What a freezer costs to run

A typical certified freezer uses 418 kWh a year, about $76.03 at the U.S. average rate.

Upright, chest and compact freezers. Based on 671 models on the ENERGY STAR certified list.

Typical model418 kWhper year

Efficient model227 kWhbest 10% of models

High-use model511 kWhtop 10% in energy use

U.S. average cost$76.03per year, typical model

Cost by state

Typical freezer, 418 kWh a year. Rank 1 is the most expensive state.
Rank	State	Cents per kWh	Per year	Per month
1	Hawaii	46.41	$193.99	$16.17
2	California	32.58	$136.18	$11.35
3	Maine	30.23	$126.36	$10.53
4	Massachusetts	30.19	$126.19	$10.52
5	New York	29.26	$122.31	$10.19
6	Rhode Island	29.05	$121.43	$10.12
7	Connecticut	27.47	$114.82	$9.57
8	Alaska	27.32	$114.20	$9.52
9	New Hampshire	26.91	$112.48	$9.37
10	District of Columbia	24.86	$103.91	$8.66
11	New Jersey	24.09	$100.70	$8.39
12	Vermont	23.93	$100.03	$8.34
13	Michigan	21.73	$90.83	$7.57
14	Maryland	21.31	$89.08	$7.42
15	Pennsylvania	21.13	$88.32	$7.36
16	Illinois	19.23	$80.38	$6.70
17	Wisconsin	19.05	$79.63	$6.64
18	Ohio	18.81	$78.63	$6.55
19	Delaware	17.98	$75.16	$6.26
20	Indiana	17.04	$71.23	$5.94
21	Virginia	16.95	$70.85	$5.90
22	Colorado	16.80	$70.22	$5.85
23	Alabama	16.51	$69.01	$5.75
24	Minnesota	16.44	$68.72	$5.73
25	Texas	16.03	$67.01	$5.58
26	South Carolina	15.90	$66.46	$5.54
27	West Virginia	15.58	$65.12	$5.43
28	Georgia	15.48	$64.71	$5.39
29	Oregon	15.46	$64.62	$5.39
30	Arizona	15.36	$64.20	$5.35
31	New Mexico	15.34	$64.12	$5.34
32	Florida	15.32	$64.04	$5.34
33	Kansas	15.26	$63.79	$5.32
34	Mississippi	15.06	$62.95	$5.25
35	North Carolina	14.94	$62.45	$5.20
36	South Dakota	14.58	$60.94	$5.08
37	Iowa	14.55	$60.82	$5.07
38	Washington	14.42	$60.28	$5.02
39	Missouri	14.28	$59.69	$4.97
40	Kentucky	14.20	$59.36	$4.95
41	Montana	14.13	$59.06	$4.92
42	Wyoming	14.01	$58.56	$4.88
43	Oklahoma	13.81	$57.73	$4.81
44	Tennessee	13.80	$57.68	$4.81
45	Arkansas	13.74	$57.43	$4.79
46	Nevada	13.36	$55.84	$4.65
47	Louisiana	13.27	$55.47	$4.62
48	Utah	13.19	$55.13	$4.59
49	Idaho	13.02	$54.42	$4.54
50	Nebraska	12.92	$54.01	$4.50
51	North Dakota	12.46	$52.08	$4.34

Models that use the least electricity

Lower energy use often comes with a smaller size. Compare models of the size you need.
Model	Details	kWh per year	Cost per year, U.S. average
Avanti CF24Q0W	Compact, 2.5	137	$24.92
Liebherr UF3651	Compact, 2.5	155	$28.19
EPIC ECF36W-1	Compact, 3.4	167	$30.38
Marathon MCF36W-1	Compact, 3.4	167	$30.38
Kalamera KCF-100E	Compact, 3.4	172	$31.29
Marathon MCF35W-1	Compact, 3.5	172	$31.29
Danby DCF035A5WDB	Compact, 3.5	173	$31.47
Arctic King AC35ESKCR1RCM	Compact, 3.5	174	$31.65
Arctic King ARC04B2C**	Compact, 3.5	174	$31.65
Master Chef 043-0292-2	Compact, 3.5	174	$31.65
Midea MRC04M3C**	Compact, 3.5	174	$31.65
OMNImax 3730-922	Compact, 3.5	174	$31.65
EPIC ECF50W-1	Compact, 4.9	184	$33.47
Marathon MCF50W-1	Compact, 4.9	184	$33.47
Cool-living CL-5UFR	Compact, 5.0	195	$35.47

Brands with the most certified models

Brand	Models	Typical kWh per year
Midea	41	394
Hisense	31	437
Frigidaire	29	424
VITARA	27	435
Insignia	27	394
Miele	24	457
Conserv	21	396
Gaggenau	19	472
Thermador	19	443
BANGSON	18	216

Frequently asked questions

How much electricity does a freezer use?

A typical ENERGY STAR certified freezer uses about 418 kWh a year. The most efficient 10% use 227 kWh or less. The 10% that use the most need 511 kWh or more.

How much does it cost to run a freezer for a year?

About $76.03 at the U.S. average rate of 18.19 cents per kWh. It ranges from $52.08 in North Dakota to $193.99 in Hawaii.

How we get these numbers: yearly electricity use comes from the ENERGY STAR certified product lists, measured with the federal test procedure. The rate is the average residential price the U.S. Energy Information Administration reports for each state, January to August 2026. Your own bill depends on your utility, your plan and how you use the appliance. See sources.