How Much Does It Cost to Run a Chest Freezer in Australia? (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 A$0.035 per hour, or about A$8.40 per month at 8 hours a day in Australia. Average running cost
| Wattage | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low 60 W | A$0.021 | A$0.17 | A$5.04 | A$61.32 |
| Typical 100 W | A$0.035 | A$0.28 | A$8.40 | A$102.20 |
| High 200 W | A$0.070 | A$0.56 | A$16.80 | A$204.40 |
Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 8 h/day ≈ 292 kWh per year.
One hour of a chest freezer (0.10 kWh) is the same electricity as
- 2.0hours of a fridge
- 2.2hours of a laptop
- 10hours of Wi-Fi
- 11hours of an LED bulb
In Australia, with electricity at 35.0¢ per kWh (source: AER Default Market Offer 2026–27, 2026-07), a typical chest freezer costs A$0.035 per hour and about A$102.20 per year at 8 hours a day. Each A$1.00 of electricity buys roughly 28.6 hours of use.
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.
Is an efficient chest freezer worth it?
Freezer from the 2000s in a garage: about 480 kWh a year. Current A or B-rated chest freezer: about 170 kWh. The difference is worth A$108.50 a year in Australia.
- Replacing one that still works pays back in 5.5 years.
- When yours needs replacing anyway, the extra cost of the efficient model pays back in 1.1 years.
Usage assumed: always on. Typical prices: A$600.00 for the efficient model, A$120.00 more than a basic one. Work it out with your own prices
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
US states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Canadian provinces
Related appliances
- Mini Fridge80 W typical
- Air Fryer1,500 W typical
- Slow Cooker200 W typical
- Coffee Maker (Drip)1,000 W typical
Use the generic electricity cost calculator · Which uses more? Take the quiz