How Much Does It Cost To Run A Refrigerator Top Full Guide 2023

Paul Kahan

It is important to calculate expenses for your life. Therefore, it is not surprising that you want to know How Much Does It Cost To Run A Refrigerator. This will help you to calculate how much money you can save during a pandemic.

Publican Anker provides a complete cost calculation for refrigerator use. You can also save money for implementation. Good luck!

How To Calculate The Cost To Run A Refrigerator

The chart from Silicon Valley Power shows that since 1996, coolers and freezers have become much more efficient.

A worn-out unit can easily waste energy, leading to high electric bills and a greater carbon footprint for your family. To determine if your fridge is running at its peak, calculate its cost.

Using Kilowatt-Hours

The yellow “Energy Guide” sticker can be found on your refrigerator. Federal law says that every refrigerator that is sold must have one of these stickers on it.

The sticker lists the annual electric use of the refrigerator in kilowatt-hours.

The EIA reports that California residents pay 22.7 cents per Kilowatt-hour for power.

Multiply your annual kilowatt-hours consumed by your refrigerator with your cost per kilowatt-hour. Based on the average yearly use of 600 to 800 kilowatts, a fridge in California will cost $136.20 to $181.60 to run each year.

Using Wattage

Look at the back of your fridge for a small tag or plate that shows the unit’s wattage. A unit from 1990 will consume 550 watts while a unit from 2006 will consume 350 watts of electricity.

Modern energy-efficient units may require less power, but older units may have higher wattage ratings.

Divide your refrigerator’s wattage by 3. The U.S Department of Energy Star reports that your plugged-in refrigerator utilizes a third of its full electricity. Divide the 300-watt unit by 3 to get 100 Watts. Next, calculate your operating costs.

Multiply the lower wattage by 24 hours per day. This will give you 2,400 watts.

Divide the 2,400 watts by 1,000 kilowatts. 2,400 is now 2.4. A 300-watt refrigerator needs daily kilowatt-hours.

Check your energy bill for local power prices. Multiplying the cost per kilowatt-hour yields the kilowatt price.

A gadget that consumes 2.4 kilowatts every day would cost 54 cents to operate in California at 22.7 cents per kilowatt-hour.

Multiply your daily cost by 30 to calculate the monthly operating costs. A 300-watt unit will cost $16.20 per month at the California average electricity prices, or $194.40 annually. A refrigerator with a lower wattage rating is more efficient and consumes less energy.

Things You Will Need

Calculator

Utility bills

Tip

To reduce operating costs, consider upgrading your refrigerator to an energy-efficient model. The California Energy Commission and other groups offer refunds for energy saving. These refunds can help pay for the cost of an upgrade.

Warning

Energy Guide tags are often found on new freezers. These tags show prices based on the average cost of power. The pricing displayed may reflect something other than California’s higher energy costs.

How Much Does A Refrigerator Cost To Run?

An average fridge of 400-500 liters will use approximately 495kWh of electricity per year. This equates to an annual cost of $163.35 based on an energy consumption rate of 33c/kWh.

Even though energy use rates change from country to country, it is normal for your fridge to account for about 13% of your energy bill.

Keeping this in consideration, how much a month does it cost to run a fridge?

Multiply your daily cost by 30 to calculate the monthly operating costs. A 300-watt unit will cost $11.70 per month or $140.40 annually at the California average electricity prices. A refrigerator with a lower wattage rating is more efficient and will consume less energy star.

Are old refrigerators efficient in energy use? A 1986-era 18 cubic feet from 1986 uses 1400 kWh per year. However, a modern energy-efficient model uses only 35 kWh – which is a staggering 75% decrease.

A pre-1986 fridge would be exchanged for an efficient one at 15C/kWh to save $158 per year on electricity. Some older fridges are worse than others.

Subsequently, one may also ask, does a fridge consume a lot of electricity?

The average domestic fridge power consumption is between 100 to 250 watts. A fridge will use approximately 1 to 2 kWh of power per day. This means that a fridge will cost about $150 annually to run.

How many hours does a refrigerator run per day?

Eight hours

The Wattage Requirements of Average Refrigerators

Knowing a refrigerator’s wattage before replacing it or finding alternative energy-saving is vital.

Electric demand information is found on most refrigerators. It can be located either below the door or behind the kickplate.

Average Wattage

780 watts power a 21-cubic-foot side-by-side refrigerator freezer. After determining your refrigerator’s wattage, you may calculate its operating cost.

You can calculate your operating costs by converting watts into kilowatt-hours. Utilities charge electricity per watt.

Maybe you need to know:

Figuring Cost

To get kilowatt-hours, multiply the number of watts a device needs by the number of hours it is used, then divide that number by 1000. The U.S. Department of Energy says freezers should run eight hours a day since they always cycle.

To get 6,240 watts daily, multiply 780 by 8 hours. Divide this amount by 1000 to get 6.24 Kilowatt-hours. Your refrigerator will use 81c per day or $24.30 monthly if your utility costs 13c per kilowatt-hour.

9 Tips To Save On Your Fridge Costs

Saving on your fridge costs is essential for both your wallet and the environment. Here are the ways you can save on your fridge costs, explained in detail:

1. Replace the gaskets

Old gaskets allow warm air into your refrigerator, making it work harder to maintain its temperature. Check your gaskets for cracks or gaps and replace them if necessary to ensure a tight seal.

2. Get an ENERGY STAR rated refrigerator:

ENERGY STAR appliances are designed to be more energy-efficient than standard models. An ENERGY STAR refrigerator saves money and reduces your environmental impact.

3. Buy a thermometer to get an accurate read on your fridge temperature

An accurate thermometer can help you regulate your refrigerator’s temperature to keep food fresh and save energy use.

4. Keep it closed

Minimize the time your refrigerator door is open. The longer the door is open, the more cold air escapes, making your fridge work more to maintain temperature.

5. Clean it regularly

A clean refrigerator runs more efficiently. Make sure to clean the condenser coils, door seals, and interior surfaces to remove dirt, dust, and grime that can hinder performance.

6. Wait until your food cools before you store it

Putting hot food in your refrigerator makes the appliance work harder to cool it down. Allow your food to cool to room temperature before storing it in the fridge.

7. Set your fridge to the right temperature

The optimal temperature for your refrigerator is between 35-38°F (2-3°C), and your freezer should be set at 0°F (-18°C).

Setting your appliance to the correct temperature will ensure it operates efficiently and keeps your food fresh.

8. Defrost your refrigerator and freezer

Regularly defrosting your refrigerator and freezer will help maintain their efficiency. Frost buildup can reduce cooling efficiency, causing your appliance to use more energy.

9. Choose Perch Energy

Perch Energy offers a service to analyze and optimize your home’s energy usage. Their program provides specific energy-saving ideas for your house and refrigerator.

FAQs

How much does it cost to run a fridge a month?

You now know that your fridge consumes 7.68 kilowatt-hours of electricity each day. This allows you to calculate your monthly cost. Your daily cost to run your fridge at 12 cents per hour is 12.68 kilowatt-hours. That’s 92 cents per person per day. This is $27.60 per month just to run your refrigerator.

Is it cheaper to run a fridge full or empty?

ACEEE researcher Jacob Talbot argues a full fridge doesn’t save energy. He says the fridge’s food won’t take up enough room to save energy.

How many hours fridge should be on?

Before turning on the fridge, we recommend it be left to stand upright for at most four hours. This allows the compressor oil time to settle properly.

Do fridges use a lot of electricity?

Due of its regular usage, a fridge’s modest power consumption will add up. Even though iron is rarely used, it is still used a lot. Therefore, the faster you iron, the better. It will use 12kWh of electricity.

Conclusion

You can save money by learning more about the costs of running a refrigerator. Publican Anker has great information about saving electricity, even if you don’t have a fridge.

You can comment below if you have any questions. Publican Anker will monitor and filter all questions. Your comments are a great way to help the article become better.