Home refrigerators represent a significant fraction of domestic electricity consumption. It is therefore important to be able to estimate and compare the power use of various brands, makes and models. So how many watts does a refrigerator use? The wattage of an individual refrigerator can vary wildly from model to model, and as such it is always best to find the specific information for the make and model of the device you are using (or considering), however as a rule of thumb we have prepared the following list of estimated power uses - 1940-60s era, basic unit, average size – 400 kWh per year (approx 140 Watt)1960-70s era, early frost free type, average size – 1700 kWh per year (approx 600 Watt)1980-90s era, average size single door – 1150 kWh per year ( approx 400 Watt)1980s-90s era, large size double door – 1700 kWh per year (approx 600 watt)Modern era, average size single door, “energy star” unit – 400 kWh per year (approx 140 Watt)Modern era, large size double door with ice maker, “energy star” unit – 600 kWh per year (approx 210 Watt)
As we can see the average family will quickly benefit from upgrading typical twenty year old refrigerator to a modern unit; typical electricity prices can range wildly so it is difficult to pinpoint the exact savings, but at 20 US cents per kWh (typical of the United Kingdom, expensive but realistic in the United States, cheap but possible in Australia, outrageously expensive in Canada) the saving would be in the vicinity of $150 US per year. If your device shows only a wattage, it is still possible to estimate the usage in kilowatt hours. Although refrigerators are “always on” devices, the refrigeration units are designed to power themselves on and off as required to maintain the target temperature. A standard rule of thumb for estimating the unit’s active time is to divide by three; that is to say, for every day of operation, assume eight hours of power use. So, To convert these wattages into a daily use of kilowatt hours (kWh – the standard billing unit of electricity suppliers), the following equation applies -
(Wattage x eight) ÷ 1000 = kWh per day Where eight represents our presumed eight hours active time per day. Thus a 600 Watt unit – typical of older, larger refrigerators – would use 4.8 kilowatt hours daily, or 1750 per year; where a more modern 140 watt unit uses about 1.1 kWh daily, or approximately 400 per year. This is how many watts does a refrigerator use.A typical large side-by-side refrigerator demands 780 watts. Knowing the wattage demanded by a refrigerator is important when considering whether to replace your current refrigerator with a more energy-efficient model or looking into different ways of reducing your overall electric consumption. Most refrigerators have electric demand information on the manufacturer’s nameplate, which typically is located below the door, behind the front kickplate or on the back of the refrigerator. Average Wattage An average 21-cubic-foot side-by-side refrigerator-freezer demands about 780 watts when in operation. Once you know the wattage demanded by your refrigerator, you can figure out how much the refrigerator costs to run.
Utilities sell electricity by the kilowatt-hour, so you need to convert watts to kilowatt-hours to figure your operating cost. Figuring Cost Multiply watts of demand by the number of hours per day an appliance is used and divide the result by 1,000 to get kilowatt-hours. Because refrigerators cycle on and off all day and night, the U.S. Department of Energy’s rule of thumb is to assume eight hours of operating time per day. If your refrigerator demands 780 watts, multiply 780 by eight hours to get 6,240 watts per day. Divide that amount by 1,000 to get 6.24 kilowatt-hours. If your utility charges 13 cents per kilowatt hour, for example, your refrigerator will cost you 81 cents per day or $24.30 per month for electricity. References U.S. Department of Energy: Estimating Appliance and Home Electronic Energy UseFlathead Electric Cooperative: Appliances & Typical Wattage Photo Credits Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images Suggest a CorrectionHow many watts does a refrigerator use? A standard, frost-free, 16 cubic foot refrigerator uses 725 watts.
Since most refrigerators have a range of settings, the total watts used vary depending on the setting. How many watts are required to power a refrigerator? How many amps does a refrigerator draw? How many watts does a refrigerator draw? The wattage for most appliances is located on the bottom or back of the appliance or stamped on its nameplate. If you cannot locate the wattage, calculate it by finding the current draw (in amperes) and multiplying that by the refrigerator's voltage. In most cases, the amperes are stamped on the refrigerator in place of the wattage, and most refrigerators use 120-240 volts. It is important to keep in mind that even when a refrigerator is turned off, it continues to draw a small amount of power, called a "phantom load." Learn more about Refrigerators & Freezers What are the top rated mini refrigerators? The top rated mini refrigerators are the Danby DAR195BL, the SPT 2.5 cubic foot compact refrigerator and the Whynter FM-45G, according to Amazon.
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