How Much Does It Cost to Run a Mini Fridge in Tennessee? (2026)
Mini fridges are surprisingly inefficient for their size. Many use half as much electricity as a full-size fridge while holding a tenth of the food, because small compressors and thin insulation work hard in warm rooms.
A typical mini fridge (80 W) costs $0.011 per hour, or about $2.70 per month at 8 hours a day in Tennessee. Average running cost
| Wattage | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low 50 W | $0.007 | $0.056 | $1.69 | $20.54 |
| Typical 80 W | $0.011 | $0.090 | $2.70 | $32.87 |
| High 120 W | $0.017 | $0.14 | $4.05 | $49.30 |
Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 8 h/day ≈ 234 kWh per year.
One day of a mini fridge (1.9 kWh) is the same electricity as
- 11km in an electric car
- 19hours of TV
- 43hours of a laptop
- 213hours of an LED bulb
In Tennessee, with electricity at 14.1¢ per kWh (source: EIA Table 5.6.A, 2026-06), a typical mini fridge costs $0.011 per hour and about $32.87 per year at 8 hours a day. That is about 23% less than the national average for the US ($3.52 per month), because electricity in Tennessee costs 14.1¢ per kWh against 18.3¢ nationally. Each $1.00 of electricity buys roughly 88.8 hours of use.
How to lower the cost of running a mini fridge
- Keep it out of direct sun and away from heaters or computers.
- Set it to the warmest setting that keeps drinks cold enough.
- Consider whether the main fridge could do the job. Two fridges cost more than one bigger one.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a mini fridge cost to run per month?
Typically 15 to 25 kWh a month. Select your region above for the figure.
Do mini fridges use a lot of electricity?
Relative to their size, yes. A dorm fridge can use 200 to 300 kWh a year.
Are thermoelectric mini fridges cheaper to run?
No. They run constantly and are usually less efficient than compressor models despite their small size.
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
- Chest Freezer100 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