How Much Electricity Does a Freezer Use?
How much electricity does a freezer use? About 215 to 395 kWh a year for ENERGY STAR models. Enter your label's figure below.
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Find it on the yellow label on the unit or in its manual. It's the most accurate number to use.
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ENERGY STAR puts a certified chest freezer at about 215 kWh a year and a certified upright at about 395 kWh a year, since a chest loses less cold air each time it's opened. At 16.5 cents per kWh, that's about $35 a year ($2.96 a month) for the chest and about $65 a year ($5.43 a month) for the upright. Your own freezer's yellow EnergyGuide label gives its exact yearly kWh, which is the most accurate number to enter above. Commercial wattage charts list freezer running figures above 1,000 watts, but because the compressor cycles, multiplying that by hours of use overstates the real cost by a wide margin.
| Type | Yearly kWh | Yearly cost at 16.5¢ |
|---|---|---|
| Chest | about 215 | about $35 |
| Upright | about 395 | about $65 |
What affects how much electricity a freezer uses
- Type: chest freezers are generally somewhat more efficient than uprights of similar capacity, since a top-opening door loses less cold air each time it's opened.
- Age: older freezers, especially pre-ENERGY STAR models, can run much less efficiently than newer units.
- Placement: a freezer in an uninsulated garage working against extreme outdoor temperatures runs harder than one in a climate-controlled space.
How to reduce your freezer's electricity use
- Keep it full (even with water jugs if needed), since a fuller freezer holds cold better and requires less work to recover after the door opens
- Check the door seal for a tight fit, since a worn gasket lets cold air escape continuously
- Keep it out of hot spaces like an uninsulated garage in summer, if possible, since extreme heat around the unit makes the compressor work harder
- Defrost a manual-defrost model regularly, since built-up frost reduces efficiency
Yearly energy use: about 215 kWh (certified chest freezer) and 395 kWh (certified upright freezer), from ENERGY STAR: Freezers. Running wattage: roughly 1,080 W (15 cu ft chest) to 1,240 W (15 cu ft upright), from Jackery: Appliance Wattage Chart, a commercial estimate rather than a government figure. Because the compressor cycles, running wattage is a poor guide to cost, so this page leads with yearly kWh. We review these figures periodically and update them if a source changes; last checked October 2026. Cedrick Reese built this freezer cost calculator and rechecks these figures against the sources above.
Frequently asked questions
How many watts does a freezer use?
A commercial wattage chart lists 15 cubic foot freezers at roughly 1,080 watts (chest) to 1,240 watts (upright) of running wattage, but the compressor cycles on and off, so that number says little about cost. Yearly energy use is the better measure: ENERGY STAR puts certified chest freezers near 215 kWh a year and certified uprights near 395 kWh a year.
How much does it cost to run a freezer?
Use the yearly kWh from the freezer's EnergyGuide label: kWh per year × your rate = cost per year. At 16.5 cents per kWh, an ENERGY STAR chest freezer at about 215 kWh a year costs about $35 a year (about $2.96 a month), and an upright at about 395 kWh a year costs about $65 a year (about $5.43 a month). Older or larger freezers can use more, so check your own label.
Is a chest freezer cheaper to run than an upright?
Generally, yes, for a comparable capacity, mainly because a top-opening chest freezer loses less cold air each time it's opened than a front-opening upright, so the compressor doesn't have to work as hard to recover afterward. ENERGY STAR's figures show the gap: about 215 kWh a year for a certified chest freezer versus about 395 kWh for an upright.
How can I reduce how much electricity my freezer uses?
Keep it full, since a fuller freezer holds cold better and recovers faster after the door opens, check that the door seal is tight with no gaps, and defrost a manual-defrost model regularly, since built-up frost makes it run less efficiently.
This page provides estimates based on the yearly kWh or wattage figures you enter. ENERGY STAR figures describe certified models; older or larger freezers can use more. Actual electricity cost depends on your specific freezer's size, age, and placement.