How much does a fridge freezer cost to run?
Look at the energy label. It gives the energy use in kWh per year, and that is the number you need. A fridge freezer rated at 250 kWh/year costs about £65.80 a year at the Ofgem cap rate of 26.32p/kWh, or about £5.48 a month. An efficient model rated at 150 kWh/year costs about £39.48 a year.
Prices last checked: 26 September 2026 · Source: Ofgem energy price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026 · Great Britain average, standard variable tariff, paid by Direct Debit
Fridge and freezer costs by label rating
Fridges and freezers run 24 hours a day, but the compressor switches on and off. That is why the wattage on the rating plate is misleading and the label's annual figure is better. The ratings below are examples across the usual range for household models.
| Appliance (example label rating) | kWh per year | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under-counter fridge, efficient | 100 | 7.2p | £2.19 | £26.32 |
| Fridge freezer, efficient | 150 | 11p | £3.29 | £39.48 |
| Fridge freezer, mid-range | 250 | 18p | £5.48 | £65.80 |
| American-style, older or large | 400 | 29p | £8.77 | £105 |
| Chest freezer in a garage | 200 | 14p | £4.39 | £52.64 |
Why the wattage on the back is the wrong number
The rating plate might say 100W or 150W. Multiplying that by 24 hours and 365 days gives 876–1,314 kWh a year. That is several times what most modern fridge freezers use, because the compressor spends much of the day switched off. The plate also lists defrost heater and lamp ratings that only draw power briefly. The label's annual figure already includes all of that.
Is it worth replacing an old fridge freezer?
Take the difference in kWh per year and multiply by the unit rate. Replacing a 400 kWh/year model with a 150 kWh/year one saves 250 kWh a year, about £65.80. If the new one costs £500, it takes about 7.6 years to pay for itself in electricity alone. Use the upgrade payback calculator to get the number of years with your own prices.
Replacing a working appliance purely to save electricity rarely pays back quickly unless the old one is very inefficient or faulty. It is worth doing when the old one is failing anyway.
Cheap ways to cut the running cost
- Set sensible temperatures. The Food Standards Agency advises keeping the fridge at 5°C or below, and freezers are usually set to around −18°C. Colder than needed wastes energy.
- Give it air. Leave the gap behind and above the appliance that the manual asks for, so the heat can escape from the coils.
- Keep it away from the oven, radiators and sunny windows. A hotter room makes the compressor work harder.
- Defrost when ice builds up (on models without frost-free). Thick ice insulates the evaporator.
- Check the door seal. A seal that doesn't grip a sheet of paper lets cold air leak out constantly.
- Think twice about the garage freezer. An old second freezer that's mostly empty can cost more than it saves.
Common mistakes
- Rated watts × 24 hours. This overstates the cost several times.
- Short plug-in monitor readings. Measure over a full day or longer.
- Comparing old and new label classes directly. The EU and UK labels were rescaled in 2021, so an old "A++" and a new "E" can use similar energy. Compare kWh per year, not the letter.
Limits of this estimate
Label figures come from standard tests at a set room temperature. Real use depends on your kitchen, how full the appliance is and how often it's opened. Costs use the Ofgem cap average unit rate (Great Britain, Direct Debit, standard variable tariff).
Frequently asked questions
How much does a fridge freezer cost to run per day?
At 250 kWh a year, about 18p a day. At 150 kWh a year, about 11p.
Should I enter 24 hours for a fridge?
Not with the label method. The annual kWh figure already accounts for the compressor cycling. If you use watts instead, you need the average draw, not the plate rating.
Does turning the fridge off overnight save money?
No, and it isn't food-safe. The fridge would use energy to cool back down, and the food would sit at unsafe temperatures.