🧊 Chest freezer

How much electricity does a chest freezer use? kWh per year by size

Yearly chest freezer electricity use from 100 to 400 litres, running cost and how it compares with an upright freezer.

Typical use

180 kWh/year

Per month

$2.70 · £3.90

Per year · 180 kWh

$32 · £47

With normal use all year, electricity at $0.18/kWh and £0.26/kWh all-in.

A recent 200 litre chest freezer uses about 170 kWh a year, under half a kWh a day. Litre for litre it is the most efficient type of freezer.

The reason is simple: cold air is heavy and stays at the bottom. When you lift the lid it doesn’t spill out, as it does from an upright door. The walls are also thicker and there is no frost-free heater.

Consumption compared

TypeUsagekWh/yearCost/year
100 litres, recent130 kWh/year130$23 · £34
200 litres, recent170 kWh/year170$31 · £44
300 litres, recent220 kWh/year220$40 · £57
400 litres, recent280 kWh/year280$50 · £73
Upright 200 litres, for comparison230 kWh/year230$41 · £60
Chest freezer over 15 years old450 kWh/year450$81 · £117

Yearly cost with normal use all year.

Work out your cost

Per month
$2.70
Per year
$32
Energy per year
180 kWh

The price is a typical all-in figure for your country: replace it with yours (bill total ÷ kWh).

How to use less

  • Defrost it when the ice is more than half a centimetre thick: a thick layer makes the compressor work harder.
  • Keep it somewhere cool but not freezing: in a garage below 10 °C many models struggle unless they are rated for it.
  • A full chest freezer uses less than a half-empty one: fill gaps with bottles of water.
  • Set it to −18 °C: each degree colder adds about 5% to consumption.
Lower-energy modelsCompare prices and energy labels on AmazonAmazon ↗

FAQ

How much electricity does a chest freezer use?
On average about 180 kWh a year, from 100 to 500 kWh depending on model, energy class and age.
How much does it cost per year?
With normal use all year it uses about 180 kWh a year: about $32 · £47 at $0.18/kWh and £0.26/kWh.
How can I reduce it?
Defrost it when the ice is more than half a centimetre thick: a thick layer makes the compressor work harder. Keep it somewhere cool but not freezing: in a garage below 10 °C many models struggle unless they are rated for it.

And what does your whole home use?

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