Home › Appliances › Kitchen
How Much Does It Cost to Run a Chest Freezer? (2026)
Chest freezers are more efficient than upright freezers because cold air stays inside when the lid opens. A modern 200 litre chest freezer uses around 200 to 300 kWh a year; older units can use double that.
A typical chest freezer (100 W) costs $0.018 per hour, or about $4.32 per month at 8 hours a day in United States (average). Average running cost
| Wattage | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low (60 W) | $0.011 | $0.086 | $2.59 | $31.54 |
| Typical (100 W) | $0.018 | $0.14 | $4.32 | $52.56 |
| High (200 W) | $0.036 | $0.29 | $8.64 | $105.12 |
Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 8 h/day ≈ 292 kWh per year.
ad
How to lower the cost of running a chest freezer
- Keep it in a cool garage or basement, not a hot utility room.
- Keep it at least two-thirds full. Frozen mass holds cold through door openings and power cuts.
- Defrost when ice exceeds about 5 mm. Ice buildup makes the compressor run longer.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run a chest freezer per year?
A typical modern unit uses 250 to 350 kWh a year. Check the yearly figure above.
Is a chest freezer cheaper to run than an upright?
Yes, typically 10 to 25 percent, because less cold air spills out when opened.
Does a freezer use more power in a hot garage?
Yes. Every 5 C rise in ambient temperature can add 10 to 20 percent to running cost.
Compare with
Cost by region
- United States (average)
- California
- Texas
- New York
- Florida
- Canada (average)
- United Kingdom
- Germany
- France
- Australia
- India