What a refrigerator costs to run per year
Bottom line
A typical ENERGY STAR refrigerator costs about $54–$125 a year to run at the US average electricity price (middle 80% of 2,934 certified models; median $84).
Size and type matter more than brand: the median runs from $47 (Single door / no freezer, under 15 cu ft) to $130 (Bottom freezer / French door, 30+ cu ft).
Within one group, the spread is widest for Bottom freezer / French door, 20-25 cu ft: about $31 a year between the more efficient and less efficient models (10th vs 90th percentile).
Typical cost by type and capacity
| Type and capacity | Models | Median kWh/yr | Median $/yr | Middle 80% $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bottom freezer / French door, under 15 cu ft | 240 | 397 | $72 | $62–$91 |
| Bottom freezer / French door, 15-20 cu ft | 614 | 512 | $93 | $79–$106 |
| Bottom freezer / French door, 20-25 cu ft | 463 | 590 | $107 | $92–$123 |
| Bottom freezer / French door, 25-30 cu ft | 308 | 704 | $128 | $114–$139 |
| Bottom freezer / French door, 30+ cu ft | 50 | 714 | $130 | $117–$137 |
| Single door / no freezer, under 15 cu ft | 128 | 260 | $47 | $38–$54 |
| Single door / no freezer, 15-20 cu ft | 84 | 288 | $52 | $44–$60 |
| Single door / no freezer, 20-25 cu ft | 84 | 314 | $57 | $56–$65 |
| Side-by-side, 20-25 cu ft | 53 | 610 | $111 | $94–$116 |
| Side-by-side, 25-30 cu ft | 61 | 694 | $126 | $118–$146 |
| Top freezer, under 15 cu ft | 293 | 311 | $57 | $54–$61 |
| Top freezer, 15-20 cu ft | 401 | 366 | $67 | $65–$82 |
| Top freezer, 20-25 cu ft | 141 | 399 | $73 | $70–$87 |
2,920 of 2,934 models fall in the groups above (groups with too few models are left out of this table but counted in the bottom line).
Lowest-energy certified models
The 50 models below have the lowest rated annual energy use in their group. Model numbers with * cover a family of variants (color, trim). Listed by rated kWh, not reviewed or tested by us.
Bottom freezer / French door, 15-20 cu ft
| Brand | Model | Capacity | kWh/yr | $/yr | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liebherr | C7620 | 15.0 cu ft | 305 | $55 | Check on Amazon |
| Miele | KFN 4776 ED edt/cs | 15.0 cu ft | 305 | $55 | Check on Amazon |
| Liebherr | SC7751 | 16.9 cu ft | 354 | $64 | Check on Amazon |
| Beko | BFBD30216SS | 16.1 cu ft | 355 | $65 | Check on Amazon |
| Beko | BFBD30216SSL | 16.1 cu ft | 355 | $65 | Check on Amazon |
| Beko | BFBF30116SS | 16.1 cu ft | 355 | $65 | Check on Amazon |
| Beko | BFBF30216SS | 16.1 cu ft | 355 | $65 | Check on Amazon |
| Beko | BFBF30216SSL | 16.1 cu ft | 355 | $65 | Check on Amazon |
| Blomberg | BRFB21612SS | 16.1 cu ft | 355 | $65 | Check on Amazon |
| Summit | FFBF172W | 16.1 cu ft | 355 | $65 | Check on Amazon |
Bottom freezer / French door, 20-25 cu ft
| Brand | Model | Capacity | kWh/yr | $/yr | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fisher & Paykel | RF201A***** | 20.1 cu ft | 448 | $81 | Check on Amazon |
| Hamilton Beach | HBF2067 | 20.3 cu ft | 461 | $84 | Check on Amazon |
| Hamilton Beach | HBF2067/HZ7602 | 20.3 cu ft | 461 | $84 | Check on Amazon |
| Kenmore | KKFDR36x20.3******** | 20.3 cu ft | 461 | $84 | Check on Amazon |
| Kenmore | KKFDR36x20.3-SS | 20.3 cu ft | 461 | $84 | Check on Amazon |
| Marathon | MFF208SSFD | 20.3 cu ft | 461 | $84 | Check on Amazon |
| Marathon | MFF208SSFD-2 | 20.3 cu ft | 461 | $84 | Check on Amazon |
| Marathon | MFF208WFD | 20.3 cu ft | 461 | $84 | Check on Amazon |
| Marathon | MFF208WFD-2 | 20.3 cu ft | 461 | $84 | Check on Amazon |
| TCL | TRF20S5AL-S1 | 20.3 cu ft | 461 | $84 | Check on Amazon |
Bottom freezer / French door, 25-30 cu ft
| Brand | Model | Capacity | kWh/yr | $/yr | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LG | LF25S6000* | 25.1 cu ft | 535 | $97 | Check on Amazon |
| Hisense | RF27A3F*E | 26.7 cu ft | 546 | $99 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | LF27NCH10* | 26.5 cu ft | 549 | $100 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | LB26H2200* | 25.5 cu ft | 562 | $102 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | LRDCS2603* | 25.5 cu ft | 562 | $102 | Check on Amazon |
| Midea | MRF27I4*** | 26.5 cu ft | 573 | $104 | Check on Amazon |
| Hisense | HRF266N6C*E1 | 26.6 cu ft | 583 | $106 | Check on Amazon |
| Hisense | RF266C3F*E | 26.6 cu ft | 583 | $106 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | LF25H6200* | 25.1 cu ft | 608 | $111 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | LF25S6200* | 25.1 cu ft | 608 | $111 | Check on Amazon |
Top freezer, under 15 cu ft
| Brand | Model | Capacity | kWh/yr | $/yr | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midea | MRW14B2ABB | 1.5 cu ft | 121 | $22 | Check on Amazon |
| Honeywell | H34WCB | 3.3 cu ft | 143 | $26 | Check on Amazon |
| Absocold | ARD1033FB21R/L | 10.0 cu ft | 263 | $48 | Check on Amazon |
| Absocold | ARD1033FS21R/L | 10.0 cu ft | 263 | $48 | Check on Amazon |
| Absocold | ARD1033FW21R/L | 10.0 cu ft | 263 | $48 | Check on Amazon |
| MicroFridge | 10.0LMF4R | 10.0 cu ft | 263 | $48 | Check on Amazon |
| MicroFridge | 10.0LMF4RW | 10.0 cu ft | 263 | $48 | Check on Amazon |
| MicroFridge | 10.0RMF4R | 10.0 cu ft | 263 | $48 | Check on Amazon |
| MicroFridge | 10.0RMF4RW | 10.0 cu ft | 263 | $48 | Check on Amazon |
| Insignia | NS-RTM10SS2-C | 10.1 cu ft | 283 | $51 | Check on Amazon |
Top freezer, 15-20 cu ft
| Brand | Model | Capacity | kWh/yr | $/yr | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung | RT18DG6300** | 17.5 cu ft | 333 | $61 | Check on Amazon |
| Hisense | BCD-418WP4NA1/HC1(H) | 15.0 cu ft | 338 | $61 | Check on Amazon |
| Hisense | RT15A2CCE | 15.0 cu ft | 338 | $61 | Check on Amazon |
| Hisense | RT15A2CSE | 15.0 cu ft | 338 | $61 | Check on Amazon |
| Hisense | RT15A2CWE | 15.0 cu ft | 338 | $61 | Check on Amazon |
| Samsung | RT18DG6500** | 17.5 cu ft | 343 | $62 | Check on Amazon |
| Samsung | RT70F18LR** | 17.5 cu ft | 343 | $62 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | LT18S1100* | 17.5 cu ft | 344 | $63 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | LT18S2100* | 17.5 cu ft | 344 | $63 | Check on Amazon |
| GE | GTE16DTN**** | 15.6 cu ft | 345 | $63 | Check on Amazon |
Notes
- "Bottom freezer" in the ENERGY STAR data includes French-door models.
- In 20-25 cu ft bottom-freezer models, a through-the-door dispenser goes with a higher median (673 vs 585 kWh/yr in this data).
- The rated figure comes from a federal lab test. Door openings, room temperature and settings change real use.
- Full-size refrigerators only (compact models, beverage coolers and stand-alone freezers are left out).
Work it out for your rate
Annual kWh ÷ 5.5 ≈ dollars per year
At the US average price of 18.19¢ per kWh, every 5.5 kWh costs about $1 (1 ÷ 0.1819 = 5.50). A refrigerator rated at 550 kWh a year costs about $100 a year to run.
Multiply the kWh figure by your own price per kWh from your bill. Your state's price may be far from the average: see rates by state.
Source: ENERGY STAR certified refrigerators (dataset p5st-her9), retrieved 2026-10-30. Rate: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.B, residential, January-August 2026 year-to-date (released 2026-10-23). How we calculate.