Why the watts on the back mislead
A fridge’s compressor switches on and off all day, so the rating plate says little about what it uses. The energy label’s kWh a year is the number that counts: a new European fridge-freezer is rated around 115–170 kWh a year, and a US top-freezer model about 360 kWh.
The calculator therefore uses the average draw over 24 hours. To use your own fridge’s label, divide its kWh a year by 8.76: that is its average in watts.
What saves, and what not to do
Replacing a working fridge rarely pays back on electricity alone unless it is old and large. A second fridge or freezer in the garage, half empty, is the easiest saving: switching it off saves its whole yearly use.
Never put a fridge or freezer on a schedule that cuts its power: food safety comes first, and it only runs longer afterwards to cool down again. A metering plug is still useful here: a week of real readings tells you what an old fridge uses before you decide to replace it.
What a fridge costs a year, by type
| Type | On | Standby | A year* |
|---|---|---|---|
| New fridge-freezer (EU) | 16 W | 0 W | €39 |
| Chest freezer | 25 W | 0 W | €61 |
| US top-freezer fridge | 41 W | 0 W | €101 |
* Average power over 24 hours, at €0.28 per kWh. Sources: co2online (EU), ENERGY STAR (US).
Questions
How many watts does a fridge use?
Averaged over a day, a new European fridge-freezer draws about 13–19 W (115–170 kWh a year) and a US top-freezer model about 41 W (360 kWh). The compressor draws more while it runs, but it runs only part of the time.
Can I save by switching the fridge off at night?
No. The compressor runs longer afterwards to cool down again, and food safety suffers. Save instead with the temperature the manual recommends, a door seal that closes properly, and by switching off a second, half-empty fridge.
How do I find out what my own fridge uses?
A new one’s energy label gives kWh a year. For an older one, run it on a smart plug with energy metering for a week and multiply by 52: that includes your kitchen’s temperature and how often the door opens.
Other devices
Sources: Eurostat: EU average household electricity price, first half of 2026 · co2online: Stromverbrauch von Kühlschränken · ENERGY STAR: refrigerators · Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory: standby power · ENERGY STAR product specifications · US Department of Energy: estimating appliance energy use · EU product database for energy labels (EPREL) · EU Regulation 2023/826: standby and off-mode power · Our World in Data / Ember: carbon intensity of electricity, 2025 · Updated 2026-11