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How Much Does It Cost to Run a Chest Freezer in the UK? (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 £0.026 per hour, or about £6.24 per month at 8 hours a day in United Kingdom. Average running cost
| Wattage | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low (60 W) | £0.016 | £0.12 | £3.74 | £45.55 |
| Typical (100 W) | £0.026 | £0.21 | £6.24 | £75.92 |
| High (200 W) | £0.052 | £0.42 | £12.48 | £151.84 |
Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 8 h/day ≈ 292 kWh per year.
In the UK, with electricity at £0.26 per kWh (source: Ofgem price cap 1 Jul–30 Sep 2026, 2026-07), a typical chest freezer costs £0.026 per hour and about £75.92 per year at 8 hours a day. Each £1.00 of electricity buys roughly 38.5 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.
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)
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