How Much Electricity Does a Chest Freezer Use?
Electricity seems to be an ever-rising household expense, but despite being "always on" the relatively low cost daily of running a freezer might surprise you.
Average Energy Usage By Freezer Size For 2024
Here are the average costs for each size category and how much electricity is used in kWh (Kilo Watt Hours) - 1 kWh is one unit.
* assuming 24.5p per kWh, based on Ofgem figures for standard variable tariffs, April 2024
SMALL
(to 149 litres)
173 KWh
£42.39 per year*
MEDIUM
(150-299 litres)
230 KWh
£56.35 per year*
LARGE
(300 litres+)
313 KWh
£76.69 per year*
Best Energy Efficient Freezers
How Energy Efficient is My Chest Freezer?
The figures above should cover most modern freezers.
Your Specific Freezer
To find out exactly how much electricity your particular model uses, you will need to find its annual energy usage - it will be shown as a KWh figure (1Kwh = 1 unit of electricity).
Find the Usage Amount
You can find this information in the user manual, on the manufacturers website or on the energy efficiency label on the front of the unit. If it's a new freezer, then you can of course find it right here on our site.
Watts the Annual Cost
To find your annual running costs, simply multiply the annual kWh figure by the cost of your current electricity unit price which you can find on your bill - usually on page 2 under "unit rate"
Did you Know?
Energy efficiency rating were updated in 2021. Out went the confusing A, A+ and A++ ratings, and in came a simpler A-G scale.
New Energy RatingPeople Also Ask ...
How to Use Your Freezer Efficiently
Here are some simple tips to keep your freezer operating at peak performance:
- Allow warm or hot food to cool down to room temperature before freezing
- Regularly review the contents for expired items or those you know you will never use
- Only open the lid when required and close as soon as possible
- Keep the freezer 75% full - this is the most optimum level between airflow and mass
- In summer, ensure the surrounding area (especially in a shed or garage) is properly ventilated and the unit is out of direct sunlight
- Defrost on a regular basis - thick ice build-up reduces space and makes the freezer work harder
Compare All the Latest Chest Freezers for Annual Energy Usage
Below is our animated comparison graph that shows a selection of current model chest freezers with their capacity, annual energy use and approximate annual cost.
The larger the capacity the higher the energy usage. Use the drop-down menu to filter by size group to see how similar sized models compare.
Shorter lines = more economical
(costs based on 24.5p per kWh - that's 1 unit of electricity)
See Also
