessment of an unsafe installation.