How much does it cost to run a chest freezer?
A chest freezer averages about 50 watts over a full day as it cycles on and off. That works out to about 1.20 kWh per day, costing about $0.23 per day, $7.09 per month, and $85.02 per year at the US average residential rate of 19.4¢/kWh. Enter your own wattage and state below for an exact figure.
Estimates only — based on typical wattages and average state rates, not your actual bill.
What drives the cost
Chest freezers are efficient because cold air doesn't spill out when you open the lid, and because they're usually well insulated. A modern unit averages roughly 50 watts over 24 hours. Keeping it full actually helps — frozen mass holds temperature between compressor cycles.
Cost at different daily usage
Same chest freezer at 50 watts, run for different amounts of time, at 19.4¢/kWh.
| Usage | kWh/day | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 h/day | 0.30 kWh | $0.06 | $1.77 | $21.25 |
| 12 h/day | 0.60 kWh | $0.12 | $3.55 | $42.51 |
| 18 h/day | 0.90 kWh | $0.17 | $5.32 | $63.76 |
| 24 h/day | 1.20 kWh | $0.23 | $7.09 | $85.02 |
Cost by model power draw
Not all models are equal. At 24 h/day, here is what the range costs.
| Model | Power | kWh/day | Per day | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low-draw model | 30 W | 0.72 kWh | $0.14 | $4.25 |
| Typical | 50 W | 1.20 kWh | $0.23 | $7.09 |
| High-draw model | 100 W | 2.40 kWh | $0.47 | $14.18 |
Cost by state
A chest freezer at 50 W for 24 h/day, priced at each state's average residential rate.
| State | Rate | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16.8¢ | $0.20 | $6.13 | $73.45 |
| Alaska | 28.2¢ | $0.34 | $10.31 | $123.65 |
| Arizona | 15.2¢ | $0.18 | $5.56 | $66.71 |
| Arkansas | 14.4¢ | $0.17 | $5.25 | $62.90 |
| California | 33.2¢ | $0.40 | $12.15 | $145.64 |
| Colorado | 16.2¢ | $0.19 | $5.90 | $70.78 |
| Connecticut | 27.4¢ | $0.33 | $10.00 | $119.88 |
| Delaware | 19.4¢ | $0.23 | $7.08 | $84.88 |
| District of Columbia | 25.4¢ | $0.30 | $9.28 | $111.25 |
| Florida | 15.2¢ | $0.18 | $5.54 | $66.44 |
| Georgia | 15.8¢ | $0.19 | $5.79 | $69.38 |
| Hawaii | 52.0¢ | $0.62 | $18.99 | $227.76 |
| Idaho | 12.3¢ | $0.15 | $4.51 | $54.09 |
| Illinois | 23.9¢ | $0.29 | $8.71 | $104.46 |
| Indiana | 18.1¢ | $0.22 | $6.63 | $79.50 |
| Iowa | 14.1¢ | $0.17 | $5.17 | $61.93 |
| Kansas | 15.1¢ | $0.18 | $5.53 | $66.27 |
| Kentucky | 15.0¢ | $0.18 | $5.47 | $65.61 |
| Louisiana | 14.2¢ | $0.17 | $5.17 | $61.98 |
| Maine | 28.6¢ | $0.34 | $10.46 | $125.40 |
| Maryland | 21.8¢ | $0.26 | $7.95 | $95.35 |
| Massachusetts | 28.8¢ | $0.35 | $10.53 | $126.23 |
| Michigan | 22.0¢ | $0.26 | $8.04 | $96.40 |
| Minnesota | 16.9¢ | $0.20 | $6.19 | $74.24 |
| Mississippi | 16.2¢ | $0.19 | $5.90 | $70.78 |
| Missouri | 13.7¢ | $0.16 | $5.00 | $59.92 |
| Montana | 14.7¢ | $0.18 | $5.36 | $64.25 |
| Nebraska | 13.6¢ | $0.16 | $4.96 | $59.52 |
| Nevada | 13.6¢ | $0.16 | $4.97 | $59.57 |
| New Hampshire | 27.3¢ | $0.33 | $9.98 | $119.71 |
| New Jersey | 23.3¢ | $0.28 | $8.50 | $101.92 |
| New Mexico | 14.1¢ | $0.17 | $5.16 | $61.85 |
| New York | 29.9¢ | $0.36 | $10.93 | $131.09 |
| North Carolina | 15.1¢ | $0.18 | $5.51 | $66.09 |
| North Dakota | 13.6¢ | $0.16 | $4.97 | $59.61 |
| Ohio | 19.5¢ | $0.23 | $7.13 | $85.50 |
| Oklahoma | 13.4¢ | $0.16 | $4.89 | $58.60 |
| Oregon | 16.3¢ | $0.20 | $5.94 | $71.26 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.6¢ | $0.26 | $7.87 | $94.39 |
| Rhode Island | 29.5¢ | $0.35 | $10.76 | $129.03 |
| South Carolina | 16.2¢ | $0.19 | $5.91 | $70.87 |
| South Dakota | 15.7¢ | $0.19 | $5.75 | $68.90 |
| Tennessee | 14.5¢ | $0.17 | $5.29 | $63.38 |
| Texas | 16.4¢ | $0.20 | $6.01 | $72.01 |
| Utah | 13.0¢ | $0.16 | $4.73 | $56.76 |
| Vermont | 24.9¢ | $0.30 | $9.09 | $109.02 |
| Virginia | 17.6¢ | $0.21 | $6.43 | $77.13 |
| Washington | 14.9¢ | $0.18 | $5.46 | $65.48 |
| West Virginia | 16.8¢ | $0.20 | $6.14 | $73.58 |
| Wisconsin | 19.7¢ | $0.24 | $7.21 | $86.46 |
| Wyoming | 14.8¢ | $0.18 | $5.41 | $64.82 |
How to cut the cost
- Keep it reasonably full; empty space warms faster and triggers more cycling.
- Site it somewhere cool — a hot garage forces the compressor to work much harder year-round.
- Defrost when frost builds past about a quarter inch, as ice insulates the cooling surfaces.
- Check the lid seal; chest freezers often sit unopened for weeks, so a bad gasket goes unnoticed.
Compare with related appliances
Monthly cost at typical usage and 19.4¢/kWh.
Questions
Do chest freezers use much electricity?
Less than most people expect — a modern chest freezer typically uses a little over 1 kWh per day, comparable to a refrigerator.
How do you calculate what a chest freezer costs to run?
Multiply its wattage by the hours it runs per day, divide by 1,000 to get kilowatt-hours, then multiply by your electricity rate. For a chest freezer: 50 W × 24 h ÷ 1,000 = 1.20 kWh per day, which at 19.4¢/kWh is $0.23 per day.
How many watts does a chest freezer use?
Typically 50 watts, with most models falling between 30 and 100 watts. The label on the appliance or its power supply gives the figure for your specific unit.